Pictures: See fans in republican balaclavas cheering Kneecap on both sides of the border, at the Belfast Vital concert, then at the Electric Picnic festival in Co Laois

The controversial trio played in Belfast on Friday night to supporters waving pro-Palestinian flags and many also wearing the menacing imagery that the band itself adopts of a balaclava coloured green, white and gold – which is widely interpreted as having IRA associations, particularly given that one of the band uses the name DJ Provai.

Kneecap then on Saturday performed at day two of the Electric Picnic festival south of the border, at Stradbally in Co Laois, where fans in republican balaclavas were again out in force in the huge crowd.

​Kneecap hurled foul-mouthed abuse from the stage at the DUP, which had described as “deeply concerning” the fact a major Kneecap gig was happening on council land, Boucher Road Playing Fields, despite the group's contentious behaviour. Sarah Bunting, leader of the 14-strong DUP group on Belfast City Council, had expressed her objections ahead of the event.

Kneecap in turn took aim at the DUP and the Alliance Party as they were given a rapturous welcome back to Belfast by the large crowd at the Vital festival in Belfast. The group’s set also criticised the Tory leader Kemi Badenoch and called for the US military to be kept out of Ireland.

Liam Og O hAnnaidh, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, told the concert: “It's good to be home.

“I would like to thank the DUP and the Alliance Party, and their supporters, for trying to cancel this gig.”

Naoise O Caireallain, aka Moglai Bap, told the crowd: “You couldn't pay for the PR the DUP gives Kneecap.”

O hAnnaidh then swore in reference to the DUP: “We owe the DUP our career, so this is our public thanks for the DUP, you simple c*****.”

O Caireallain added: “I think the Alliance Party need to look at themselves, if they are on the same side as the DUP there must be something wrong with the Alliance Party.”

It comes after O hAnnaidh appeared in court charged with a terror offence relating to allegedly displaying a flag in support of Hezbollah at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town, north London, during a gig in November 2024. The group said their actions had been taken out of context.

O hAnnaidh told the crowd in Belfast: “I think it's important as Irish people we stay on the right side of history. As we sit here enjoying ourselves, our brothers and sisters in Palestine are enduring a genocide.

“I know I don't have to lecture you people out there, I see an awful lot of support and I f****** massively appreciate it.

“The thing is, with whatever platform we have, we feel it's important to use a few minutes of it at the very least at every single gig to at least draw attention to the ongoing genocide. We don't give a f*** about the repercussions any more. This is bigger than Kneecap.

“Netanyahu is a war criminal. Free Palestine.”

The crowd, many wearing Palestine jerseys and keffiyehs, then began chanting ‘Free Free Palestine’.

At Saturday’s Electric Picnic festival, the band criticised Republic of Ireland politicians.

Last week, the rappers cancelled US tour dates because of their “proximity” to O hAnnaidh's next appearance at Westminster Magistrates' Court on September 26 .

O hAnnaidh said: “Not the first Irish man up in a f****** British court for terrorism, allegedly.”

O Caireallain told the crowd: “It's a pleasure to be back in Belfast. They won't have us in Hungary, they won't have us in the US, but they'll always have us in Belfast.”

They also called on people to “boycott McDonalds”. The rap group – which is made up of O hAnnaidh, O Caireallain, and JJ O Dochartaigh, aka DJ Provai – have caused dismay to IRA victims with their symbolism and provocative lyrics.

Melvin Benn, director of Electric Picnic, gushed about the Kneecap performance. “I think it was a special moment for the Picnic, I think it was a special moment for them as a band, he said. “It was easily the largest audience they have ever performed to.

“I don’t think there was anybody anywhere else at the Picnic except watching Kneecap, almost the entire audience seemed to be there, which was a fairly big statement of intent I thought. Not just a statement of love of the music but I thought it was a greater statement in that sense. It was great for them.”

The promoter said he was surprised that the band paid tribute to him on stage for allowing them to make political statements.

He said: “It is different in the UK, I have had to spend time in their dressing room reading them the riot act about what they can and can’t say in England.

“But those restrictions are not here in Ireland. It was wonderful that they played, I was very pleased that they played.”

Kneecap’s performance at Glastonbury Festival in June was initially investigated by police, who took no action.

The west Belfast band began their Belfast set on Friday night with a message on screen that said ‘Get the US military out of Ireland’ and ‘Free Palestine’ before launching into their song ‘Making Headlines’. They ended the set with ‘The Recap’, which featured a message on stage that said ‘F*** Badenoch’.