Limerick band steals the spotlight on The 2 Johnnies

THE 2 JOHNNIES might be the pride of Tipperary and loved across the country, but it was a Limerick band who stole the march on them at a popular music festival.

The one-day festival, Pints in a Field 3, organised by the Tipperary duo, took place last Saturday in St. Anne’s Park, Dublin to over 20,000 fans. While the famous podcast hosts, The 2 Johnnies, were the star attraction along with comedian and actor Pat Shortt, it was The Limerick Pipe Band, pictured further below, who set the tone at the start of the festival, receiving a thunderous reception. 

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They kicked off the day’s festivities in true All-Ireland style, marching The 2 Johnnies around the park to rapturous applause. With pipes blaring and flags waving, the band led the parade in front of cheering fans, setting the tone for what would be a high-octane mix of music, comedy, and craic.

“Coming from the GAA and hurling world ourselves, we wanted to capture that big match energy — and the Limerick lads brought it in spades,” said Johnny B. “That march felt like coming out onto Croke Park for a final.” 

The pair hand-picked the Limerick Pipe Band for the honour, keen to pay tribute to the spirit of Munster hurling and to bring that championship fever to their Dublin takeover.

Now in its third year, Pints in a Field has become a go-to event on the summer calendar, offering a celebration of rural Ireland’s music, humour, and community spirit.

Among the highlights was a surprise set from comedy legend Pat Shortt, who joined the lads on stage for a barnstorming rendition of his iconic “Jumbo Breakfast Roll” — now racking up millions of views on TikTok and Instagram. It was a fitting team-up, as Shortt has long been an influence on The 2 Johnnies’ own brand of rural comedy.

Reflecting on the night, Johnny Smacks said: “To be able to bring this kind of buzz to a field — and to do it with the Limerick Pipe Band leading the way — it doesn’t get much better. That moment at the start… that was special. Proper goosebumps.”