Ireland is the birthplace of Halloween. The Celts celebrated Samhain, a time of the year when things got spooky and here at GP, we’re looking to keep that tradition alive. So, in paying homage to our history on this most spooky day, we’ll have a look at the most terrifying, haunting Irish bands around.

From the sparkly Fight Likes Apes, to the overly hairy Wolfe Tones, you’ll find enough terrifying secrets here to make your blood curdle.

Reader beware, you’re in for a scare!

Fight Like Apes

It started innocently enough. MayKay was just a normal girl, an extraordinarily talented vocalist. Pockets was your run-of-the-mill sparkly Vampire. When they met however, the magic began to happen. Pockets no longer lusted for human blood and instead became infatuated with creating the perfect shoegaze album.

The Wolfe Tones

Many believe that the Wolfe Tones were named after Irish patriot, Theobald Wolfe Tone, but the truth is even more spooky. Much like the Pogues were once the Pogue Mahones, Noel Nagle and company orignally had a longer name too – the Werewolfe Tones. All three men were afflicted by the curse of the moon and their early recordings were nothing more than howling and the noises of aran jumpers bursting. Years of isolation allowed the band to control their curse and under their new Republican name, The Wolfe Tones became a national treasure.

Hozier

Poetic guitarist, Andrew Hozier Byrne, was brought back to life by a crow a year after he and his fiancée were murdered. With a devilish crow at his side, he traveled through the land of the living, looking for his killers. He eventually took them to a church and fought them on the roof. True story.

Jedward

Yeah. The less said about these two maniacs the better.

Villagers

Beneath the sheen of the carefully crafted, soft and delicate image of Villagers, Conor J O’Brien, is a pencil-wielding maniac.  Living the life of a caramel voiced crooner and crafting impeccable tunes has taken it’s toll on the troubled soul. Claiming that he saw the dead, O’Brien was outcast from normal society, and took refuge with twenty-six or seven strangers. Now, under the cover of darkness, Conor and his bunch of merry lunatics, keep their unholy Pact to murder all in their way.

Rory Gallagher

Any self-respecting Corkonian will tell you that Rory Gallagher is the greatest guitarist who ever lived. What the Leesiders won’t tell you is that shockingly, he never did – Rory Gallagher was a fully fledged zombie. The signs were all there, his first band Taste was merely a ruse to snare unsuspecting musicians to his household, where he would feast upon their brains. Having acquired the knowledge of countless Southern Irish guitarists, it is not surprising that Gallagher possessed such God-like abilities from such a young age.

Clannad

“You Maniacs! You blew it up! Ah, damn you! God damn you all to hell!”

Jape

Haunted by the small number of Choice Music Prizes that he didn’t win, Severus Jape attempted to escape these horrors by returning to teach at Hogwarts. When he’s not emotionally traumatising young wizards, Jape can be found in his chamber mixing potions and beats to create musical masterpieces. Many speculate that Jape will walk the world of Muggles again soon, when he is strong enough to once again take his rightful place at the podium in Vicar Street.