To celebrate Pride, we’ll be highlighting a different Irish artist from the LGBTQIA+ community each day in June as part of our Pride Profiles series.
By Ellen Pentony
Listen If You Like:
Ailbhe Reddy, NewDad, Pillow Queens
Who They Are
Banríon are an indie-rock band led by frontperson Róisín Ní Haicéid. Their debut EP airport dads is a sad, summery collection of songs – the kind of music you listen to as you’re walking down the street in the hazy sun, thinking back on memories, unsure if you feel good or bad.
Opener “yesterday’s paper” is bright and nostalgic as Ní Haicéid avoids the present moment in favour of reliving the past. On “bunkbeds,” the singer/songwriter channels her inner Robert Smith, voice straining with emotion as she sings, “We don’t know whether we’ll see each other again / It’s hard to leave your friends.”
While airport dads is focused on intimate moments, banríon’s latest track “do you miss her” – released in aid of BeLong To Youth Services – explores the voyeuristic attitude of those in the media towards queer people, particularly those who identify as women.
Despite only a few releases thus far, banríon have demonstrated an ability and desire to discuss personal and social issues. Ní Haicéid’s tender, unguarded approach gives her songwriting an honest and unique perspective, one that places her alongside a number of strong queer voices in Irish music today.
Nameless Faceless 