WEST Belfast rappers Kneecap have arrived in Galway in traditional style ahead of their Irish film premiere tonight.

The film also named Kneecap will open the Galway Film Fleadh with a screening at 7pm on Tuesday night at Town Hall Theatre.

Based on the origin story of the riotous and ground-breaking Irish-language rap trio, the film stars the band’s Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap and DJ Próvaí in their acting debuts alongside Academy Award nominated Michael Fassbender.

Set in West Belfast in 2019, it chronicles how fate brings the trio together and how they then go on to “change the sound of Irish music forever”.

Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap and DJ Próvaí arrived at the festival on Tuesday afternoon on top of a Land Rover, with lit flares.

Speaking about the premiere, Kneecap said: “We’re honoured that Kneecap has been selected to open Ireland’s leading film festival.  Sundance was something else, but nothing beats the West of Ireland.

"We’re buzzin’ mostly for the first Irish audience to see the film and get all the little references that sailed over the Yanks heads!  And for an Irish language film to have, no doubt, plenty of speakers in the room.

"As excited as we are for the screening, we cannot take our minds away from Gaza where this very moment a genocide is being committed that’s supported by the same western states that pretend to care about human rights. And just 60 miles from Galway, the free state government allows war planes land and troops move through our island.

"Well done to Galway Film Fleadh for choosing Palestine as their country of focus. We had one stipulation as the film got distributed around the world and that was that it was not sold or screened in Israel. Enjoy Kneecap – Free Palestine!”