The Beginning, Glam Rock & Early Punk

Glam rock never dominated Ireland in the early ’70s the way it did Britain, but it absolutely landed, lingered, and left fingerprints—especially in fashion, live performance, and the confidence of a new generation of Irish musicians. Early ’70s Ireland was still culturally conservative, with limited media outlets and a strong showband tradition. But British TV, pirate radio, and trips to London acted as open floodgates. When glam exploded in the UK, Irish youth noticed—hard. Top of the Pops was hugely influential. Bowie, Bolan, Roxy Music, Slade, and Sweet were beamed straight into Irish sitting rooms, sequins and all.

Horslips

More Celtic rock than glam, but: Embraced concept albums and theatrical presentation, Part of the same early ’70s push toward bold Irish rock identities, Shared glam’s ambition, if not its glitter.

The Showband Crossover

Some showbands flirted with glam looks to stay current: Platform shoes, Satin shirts, Flashy stagewear.

This was often surface-level glam—image over ideology—but it mattered in normalizing flamboyance.

Fashion & Youth Culture

Even more than music, glam hit Ireland through style: Glitter makeup (subtle by UK standards, but radical locally), Androgynous haircuts, Platform boots and flares.

In Dublin, Cork, and Belfast, glam style became a quiet rebellion—less overt than in London, but socially daring in the Irish context.