RTE has decided to feature The High Kings in its Christmas in Kilmainham special on Christmas Eve. What some people may not realise is that the band has released their most recent music under Conor McGregor’s record label, Greenback Records. As a result, Ireland’s public service broadcaster is using licence fee payers’ money to financially benefit a business owned by McGregor.
To be clear, I despise McGregor, and I have never been subtle about that in the past. This is not an abstract issue for me. I was assaulted in my early 20s, and the trauma stayed with me for years. But what I experienced was nothing compared to the horrific attack suffered by Nikita Hand.
I’m saying this because I feel a responsibility to call out any support for McGregor’s business interests when I see it. The High Kings released music under McGregor’s label after he was found civilly liable for rape. There is no plausible claim of ignorance or historical distance. The band knew exactly who they were aligning themselves with.
This is about accountability and ethical judgment. RTE is not a private broadcaster making a commercial decision. It is a publicly funded organisation with obligations to the people who pay for it. Our public service broadcaster choosing to profit his business interests is an insult to Nikita Hand, and to all survivors of violence across Ireland.
I’ve emailed RTE to call them out directly. I know this is Christmas week and people are busy preparing for for it, but if anyone agrees with me on this, I would strongly encourage you to email RTE as well. Public pressure matters!
I genuinely want to understand how RTE justified this decision.
I sent my email to [complaints@rte.ie](mailto:complaints@rte.ie) – I’ve also included my email in the comments section if anyone wants to use it.
Note: My previous post didnt contain sources (my mistake!). I’ve created this new post to include links/screenshots that verify the above. Here’s the Greenback Records website which lists The High Kings. They’re also listed on the Greenback Records Instagram page. And here’s a screenshot of a Greenback Records Instagram post announcing that they released music for The High Kings in July this year.
RTE promoting Conor McGregor’s business interests
byu/lauraslaw inireland
Posted by lauraslaw
18 Comments
**To:** [complaints@rte.ie](mailto:complaints@rte.ie)
**Subject:** Why are RTE promoting Conor McGregor’s business interests?
**Email:**
To RTE Complaints,
Why has RTE decided to use licence fee payers’ money to financially benefit Conor McGregor by featuring The High Kings, a band that releases their music under McGregor’s record label, in the Christmas in Kilmainham special? A public service broadcaster choosing to profit McGregor’s business interests is an insult to his victim and to survivors of violence across Ireland.
The High Kings have released music under McGregor’s label after he was found civilly liable for rape. There is no plausible claim of ignorance or historical distance. The band knew exactly who they were aligning themselves with.
After McGregor was found civilly liable for rape, businesses across Ireland made a conscious decision to refuse to work with any of his businesses. RTE appears to have chosen a different standard.
I would like a clear explanation of how this decision was justified, and what consideration was given to RTE’s public service responsibilities when approving the inclusion of The High Kings in the Christmas in Kilmainham special.
Go to the regulator
It’s times like this I’m happy I don’t pay my tv licence fee
Boycott Rté for promoting a scam artist, social bully and serial sexual assulter..
He’s the biggest name celebrity out of Ireland in generations, can’t imagine it’s surprising he has the money to pay for adverting.
I mean if RTE is to boycott every band who’s record label has a dodgy exec then there’d be no bands left.
Oh damn, at first I thought maybe Greenback were just lying about it, since when you google it they seem to be the main source, not the band
But yeah no it’s there on their Spotify for the new single “© 2025 Greenback Records”
Cheers for drawing attention to this, my folks are fans of The High Kings but likely don’t know about this connection to CMcG.
You’ve probably done more promotion for the record label than whatever RTE are gonna be doing!
I’m glad you brought this to my attention, and completely agree. What annoys me most is that we are a country stuffed to the gills with great musical talent . I’ve done live sound on and off for over 30 years and I don’t think there’s been a better time for Irish music. If this was done knowingly then is inexcusable, there’s plenty of talent out there.
To be fair a lot of the talent I like are happy to loudly speak truth to power and wouldn’t suit RTE but there’s amazing people across many genres . More than ever, now we’re seeing the influence of the cultures of the people who’ve moved here . RTE bookers, work harder (same goes for certain festival bookers).
Your Ire really should be aimed at the High Kings, not RTE. How far are they expected to throw the net in terms of their output?
They’re showing the Father Ted Christmas special. Is this a hate crime because of what Linehan has been up to?
Conor McGregor is a rapist, racist and cokehead, I will never miss an opportunity to say these things.
I wonder how being a born again lunatic wiped away all his crimes.
The whole ibogaine retreat was to address his trauma, what about the traumas he caused others? What treats that?
mcgregor is a terrible person
They played at his shitty bar recently too
You can’t tell me they didn’t know this. That scumbag needs to go away. They research mostly everything. Rte are just bad. This can’t be ignored.
And anyway, the high kings sell a watery version of yankie friendly shur and begorrah Oirish ballad music anyway, pure shite.
OP has a good point as well, but they are shite.
Thanks for bringing this to people’s attention, I’ve sent a complaints email as well.