Kneecap member reveals he witnessed punishment shooting in real life (2024)

The Northern Irish band’s name is derived from the form of torture often meted out by terrorists and involves the victim being shot in the back of the knee.

And now former teacher DJ Próvaí, who is instantly recognisable with his Irish tricolour balaclava, was revelatory when asked if he has ever seen a kneecapping take place.

“Oh aye, in Belfast and Derry. I’ve seen it happening in front of my eyes,” says the Derry native, whose real name is JJ Ó Dochartaigh.

Fellow band member ‘Mo Chara’, who is several years younger, admits he has never witnessed it.

“I haven’t see kneecapping in real life,” he maintains. “I have seen plenty of people who have been kneecapped. Not friends of mine, I’m too young for that. That came a generation just before me, a wee bit older than me.”

There is an even more gruesome similar style punishment called a ‘Sixpack’, where an offender is not only shot in both knees, but in both ankles and both elbows.

“Sixpack is not something you’d want, certainly not ideal,” smiles Mo Chara.

DJ Próvaí adds with a laugh : “The only six pack I’ve ever seen is when I’m standing in front of the mirror.”

The Gaeilgeoir musicians were speaking at the Dublin premiere of their self-titled movie, loosely based on the band’s background.

The group, who perform in Irish, arrived at the premiere in a PSNI-style Land Rover, waving Irish and Palestinian flags.

The premiere attracted a star-studded number of guests including Christy Moore, Damien Dempsey, Jim Sheridan, Liam Cunningham, Stephen Rea, Fionnuala Flanagan, Pat Kenny and Nicky Kelly.

At its Belfast premiere, Gerry Adams, who features in a couple of scenes of the movie, attended and was pictured with the band.

The film is set to be released across 100 screens in cinemas around Ireland this weekend, the most ever for an Irish film, and is also Ireland’s representative for the foreign language section at the upcoming Oscars.

The group lashed out at anti-immigrant activists from Dublin who travelled to Belfast to join far-right demonstrations there last weekend.

Onlookers were stunned to see a group from the capital waving Irish tricolours alongside loyalists flaunting Union Jack flags.

Mo Chara was particularly incensed about a group linked to the recent demonstrations in Coolock taking part in the march in Belfast, which led afterwards to attacks on businesses and individuals from immigrant communities.

“I feel like we have a short f**king memory, that the Irish people were on the other end of that in London, in England and in America whenever they moved,” he said.

“I feel you’re literally burning down and petrol bombing businesses that are contributing to the f**king society that are around you. If anything, they’re (protesters) the ones that are not wanted.

“They are all running around f**king wrecking businesses of people who have come here, not even just people seeking refuge, people who have come here for a better life, people who have come here for something different and are contributing to this society, paying taxes.”,

The trio, who also include Belfastman Móglaí Bap (Naoise Ó Cairealláin), say they are humbled to get the nod as Ireland’s foreign language entry for the upcoming Oscars.

“We might not even make it to the Oscars, we’re not sorted, it’s just long listed,” says Mo Chara. “We are the Irish entry, but it still means we might not get there.”

But if they do get to the Oscars, will DJ Próvaí wear his infamous Irish balaclava?

“I’m going to get a gold one made for the Oscars, solid gold,” he jokes.

In 2017, their song C.E.A.R.T.A was banned by RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta for drug references and cursing – an incident which is highlighted in the film.

Jessica Reynolds, who hails from Holywood, Co Down, and has previously starred in the likes of Derry Girls and Outlander, plays Mo Chara’s character’s girlfriend Georgia in the film.

“I play his raunchy girlfriend, a Protestant, I’m from east Belfast in the film,” she reveals.

She had not met the band before making the movie with them.

“I had seen an interview of them, one that was liked by Will Ferrell and stuff. I was quite scared to meet them because I didn’t know how nice they were going to be and they were the sweetest people in the world and it was just an absolute dream, they were so fun to work with,” she raves.

Michael Fassbender also stars in the film, in which he plays the on-the-run Republican paramilitary father of band member Móglaí Bap’s character.

The movie, which is like a cross between an Irish version of Trainspotting and Eminem’s 8 Mile and numerous laugh out loud moments, is the brainchild of English journalist turned director Rich Peppiatt.