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Music

Stream Sissy's New EP And Read Their Thoughts on Ireland’s Historic Same-Sex Marriage Referendum

The Dublin trio deliver urgent and kicky garage rock songs that address gender, sexuality and reproductive issues.

"Sail an Rail", from Sissy’s now sold out debut, is a song about having to travel to England to navigate around Ireland’s out dated abortion laws. Borrowing the melody from well known Irish songwriter Enya’s “Orinoco Flow”, it contains lines such as “Stick your dick in me so I can go on holidays / Two obstetricians and a G.P / won’t tell me I’m not going on holidays.”

Needless to say you won’t find the EP next to Enya in the new age section.

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Their new album Gave Birth to a Mum, (that we are premiering below) sees the Dublin trio delivering more urgent and kicky garage rock songs that address gender, sexuality and reproductive issues.

Like many Irish, Leigh, Michelle and Eoin were obvioulsy pleased and proud when their country recently became the first to approve same-sex marriage by a popular vote.

We sent some questions though to the band to find out more about their music and their thoughts on the historic vote.

Noisey: Did you expect that kind or reaction “Sail and Rail” when you first wrote it?
Michelle: I didn’t expect that reaction. It’s easier to lay down serious issues when they’re wrapped in nostalgia. If you’re appropriating a pre-existing song it’s good to use it as a vehicle for something else. Much of the lyrics come from the rhetoric that we are subjected to by Catholic think tanks, conservative politicians and fake crisis pregnancy groups. We try to speak about social injustice in a way that's funny and full of anger. It’s kind of cathartic!

Eoin: I really like it when a band has songs that express things that are really important to me. I want to make music that does the same thing for other people, music that invigorates people’s bonds and creates connections. I think the best political art works by not just having a message, but carries the message in its form - it’s not just the words but how they’re being said.

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Does the Catholic Church’s strong influence still make Ireland a conservative country to live in?
Leigh: Yes, we just had to vote on whether or not to allow equal marriage rights to same sex couples. For another example, last year, after gay rights activist and drag queen Panti Bliss said on air that certain journalists and institutes were homophobic, the national public service broadcaster RTE paid out €85,000 and apologised to these evident homophobes. This is total bullshit. Abortion is still illegal. Our president, Taoiseach and judges take oaths to God and we have a blasphemy law. Jesus fucking Christ.

Michelle: The Catholic Church itself does not influence society at large, but the people who voted conservative 25 years ago are still voting away. Some people who are still religious don’t take their voting cues from the church. My grandparents are devout Catholic but they still voted Yes and feel this doesn’t compromise their beliefs. Meanwhile my other granny chose to vote No because she thought that two men were not to be trusted with a child. For some, there was no such thing as homosexuality and when they did hear about it, it was presented as something akin to pedophilia. Even in voting Yes, we still live in a country that enables such repressed bullshit to exist, forced detains immigrants in Direct Provision, discriminates women, trans people and travellers.

Eoin: I think that the Catholic Church still has a very strong influence on Irish society and that it hasn’t waned in the last few decades but has become more indirect and insidious. You don’t have to believe in god or go to church to still hold on to Catholic values; a sense of embattled victimhood and resentment pervades Irish culture, the feeling of being part of a ‘silent majority’ of the morally superior who secretly know what's good for society and that everyone else is doing it wrong and will face eventual punishment. Hatred and fear of women and marginalised people, a deep insecurity and cowering deference to authority.

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What will the impact of Ireland's historic vote to legalise gay marriage be?
Leigh: I like Panti’s quote "I don't think Ireland changed today, but it confirmed a change that had already happened." The lives of current and unborn LGBTQ+ Irish children and hopefully the daily lives of the adult LGBTQ+ community will be easier now the country has shown it’s support. Its a huge relief to many same sex parents, and parents of LGBTQ+ children. There is call now for equality on all levels. To give trans people full legal recognition of their preferred gender. To repeal the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution to allow women access to legal and safe abortion in their own country needs to happen.

Michelle: Yes, I agree with that. While I think it is really important to critique the institution of state-marriage, monogamy, heteronormativity, patriarchy, etc we do have to stop and recognise what an achievement this is coming from a country, which criminalised homosexuality until 1993. It’s been a hectic last few months and I’m so happy that it passed! I was worried because of the UK Left’s warning, in light of their general election, that your social media feed is NOT the world, that it may not pass. What’s next? Gorge babies, joint bank accounts and more hen/stag dos vomming on the streets of Dublin.

Catch Sissy at one of these upcoming shows:
June 23 – London at Powerlunches
June 24 – Nottingham at the Chamleon
June 26 – Leeds at Temple of Boom
June 27 – Sheffield at The Lughole
June 28 - Dublin at the Barricade Inn

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