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Cole VanAmberg

Last Updated August 17, 2023

Escaping the Troubles: The American Teenager’s Influence on Irish Punk

This paper will be looking at the formation of a punk subculture in Northern Ireland in

the late 1970s as influenced by the glamorized ideal of the American teenager, especially relating

to punk music. During this time, the “Troubles”, a period characterized by acts of violence,

brewed hate between the majority Catholic and nationalist population and the minority Protestant

and unionist population. While the Catholics outnumbered the Protestants in Northern Ireland

almost 2 to 1, they were systemically discriminated against by the government that was put in

place by the United Kingdom, causing them to favor declaring independence as a nation, much

like the South of Ireland had previously. The Protestants wished to stay in power as they were

virtually unopposed politically and thus were dubbed “unionists” due to their partiality to the

United Kingdom (Wallenfeldt). This resulted in physical and political attacks between the sects

for many years, characterizing this time period as one of fear and violence in Northern Ireland.

Out of this harrowing background arose a new type of teenager, influenced by American ideals

and drawn to the allure of punk as a music style, which I will argue was a creation of a new

social identity among this age group to both survive the Troubles and to demonstrate that the gap

between Protestant and Catholic could be bridged through a shared subculture.

To begin, it is important to acknowledge the factors that made Northern Ireland the

perfect breeding ground for the ideal of the American teenager to take hold. Because events like

riots and bombings were frequent, many young people were discouraged from any activities

outside of school, especially if that meant socializing with those not affiliated with their

particular group. However, the economy was such that teenagers were often supporting their
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families by working part-time to bring in more income, and this led to them also having a

disposable income of their own–whatever they did not contribute to the household (Heron,

Teenager in Love). As Jake Burns, the frontman of popular punk group Stiff Little Fingers

relates, “...the main memory is one of boredom. Because of the unrest, bands wouldn’t or

couldn’t come and play, the center of town was ringed by security gates that were shut after 6:00

p.m. and so became a no-go area, people stayed in their sections of town…” (Burns). Growing

up amidst this political strife led to a lot of pent-up frustration from teens who simply wanted to

have fun and act their age, but it was not necessarily safe, permitted, or socially acceptable to do

so. This was evidenced by the infamous Miami Showband Massacre. In 1975, the popular Miami

Showband was touring Ireland. Outside entertainment was rare in Northern Ireland because of

the political tensions that were so prevalent in every city. On the band’s way back to Dublin,

three members were gunned down by the loyalist Ulster Volunteer Force. This shocked the

country north and south. For the first time, an apolitical pop band had been targeted by a local

militia (Heron, Teenager in Love). This posed a problem for everyone at the time, as it became

understood between entertainers and citizens alike that outside parties, even apolitical ones, were

not welcome in Northern Ireland. Few musicians were willing to risk their safety, and several

even received death threats. That is why when the UK punk band The Clash announced that they

would be coming to Belfast in 1977, it was a big deal. Teens were able to go somewhere to listen

to music and have fun, something that they had been deprived of because of their dangerous

environment. The Clash arrived in Belfast, sure enough, but the gig was canceled for insurance

reasons (Bailie). This infuriated teens throughout Northern Ireland. The Clash’s punk style that

originated in American cities resonated with the teens in this area, and the cancellation of their

idols’ show sparked the growth of a new punk community. If young people could not find
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entertainment or bring it to them, they would have to make it themselves. This attitude is one

directly inherited from the American punk style of crafting something out of nothing. This is

how Northern Irish teenagers were able to emulate their American counterparts, and slowly

started to demonstrate their influence in punk music at the time.

American punk rock, especially bands such as the Ramones, Iggy Pop and the Stooges,

and the New York Dolls heavily influenced the formation of several Irish punk bands, including

the Undertones and Stiff Little Fingers (S. O’Neill; Heron, Teenager in Love). These bands were

comprised of teenagers, some of whom chose to sing about the Troubles, but most of their lyrics

focused on themes like sex and crushes, following the examples of the American punk bands

they cherished (Heron, Teenager in Love). The independence and romanticism of the teenage

years was a uniquely American idea. Even progressive families in Ireland at the time were not

open to topics of teenage romance. In fact, Northern male Irish teenagers in 1978 were much

more likely to frown upon premarital sex than even their British counterparts (Heron, Teenager

in Love). Because these tropes related to the American teenager rather than the political

circumstances of the country at the time, a new kind of cross-community solidarity was created

in which either subgroup could enjoy the music and the culture. Northern Irish teenagers began

to base their identities around the music that characterized these American ideals instead of the

divides that their parents had conformed to. By rejecting the norm of division and creating

something entirely new that was not even remotely about the political strife in the country,

teenagers were able to cross the social boundaries that had previously restricted them. Not only

did American music influence Northern Ireland, but punk as a subculture can be traced back to

cities in America, especially New York and Detroit (Bailie). Both the idea of the stereotypical
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teenager and the idea of punk originating in America demonstrate how American pop culture

affected the identity of Northern Irish teenagers during the Troubles.

