The Mahones are a Canadian Irish punk band, formed on St. Patrick's Day in 1990, in Kingston, Ontario.
Biography The Mahones were formed in 1990 by Dublin-born Finny McConnell, as a one-off band for a St. Patrick's Day party. Encouraged by a positive reception, McConnell decided to pursue the band full-time. The Mahones have released thirteen albums to date with their most recent, Jameson Street, being released in 2022 being named the top celtic punk album of the year and have continually received high praise for their energetic live show ever since.
The Mahones' music has been featured in several major motion pictures. They co-wrote and recorded the title track for the 1996 film Celtic Pride with Dan Aykroyd. Their song "100 Bucks" was featured in the 1998 film Dog Park. Their song "Paint The Town Red" was featured in the climactic final fight scene of the 2010 Oscar Award-winning film The Fighter. Their song "A Little Bit of Love" is in the 2011 film Irvine Welsh's Ecstasy.
The Mahones have shared stages and toured with bands such as Dropkick Murphys, Stiff Little Fingers, Shane MacGowan and The Popes, Billy Bragg, Chuck Ragan, UK Subs, Sick of It All, The Defects, Agnostic Front, The Buzzcocks, D.O.A., Against Me, The Tragically Hip, Crash Vegas, The Damned, Suicidal Tendencies, The Prodigy, Gwar, Skunk Anansie, Blue Rodeo, Steve Earle, The Alarm, Sinéad O'Connor, Roger Miret and the Disasters, Dylan Walshe, Flogging Molly, Spirit of the west, The Dubliners, Christy Moore, The Band, and Van Morrison. The band's cited influences included The Clash, The Pogues, Greenland Whalefishers, The Who, and Hüsker Dü. The group's lineup has changed a number of times, with McConnell as the main constant member. Pogues members Terry Woods and Phil Chevron joined the band on tour in 2003.
In 1999, bassist Joe Chithalen died in Amsterdam shortly after a concert. He had accidentally ingested food containing peanuts, to which he was allergic. The Joe Chithalen Memorial Musical Instrument Lending Library, Joe's M.I.L.L., was established in Kingston soon after by Wally High. The Mahones perform fundraising concerts for Joe's M.I.L.L. annually.
In 2010, The Mahones started their own record label, Whiskey Devil Records, and signed a distribution deal with eOne Music.
In 2014, The Mahones were nominated Best Punk Band at the Sirius XM Indie Awards. In 2012, The Mahones' album The Black Irish won the Independent Music Award for Best Punk Album,"11th Annual Independent Music Awards Winners Announced!" Independent Music Awards, May 2, 2012. Retrieved on September 4, 2013. and Angels & Devils won Paddy Rock Radio's album of the year, as well as Vandala Concepts' album of the year
In 2016, Scruffy Wallace joined as the band bagpipe player. Wallace was a member of Dropkick Murphys for 12 years.
Advertising for the band's 2023–2024 "The Last Call At The Bar" tour indicated that this would be the group's final tour.
Name The Mahones cite The Pogues as a main influence. That band were originally called Pogue Mahone (an anglicisation of an Irish phrase meaning "kiss my arse"), but later shortened it to The Pogues. "The Mahones" is seen as similarly derived from Pogue Mahone, as a tribute to The Pogues.
Members Current members Finny McConnell - lead vocals, guitar, mandolin, songwriter Guillaume Lauzon (The Brains, Ccomfortt)- drums Sean "R!ot" Ryan - bass, vocals Michael O'Grady - tin whistle, vocals
Former members Katie "Kaboom" McConnell - accordion, vocals Dom Whelan - drums Stephen McGrath Scruffy Wallace - bagpipes Chris Ward Colm McConnell Paul Mancuso "The" Barry Williams Andrew Brown Ger O'Sullivan Mauro Sepe Owen Warnica David Allen Kevan Williams Paddy Concannon Miranda Mulholland Chris Scahill Chris Smirnios Greg McConnell Ewen McIntosh Joe Chithalen Sean Winter Eryk Chamberland Mike Franey Jamie Oliver (Drummer) Arlyn Bradley (bass) Emmet VanEtten (drums)
Discography Studio albums Year Album 1994 Draggin' the Days 1996 Rise Again 1999 The Hellfire Club Sessions 2001 Here Comes Lucky 2006 Take No Prisoners 2010 The Black Irish 2012 Angels & Devils 2014The Hunger & The Fight (Pt. 1) 2015The Hunger & The Fight (Pt. 2) 2016 25 Years of Irish Punk (The Very Best) 2019Love + Death + Redemption 2020Unplugged 2022Jameson Street
Live albums Year Album 2003 Live at the Horseshoe 2014 A Great Night on the Lash (Live in Italy)
Compilations Year Album 2004 Paint the Town Red 2008 Irish Punk Collection 2010 Whiskey Devils – A Tribute to the Mahones 2019 The Irish Songs
Demo Year Album 1993 Clear the Way
Singles Year Single CAN AC Album 1996 "100 Bucks" 45 Rise Again 1997 "Rise Again" 52 1999 "When It Comes Around" The Hellfire Club Sessions "This Old Town" 2001 "One Last Shot" Here Comes Lucky 2006 "A Little Bit of Love" (with Damhnait Doyle) Take No Prisoners 2010 "Give It All Ya Got" The Black Irish 2011 "A Great Night on the Lash" The Black Irish
References