The High Kings

The High Kings are an Irish folk group formed in Dublin in 2008, bringing together experienced musicians from Ireland's traditional and ballad-singing scene. Playing a wide array of instruments — guitars, banjo, bodhrán, mandolin and more — they built their reputation on tight vocal harmonies and energetic live shows rooted in the pub and ballad tradition rather than sean-nós or purely instrumental folk.

The group's repertoire leans heavily on classic Irish standards and rebel and ballad songs — pieces like «The Parting Glass», «Rocky Road To Dublin» and «Red Is The Rose» — alongside original compositions written in the same idiom. Their sound is accessible and crowd-friendly, often described by the band itself with the tag Folk 'n Roll, bridging traditional Irish music with a more modern, festival-ready energy.

Since their formation the High Kings have toured extensively across Ireland, the UK, the US and beyond, becoming one of the more visible ambassadors of contemporary Irish folk on the international touring circuit, particularly popular among diaspora audiences.