Although it is true that most of the punk bands in this area in the late 70s wrote lyrics that

were not tied to their circumstances, there are notable outliers, including the band Stiff Little

Fingers with the release of “Alternative Ulster”. The song demonstrates a call to action, asking

the young people at the time to rise up and change the political strife they were living in. With

songs that expressed any support for the nationalist cause becoming frequently banned on British

radio stations, the decision to sing about these circumstances was extremely rebellious.

(Campbell). This, again, demonstrates how the Irish teens were affected by American ideals. The

image of the American teen at the time was centered around individuality and rebellion against

authority figures, and beyond that, authoritative political and social structures. When Northern

Irish teenagers adopted the same attitude through their punk culture, their rebellion, whether

consciously or unconsciously, also stemmed directly from that image. Rock and roll is inherently

a rebellious genre due to the history of its creation and how it has continued to evolve throughout

history, appealing to minorities and those dealing with oppression and other political struggles

(Rolston). At this time, punk especially was being vilified all across the mainstream media. As

Burns says, “...the last thing any venue wanted, especially in a country that had been riddled with

violence for years, was a ‘violent’ musical form” (Burns). Therefore, to create this kind of music

at all is a sign of rebellion, an idea drawn from, but not solely originating in, American ideals.

This is not to say that the bands who sang about less heavy themes were not impactful; in fact, it

was this choice that created a pocket of the world for solidarity to exist, as I will demonstrate.

Participation in the punk scene, especially regarding music, was largely viewed as a

non-sectarian activity. This is not because young people at the time were apolitical or apathetic to
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their surroundings, but because punk offered a respite from their stressful everyday lives. The

reasons that punk was not colored by politics in an area so fiercely divided along these lines are

twofold. The first reason that punk was untouched politically is because of the type of

instruments used in punk music and how the songs written differed from any that were

associated with either the nationalist or unionist groups at that time. The second I have already

alluded to, and that is the escapism that punk offered to young people. Damian O’Neill, the lead

guitarist for the Undertones, justified his decision to actively stay away from discussing politics,

saying, “But it was too obvious to do that. And, at the time, we also thought, 'Oh, [the Troubles

are] for adults; we're teenagers, we don't want to sing about that. It's depressing.' So we offered

escapism, I suppose” (D. O’Neill). Note how this is not only a way in which punk created a

non-sectarian space, but once again demonstrates how Irish teenagers viewed themselves as a

separate group from Irish adults, once again drawing on the ideas of the American teenager and

the individuality associated with its image.

Punk was unique not only in its sound as a rock and roll subgroup but in that its

instrumentation and lyrics were completely separate from politics. In a country torn by violence,

this is difficult to do. The types of instruments used in Irish music at the time were extremely

telling of what political agenda the musical group ascribed to. For example, the Lambeg drum

and the fife were commonly played in loyalist parades and thus associated with the Protestants.

The bodhrán and tin whistle, on the other hand, are strongly associated with the Catholic

community. Punk was a type of music that did not use any of these traditional instruments or

instruments that portrayed any sort of political orientation, as it focused on guitars, bass guitars,

and drum sets, a commercial setup no doubt influenced greatly by the success of American

groups (Heron, Alternative Ulster). One was able to discern, therefore, whether someone was a
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nationalist or a unionist based on the type of music they listened to. Nationalists and Unionists

have their respective songs celebrating victories and defeats and articulating their aspirations.

Both were able to draw on these songs and create new ones concerning the Troubles. Although

they get little airplay, they are commonly broadcast in clubs. Punks refused the idea of music

with political associations by creating a different genre of music entirely. Rock, in general, is

rooted in rebellion and freedom, even commercial rock at the time, but especially the punk

created by non-sectarian teens (Rolston). A do-it-yourself attitude was central to the idea of punk

in America, and it translated to Ireland very well. Punks negated the taboo of being obligated to

take part in cultural reproduction. Instead of joining, say, a loyalist flute band or signing up for

youth sections of local militias, punks of both persuasions focused on the music they created and

the subculture that rose around it (Heron, Alternative Ulster). This anti-establishmentarian

attitude contributed to the punk idea that not everything had to be segregated by religious and

political borders, shining a ray of hope for those in turmoil and signaling that these groups could

put aside their differences for the sake of something greater. In this case, the something is a

teenage community rooted in punk rock. For teens, punk was a voice of protest and frustration

about unemployment, police harassment, and youth alienation rather than peddling a political

message (Rolston). That is what made it so effective in breaking down political barriers. No

matter what side you came from, you could relate to the message that punk relayed, even if it

was not political.

