Anti-racist anthem launched for St Patrick’s day

| Monday, 13 February 2006 Source: Militant Entertainment

In a unique move, the trade union movement, charities, campaigns and the music industry have joined forces to release a single for this years St Patrick's Day – an anti-racist anthem by North London ceilidh rockers Neck called Everybody's Welcome to the Hooley!

The single will be officially launched - both in the shops and on-line via Napster – from Monday 6th March and in the meantime there will be a national publicity campaign across the UK and Ireland, using trade union and campaign networks, aimed at driving the song into the charts.

Everybody's Welcome to the Hooley! is the first release on the Militant Entertainment label which was set up by Geoff Martin, Director of the Left Field stage at Glastonbury, and Alan Miles, a firefighter and union activist who was part of the first fire crew down the tunnels at Kings Cross after the 7/7 bombings.

Leeson O'Keeffe, lead singer with Neck, said:

"We're proud to be releasing Everybody's Welcome to the Hooley! for this years St Patrick's Day and we're delighted with the support that this initiative in drawing in from across the music industry, the Irish community, the trade unions and campaign groups.

The songs visuals draw on the image of the sign in a guest house window from London in the 50's saying No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs. It's a reminder to Irish people both here and back at home that they've been the victims of racism down the years and that we should be in the forefront of the on-going campaign against racism and intolerance today."