the bionic rats

About The Bionic Rats

The Bionic Rats have been at the forefront of the
Irish Reggae and Ska scene for the last 20 years.

Musically, they draw inspiration from classic British two-tone bands like Madness, The Beat, and The Specials, while incorporating reggae, dub, punk, and occasional Irish folk elements. Their lyrics frequently alternate between humor, everyday Dublin life, and pointed commentary on politics, racism, work, and Irish history — a band built on heavy grooves, social commentary, sharp rhythms and unforgettable live shows.

Over the years, The Bionic Rats have shared stages with some of the greatest names in reggae, ska and alternative music, including Lee 'Scratch' Perry, Madness, Horace Andy, Bad Manners, Imelda May, Israel Vibration, Jimmy Cliff, Johnny Clarke, The Jolly Boys, The Selecter, Damien Dempsey, The Beat, and Hothouse Flowers.

Shortly after forming they began a now legendary Sunday night residency in Dublin bar The Foggy Dew, which lasted 18 years until Feb 2024, one of the longest running and best loved nights on the Dublin music scene, drawing crowds from every nationality.
From sweaty clubs to festival stages, The Bionic Rats deliver every time.

They performed on Irish national T.V. in 2015 on The Imelda May show, which also included an interview with Del by his first cousin Imelda.

A highlight came in July 2023, when the band became the backing group for legendary ska icon Roy Ellis of Symarip "Skinhead Moonstomp" fame — a true full-circle moment for lifelong fans of the genre.

The Rats also shared a special connection with the late great Ranking Roger. Alongside his son Murphy, Roger joined the band onstage at The Grand Social in Dublin for a memorable performance of “Ranking Full Stop,” flowing into a dubbed-out version of Eek-A-Mouse’s “Ganja Smuggling.” It would sadly become his final performance on an Irish stage.

Respect and love always, Ranking Roger. R.I.P.

Over the years, they've independently released four studio albums and one live record to great acclaim — all DIY, all straight from the heart, capturing every skank, dub echo and late-night session along the way.

All available on your favourite streaming platforms.

If you'd like to support the band please consider visiting our bandcamp page for merch and downloads