‘Alternative Ulster’: Punk Rock as a Means of Overcoming the Religious Divide in Northern Ireland

Abstract

The room was dark, hot and charged with an impending sense of anticipation. It took a single noise for everything to change into a melee of bodies flying, people charging, items being thrown, people getting hit and slammed into, voices shouting and screaming, and above it all the ringleaders ratcheting up the tension. This was no inner-city riot or clash with the police. The ringleaders were Jake Burns, Henry Cluney, Bruce Foxton and Dolphin Taylor. Collectively they were known as Stiff Little Fingers and it was their opening song, ‘Alternative Ulster’, that sparked this visceral and emotional response from their audience in Belfast.