The other side of the coin is, of course, punk music as a form of escapism. As Damian

O’Neill recalls, the Undertones were different from other punk bands at the beginning of their

careers. Unlike Stiff Little Fingers, who existed in a state of perpetual rage, they wrote about

girls, teenage anonymity, and their annoying relatives (D. O’Neill). Taken out of the context of
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the period, this might seem rather mundane and pale in comparison to the activism of other punk

bands. However, this mindset is exactly the way that punks created a safe place for people of all

backgrounds. Living in Northern Ireland in the late 70s was not desirable, to say the least. The

world that these teenagers dreamed of in their songs was a liminal space where they did not have

to deal with the political nature of their surroundings. It was a space where they could

concentrate on the problems all teenagers have, such as crushes, sex, social problems, and

growing up. (Heron, Teenager in Love). These spaces were free to all, and no one dared to ask

what side of town you were from because frankly, no one wanted to discuss it. This, of course,

was a limitation in the world that the punks imagined, but they did not aim to solve the issues

behind the Troubles but remedy the symptoms that cropped up as a result. Punks from both

communities did not make a conscious decision to cross a divide, but they did realize that

participating in this subculture brought them together, and they fought to maintain that harmony.

For instance, Rat Scabies, the drummer of the English band the Damned, when touring in

Belfast, recalls how a band member made the mistake of asking the audience what football team

they supported. To answer this was to indicate which community they belonged to. Rather than

answer the question, therefore, the entire room fell silent, with no one willing to address it. This

unspoken side-by-side existence is what the lyrics of the time reflected. “‘We knew people came

from all sides of the city… Nobody asked too many questions. The idea was, you made it, you

got here, we don’t need to know any more than that’” (Bailie). Although it may seem small, this

was no small feat at the time. Catholics and Protestants were so effectively segregated that it was

a huge stepping stone to exist in the same room as someone from another group. That is why it is

such a remarkable event for these people to have created a space to coexist.
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What punks were able to do was create a pocket for a very small amount of time. It was

not, by any means, the bridge between the groups that people around the world continued to hope

for, but it was a community that was non-sectarian. This had not been done before at this scale

and allowed many to hope for non-sectarian places to appear in more than just a punk

community in one age group. Even though it may have only had a minimal impact on the

overarching social agenda of the time, the importance was that it proved that it was possible for

the people of Northern Ireland to coexist peacefully outside of the lines that had determined their

identity and enmity for so long, and it provided hope for the future (Rolston).

*Note: This paper was originally written for HON 2000 Foundational Seminar: Pop Goes

the World, taught by Dr. Beth Fowler.

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Works Cited

Bailie, Stuart. Trouble Songs: Music and Conflict in Northern Ireland. Belfast, Bloomfield Press,

2018.

Burns, Jake. "What the World Needs Now." SPIN, 1 Jan. 2021,

www.spin.com/2021/01/jake-burns-stiff-little-fingers-interview/. Accessed 21 Feb. 2023.

Interview.

Campbell, Sean. "‘Agitate, Educate, Organise‘: Partisanship, Popular Music and the Northern

Ireland Conflict." Popular Music, vol. 39, no. 2, 2020, pp. 233-56. Arts & Humanities

Database, https://doi.org/10.1017/S0261143019000242.

Heron, Timothy. "Teenager in Love: Northern Ireland Punk Rock and the American Teenage

Myth." Imaginaires, no. 22, 9 Nov. 2020, pp. 93-102,

https://imaginaires.univ-reims.fr/index.php/imaginaires/article/view/7. Accessed 21 Feb.

2023.

Heron, Timothy. "Alternative Ulster: How Punk Took on the Troubles." The Irish Times, 2 Dec.

2016,

www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/alternative-ulster-how-punk-took-on-the-troubles-1.2

890644. Accessed 21 Feb. 2023.

O'Neill, Damian. Interview. Conducted by Ian Winwood. The Telegraph, 16 Mar. 2022,

www.telegraph.co.uk/music/interviews/undertones-never-wanted-sing-troubles-sang-get-

girls/. Accessed 22 Feb. 2023.

O'Neill, Sean, and Guy Trelford. It Makes You Want to Spit!: The Definitive Guide to Punk in

Northern Ireland, 1977-1982. Dublin, Reekus Music, 2003.

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Rolston, Bill. "'This Is Not a Rebel Song': The Irish Conflict and Popular Music." Race and

Class, vol. 42, no. 3, 2001. SAGE Journals Online,

https://doi.org/10.1177/0306396801423003. Accessed 28 Mar. 2023.

Wallenfeldt, Jeff. "the Troubles." Encyclopedia Britannica, 24 Aug. 2022,

https://www.britannica.com/event/The-Troubles-Northern-Ireland-history. Accessed 22

February 2023.