Dropkick Murphys are an American Celtic punk band formed in Quincy, Massachusetts, U.S.. First playing together in the basement of a friend's barbershop, they blended traditional Irish music, folk rock, and hardcore punk. Their influences include Stiff Little Fingers, The Pogues, The Clash, Thin Lizzy, AC/DC, The Dubliners, and the Swingin' Utters.

The band has made a name for itself and built a following as a result of their non stop touring all over the world and their famous St. Patrick's Day weekend shows, which are held in and around Boston. Dropkick Murphys also support unions and some of their songs reflect this. The group is also well known for their patronage of the Boston Red Sox and the Boston Bruins.

There are differing stories as to the origin of the band's name. Former band member Marc Orrell has said:

The Dropkick Murphy will come and get you if you don't go to sleep tonight. It's a rehab center, I think it's in Connecticut. I think it was the guy who used to come around late at night for all the drunks, like if you were too drunk to drive home, he would come and get you and put you in this hole that you couldn't get out until you were sober enough, I don't know. There's a bunch a stories, it's also a boxer, a bunch of things, a rehab center in Connecticut, grandparents used to scare kids with it.

Original frontman Mike McColgan and co-founder Ken Casey said the following:

The bands name was stolen from an old rehab where they used to take skid row bums in Boston... We always heard of old-timers in our neighborhood telling war stories about being locked up at Dropkick Murphy's, so we decided that if we ever started a band, that would be the name.

Dropkick Murphys was originally formed in 1996 in Quincy, MA. The band first started playing in the basement of a friend's barbershop and soon found that people liked their music, and as a result began to tour and record.

The band put out a series of EPs and were signed by Hellcat Records. In 1997, they released their first full length album, Do or Die. Lead singer Mike McColgan left the band later that year with his life long dream of becoming a Boston firefighter, and was replaced by The Bruisers lead singer Al Barr, who was referred to Ken Casey by Derek TC NYSR producer/founder of the groundbreaking 90's Oi!/Skampilation series at the Middle East Club in Boston. In 1999, they released their follow-up album, The Gang's All Here. In 2001 they released their third album, Sing Loud, Sing Proud!. The album showcased their developing sound as the band widely progressed from being a 4-piece punk rock outfit, and included collaborations with Pogues frontman Shane MacGowan and Cock Sparrer's Colin McFaull. It also marked a significant lineup change for the band. Original guitarist Rick Barton was replaced by former The Ducky Boys guitarist, James Lynch and Marc Orrell, and additional instruments were added and played by new members Ryan Foltz and Robbie "Spicy McHaggis" Mederios, whose name was inspired by a McDonald's menu item while the band was on a 1999 tour in Scotland.. Shortly after, both Foltz and McHaggis left the band, being replaced by mandolin/guitar player Tim Brennan and bagpipes player Scruffy Wallace.

Their next album, Blackout, was released in 2003. The new album included the radio hit "Walk Away," as well as the fan favorite song "Fields of Athenry". Notably "The Dirty Glass" with female vocals from Stephanie Dougherty (Deadly Sins) is a song about a bar in Quincy, Massachusetts called Darcy's. Also in 2003 the Murphys were on the Vans Warped Tour. Around the same time the band released a re-working of the Boston Red Sox anthem, "Tessie", which then became the official song of the Boston Red Sox 2004 winning World Series run. "Tessie" was also used throughout the major motion picture Fever Pitch which starred Jimmy Fallon and Drew Barrymore and was included on the EA Sports MVP Baseball 2005 soundtrack. The band was even invited to the premiere of the movie which was held at Fenway Park where the video was also shot.

In 2005, the Dropkick Murphys released "Singles Collection Volume 2", featuring covers, b-sides, and other material that didn't make it onto previous albums, and the band contributed a recording of "We Got the Power" to Rock Against Bush, Vol. 2.

Their fifth studio album, The Warrior's Code on Epitaph Records, was released on June 21, 2005. It features the singles "Sunshine Highway", "The Warrior's Code" as well as the bonus track, "Tessie". It also includes a song that was inspired by a Woody Guthrie poem the band found in his archives named "I'm Shipping Up to Boston" which is featured in the 2006 Academy Award winning film The Departed, Martin Scorsese's adaptation of the Hong Kong crime thriller Infernal Affairs (Scorsese mentioned the band in an interview after he won his first Oscar). Two videos, one with and without footage from The Departed were made in response to the overwhelming response to the band's new hit song. The song was also featured in The Simpsons episode The Debarted. "I'm Shipping Up to Boston" is also used during many Boston sporting events such as the victory song of the Patriots and Celtics, the walk-out song of Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon, a regular walk-in song of UFC former light-heavyweight Forrest Griffin, and as the power play song for several NHL teams, including the Buffalo Sabres and New York Rangers. It continues to be an unofficial anthem of general Bostonian pride.

The song "Last Letter Home" contains excerpts from personal letters between Sgt. Andrew Farrar, his mother and his wife. The following is taken from the album notes:

We had already finished this song that was based on general correspondences to & from the soldiers serving in Iraq, when we were contacted by the family of Sgt. Andrew Farrar who had recently died while serving there. The family wanted to tell us he was a big supporter of the Dropkick Murphys. They also passed on a letter that he had written to his mother shortly before his death in which he thanks her for sending him a Dropkick Murphys CD & said that if anything should happen to him while in Iraq, he would like one of our songs played at his funeral. He also left behind a wife, Melissa and two young boys Tyler & Liam. His tour of duty in Iraq was coming to an end & he was due to come home & renew his wedding vows with Melissa to another song of ours, "Forever". Sgt Farrar died on January 28th, on his 31st birthday. We were present at his funeral to grant his wish and played "Fields of Athenry" as his casket entered the church. This song was re-written to include excerpts from that letter.

The band released a single, with the family's permission, including the Andrew Farrar-dedicated "Fields Of Athenry" and "The Last Letter Home". All proceeds went to the Farrar family.

In 2007, the band issued their sixth album and major label debut The Meanest of Times. On October 21, 2007, the band played on a small stage in Fenway Park prior to Game 7 of the 2007 American League Championship Series. On October 30, 2007, the band performed on a flatbed truck during the Boston Red Sox rolling rally to celebrate their 2007 World Series Championship, playing "I'm Shipping Up to Boston", "Dirty Water", "Tessie", "The State of Massachusetts", "For Boston", and "Sunshine Highway", to celebrate. Red Sox relief pitcher Jonathan Papelbon performed his trademark dance on the flatbed with them. Fellow Red Sox relief pitchers Hideki Okajima and Mike Timlin also rode on the band's flatbed.[1]

In 2008 Marc Orrell announced he was leaving the band and that Tim Brennan would replace him as a full-time guitarist. Tim's duties will be taken over by Jeff DaRosa.

To tie in with St. Patrick's Day, a free Dropkick Murphys track pack for Guitar Hero III on the Xbox Live Marketplace and the Playstation Network was released on 15th March 2008 containing: "Famous For Nothing"; "(F)lannigan's Ball" and "Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ya" from their latest album, "The Meanest of Times".

In 2008 frontman Ken Casey re-opened McGreevys Pub, which is said to be the first sports bar ever. The bar has drawn good reviews for both its food and atmosphere. The Murphys have also continued touring, including a number of dates in July set to feature The Mighty Mighty Bosstones. At their July 10, 2008 concert date at LeLacheur Park in Lowell, MA, they announced that the show was being recorded and would be released as their next live album. They made similar announcements during shows in Portland, ME and Pawtucket, RI. The band also stated at the Pawtucket, RI show that the sellout crowd of 10,060 was the largest in the band's history.