Kingfishr Put Their Own Spin On A Shane MacGowan Classic

By Chris Kennedy | Published 30th July, 2026

It’s fair to say that Kingfishr have been on one hell of a ride.

One of the most exciting breakthrough acts to emerge from Ireland in recent years, the Limerick trio have played a major role in the country’s current folk revival while steadily building a reputation well beyond these shores. What started as a distinctly Irish success story has quickly become something much bigger, with Kingfishr now taking their music to audiences around the world.

The past year alone has seen the band play packed venues across the globe, complete their first headline tour of Australia, sell out a string of UK dates and appear at some of Europe’s biggest festivals, including Pinkpop, Hurricane, Southside and Rock Werchter. Back home, they’ve also played to more than 100,000 people across major outdoor shows.

Now, they’re turning their attention to one of the most influential figures in Irish songwriting.

Kingfishr Take On The Sunnyside Of The Street

Kingfishr are the latest Irish act to contribute to 20th Century Paddy – The Songs Of Shane MacGowan, a new collection celebrating the extraordinary songwriting legacy of the late Pogues frontman.

The album brings together a seriously impressive collection of artists, all offering their own interpretations of MacGowan’s songs. Recent releases have included Dropkick Murphys taking on The Body Of An American and Johnny Depp and Imelda May breathing new life into Haunted.

Kingfishr’s contribution is The Sunnyside Of The Street, and it’s a song that feels like a natural fit for the band.

MacGowan was always capable of hiding darker emotions beneath seemingly upbeat arrangements, and The Sunnyside Of The Street is a perfect example. Beneath the energy and optimism is a song filled with sadness, longing and a sense of searching for something better.

That contrast is something Kingfishr clearly recognised.

Rather than simply attempting to recreate The Pogues’ original, the band bring their own emotional depth and contemporary folk sound to the track. The result is a version that feels familiar without being overly nostalgic.

A Modern Take On Shane MacGowan’s Songwriting

There’s always a danger when covering a songwriter as distinctive as Shane MacGowan. His voice and delivery were so closely tied to his songs that trying to imitate them would be almost impossible. Thankfully, Kingfishr don’t try.

Instead, they allow the songwriting to do the heavy lifting while filtering it through their own sound. Their approach feels more reflective, bringing the emotional side of the track further into focus.

Speaking about their involvement in the project, the band explained:

We picked Sunnyside of the Street because of how surprisingly sad the lyrics are when you focus in on them.

It’s a simple observation, but it says a lot about their approach.

MacGowan was a master at combining the celebratory and the tragic. His songs could sound like pub singalongs one minute and deeply personal stories the next. Kingfishr seem to understand that duality, and their version of The Sunnyside Of The Street allows some of the melancholy sitting underneath the song to breathe.

Kingfishr Continue Ireland’s Folk Revival

It also feels particularly appropriate that Kingfishr should be involved in a project celebrating MacGowan’s legacy.

Shane MacGowan helped take Irish folk music far beyond its traditional boundaries, combining it with punk, rock and a raw, unmistakably Irish sense of storytelling. Decades later, a new generation of Irish artists are once again taking traditional influences and pushing them into new territory. Kingfishr are right at the centre of that movement.

Their sound has always been rooted in Irish folk while embracing a much broader modern alternative approach, helping them connect with audiences who might not traditionally consider themselves folk fans.

Their rapid rise internationally is testament to just how effective that combination has become.

And with major US shows now on the horizon, including a headline date at Los Angeles’ Fonda Theatre, the band's international momentum shows little sign of slowing down.

A Fitting Tribute To An Irish Icon

There’s also a bigger story behind 20th Century Paddy – The Songs Of Shane MacGowan.

The project isn't simply about revisiting some of MacGowan’s most famous songs. It’s about showing just how much his songwriting continues to influence artists from different generations and musical backgrounds.

Even more importantly, the album is helping to honour MacGowan’s legacy through its charitable contribution, with 50% of artist royalties being donated to the Dublin Simon Community, supporting its work with people experiencing homelessness across Dublin.

For Kingfishr, becoming part of that story feels like another milestone in what has already been a remarkable journey.

Kingfishr - The Sunnyside Of The Street — The Sunnyside Of The Street (Cover Artwork)

Final Verdict

The Sunnyside Of The Street is a fitting choice for Kingfishr.

They take a Shane MacGowan classic, look beyond the obvious energy of the original and focus on the sadness that sits underneath it. Rather than attempting to replicate The Pogues, they make the song their own, bringing a modern Irish folk sensibility to one of MacGowan’s enduring compositions.

It’s another reminder of just how influential MacGowan’s songwriting remains, while also showing why Kingfishr have become such an important part of Ireland’s current folk revival.

A respectful cover, certainly, but one with enough of Kingfishr’s own character to make it worth hearing.