Singer Kate Nash has released a cover of Sinéad O’Connor’s 1994 track Famine
featuring an original verse and tin whistle, aiming to prompt interrogation of personal and national histories regarding the Great Hunger and Anglo-Irish relations.
Revisiting Famine
and Personal Heritage
Following Sinéad O’Connor’s death in 2023, Kate Nash revisited the late singer’s catalogue and found herself drawn to Famine
, a track from O’Connor’s album Universal Mother that combined spoken word and hip-hop to address An Gorta Mór, the Great Hunger in Ireland between 1845 and 1852 (according to reporting by The Line of Best Fit). Nash holds dual British-Irish nationality; her mother, Marie, was born in Ballymun, Dublin, before moving to Newcastle as a child and eventually building a family in England (Glamour reported details of her upbringing and family background).
Reflecting on childhood visits to Ireland, Nash described the freedom of running around the countryside with cousins during summer holidays (Glamour noted from their interview in late April at Condé Nast’s London office). Alongside her musical tribute, Nash recorded a new verse for the track and played the tin whistle, marking a return to the first instrument she ever learned at primary school (The Line of Best Fit outlined the instrumentation and recording details).
Kate Nash stated via The Line of Best Fit that she strongly agreed that education was a crucial step towards peace, adding that she would not be the artist she was today without Sinéad’s perspective, her bravery and sensitivity.
Challenging Historical Blind Spots in English Education
Nash’s cover tackles the historical realities of the Irish famine, including the export of meat, fish, and other vegetables to England under armed guard while Irish people were restricted to eating potatoes (Glamour detailed the song’s lyrical focus and historical framing). The project addresses what Nash views as a wider gap in traditional schooling. She noted that she was never educated about An Gorta Mór either at school or within her family, stating that the project serves as an invitation to interrogate personal and national histories rather than an accusation (The Line of Best Fit documented her statements on education and nationalism).
Artistic expressions of second-generation Irish identity often provoke mixed reactions because individuals with that heritage did not simply decide to become Irish, but grew up with an organic sense of identity (the BBC reported commentary surrounding Nash’s project). Commentators have noted that Nash’s recording stands out for tackling one of the major issues in Anglo-Irish politics and history (the BBC detailed the reception of her overt political pop effort).
Activism, Westminster, and the Music Video
For the track’s accompanying music video, Nash collaborated with artist and activist Tia O’Donnell (The Line of Best Fit and Glamour both reported on the visual collaboration). O’Donnell embroidered the phrase English people do not know their history onto a duvet, which was subsequently hung outside Parliament and other locations while Nash floated around Westminster (Glamour described the scenes in the music video).
Nash added her own perspective to the release, stating that accountability and acknowledgment are necessary components of progress (The Line of Best Fit published her statement on national introspection).
Kate Nash stated via The Line of Best Fit that she believed England must acknowledge its actions and history in order for true healing, understanding and growth to take place.
Live Performances and Wider Context
The single arrives amid rising nationalism in the UK and globally, prompting Nash to frame the release as a call for historical context (The Line of Best Fit reported on the contemporary political backdrop of the release). Nash performed at The Mac in Belfast as part of the fringe programme for the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann (the BBC noted her Belfast appearance).
Her upcoming and recent live schedule includes appearances at Liverpool Sound City, Bearded Theory, and the Galway International Arts Festival alongside Sophie Ellis-Bextor (The Line of Best Fit detailed her confirmed tour dates). Earlier this year, Nash also appeared as a contestant on the seventh series of The Masked Singer (The Line of Best Fit recorded her television appearance).
