A gritty quintet from Australia blending Celtic folk traditions with the drive of punk and hard rock, the Rumjacks achieved worldwide recognition after the 2010 video for "An Irish Pub Song" from their debut album Gangs of New Holland spread rapidly online and accumulated millions of YouTube streams. Legal troubles involving frontman Frankie McLaughlin halted their momentum for several years, yet the group returned strongly via later releases including Sober & Godless in 2015 and Saints Preserve Us in 2018, the latter marking a decade since the band's start.
McLaughlin and bassist Johnny McKelvey launched the Rumjacks in Sydney during 2008, soon completing the lineup by recruiting guitarist Gabriel Whitbourne, drummer Anthony Matters, and multi-instrumentalist Adam Kenny on banjo, mandolin, and bouzouki. Their initial EP, Hung, Drawn & Portered, appeared in 2009, followed later that year by Sound as a Pound. The full-length Gangs of New Holland arrived in 2010, propelling the band to prominence once the clip for "An Irish Pub Song" achieved over 20 million views. Extensive tours across Australia and Europe followed the track's breakthrough.
McLaughlin received a 16-month prison term for assault in 2012, placing the Rumjacks on hiatus until his release. They promptly resumed live activity, filling clubs and theaters while appearing alongside Dropkick Murphys, Gogol Bordello, the Aggrolites, and U.K. Subs. February 2015 brought the second album Sober & Godless. Their demanding pace persisted with the August 2016 issuance of Sleepin' Rough on Four/Four, an alternative label under Australian Broadcasting Corporation Records. October 2018 saw Saints Preserve Us celebrate the group's tenth year, accompanied by an extended European trek. McLaughlin exited in 2020 as Mike Rivkees, previously of Mickey Rickshaw, joined on vocals and made his recorded debut with the 2021 album Hestia.
