Irish rock band The Mercadonnas have made a bold entrance onto the music scene with their debut single, “Céad Míle Fáilte”. Mark Wogan, the band’s drummer, shared insights into the inspiration and creative process behind the track, touching on themes of Irish identity, history, and empathy that resonate deeply with the current socio-political climate.
Growing up in a small Irish town, both Wogan and Jack have a profound connection to their homeland, and this is evident in their music. “That sense of identity and what it means to be Irish is really being thrown up in the air,” Wogan reflects. “We wanted to explore and focus in on that core belief that we are from the land of the hundred thousand welcomes.” Let’s delve into the interview below
RM: “Céad Míle Fáilte” touches on themes of Irish identity and empathy. What inspired you to focus on these themes for your debut single?
I suppose both Jack and myself grew up in a small Irish town. The two of us would have a great love for Ireland, our history, and our language. With the way the world has been shifting, that sense of identity and what is means to be Irish is really being thrown up in the air of what does it really mean in this day and age. We wanted to explore and focus on that core belief that we are from the land of the hundred thousand welcomes.
RM: Your sound has been described as ‘abrasive music for abrasive times.’ Can you explain what that means to you and how it reflects your musical style?
The really fun aspect of the band is that we would both have varying musical influences and I find that culminates into that abrasive sound that’s generated. Both lyrically and sonically, I think the songs explore the reality of the world we live in. The songs are a space for us to explore what’s happening in the world around us and to have our voices heard. There’s so much noise online around the different topics which we would feel comes from a place of anger and fear. I feel we wanted our songs to sit on the other side of this and challenge that perspective.
RM: What has the creative journey been like for The Mercadonnas, from forming in 2024 to releasing your debut single?
For me it’s been an incredible journey so far with the band. I’d be more rhythmically based where Jack is quite melodic and has a great way in crafting the lyrics. It’s been very fun bouncing ideas back and forth and seeing how they evolve.
RM: Jack, you mentioned in a statement that you wrote the song wondering about “who we are and how that’s changing.” Could you expand on how these reflections shaped the lyrics of “Céad Míle Fáilte”?
Looking back at Irish history, our island has been through some rough periods which forced a lot of folks abroad. I’m sure in the most remote parts of the globe, an Irish bar is never too far down the road. We were always a nation that embraced empathy where folks would nearly give you the shirt off their backs to help out someone who is in need. We can definitely see this changing with fear and anger driving folks to look more after themselves than the wider community. I suppose our hope is that the empathetic Irish traditions can prevail.
RM: Can you walk us through the production process of “Céad Míle Fáilte”? What was the most challenging part of bringing this track to life?
The song itself hinges on the lyrics. The most difficult element is ensuring they get the space to breathe along with the melody and that nothing is distracting or taking away from that. As well as that, trying to tie in a modern take on the irish soundscape with the drone type sounds traditionally found from the uileann pipes or the solo singing traditions. It was a fun challenge to get those aspects to sit within the mix.
RM: With influences from post-punk and pop hooks, how do you strike a balance between abrasive sound and catchy melodies in your music?
It a fun challenge but when we started the project together, the focus was for this to be fun for both of us. We would both have our own influences that we bring to the table however we’re both also fans of a good pop hook or beat. Letting the music be authentic and coming from a place of enjoying what your writing or playing has definitely helped strike a balance with this. Our aim being we want to write songs we enjoy singing and playing ourselves
RM: Irish people are known for their strong sense of identity and history. How does “Céad Míle Fáilte” address the connection between past struggles and today’s social issues?
Through our history, a huge chunk of the population of Ireland left to find a better, safer life elsewhere. We can sometimes forget that in the grand scheme of things that wasn’t too long ago in our history. For Ireland the population still hasn’t recovered to what it was back then. Today though, we’re seeing that struggle through a different perspective where there are now folks fleeing similar conditions looking for a better life. The jarring part for us is that instead of welcoming people in as our ancestors would have hoped for in their situations, a chunk of people are being driven by fear and anger to not want to extend that helping hand in this time of need.
RM: You’ve mentioned that Irish hospitality and the “welcome” are important in this song. How do you think this message resonates globally, especially with the challenges we’re seeing in migration and inclusion?
I think every community has seen this shift over the last number of years. I think what we’re aiming to highlight is just being a good human being and looking out for one another. It seems the focus right now is to look after yourself and forget about those around you so I suppose it’s a call to be sound and offer a helping hand to those needing assistance.
RM: “Céad Míle Fáilte” is the first of several singles. What can listeners expect from your upcoming releases? Will they continue to explore similar themes?
Drums! Lots of drums!! I think sonically we’re at a very fun phase of the journey because it’s all about experimenting with sounds and textures. We’re not tied to one specific sound but from what’s to come you can expect some spacey guitars, synths, and catchy hooks. Lyrically, we explore some similar topics that boil down to our take on the world around us
RM: What’s next for The Mercadonnas? Are there any live performances or tour plans in the works?
For 2024, we’re hoping to set up a few support slots and maybe a few hometown shows this side of the new year. For 2025 then it’ll be about getting these tunes out into the world in a live setting and I’m massively looking forward to seeing how that environment breathes a different life into the songs.
With “Céad Míle Fáilte”, The Mercadonnas invite listeners to reflect on the past, challenge the present, and, most importantly, to embrace empathy in uncertain times.
