Irish folk singer and songwriter Lisa O’Neill just released The Wind Doesn’t Blow This Far Right, a pointed and powerful collection that grapples with political and social tensions. The EP spans classic poetry (“The Bleak Midwinter,” “Autumn 1915”), a stark reimagining of Bob Dylan’s “All the Tired Horses” (as heard on Peaky Blinders some years back) and a handful of newer songs. I recommend listening to this wonderful EP in its entirety, but have chosen “Homeless in the Thousands (Dublin in the Digital Age)” — originally released earlier in 2025 — as my gateway pick.

They were homeless in the dozens
When I was a kid
They say that things were bad then
But this is off grid

Irish folk music has a rich tradition, and the 21st century continues to show how a new generation of artists is not only carrying the torch but revitalizing the genre. Finding new paths in well-trodden soil, by using their voices to speak up and speak out. Lisa O’Neill is a standout artist in that sense — she’s been releasing music since 2009, and is a voice that matters. On this song she paints a realistic picture of Dublin’s housing crisis, with striking lyrics, a simple musical backdrop and a spoken-word verse from Peter Doherty.

All our heroes would be reeling
And rolling in their graves
If they saw the state of
O’Connell Street today

This is folk music at its finest, stepping out of the museums and archives and back on the street, where it belongs. Where its stories matter most.