The Dublin-born lead singer of Irish-American punk band, Flogging Molly, has said he is stunned that his band has charted in the Billboard Top 20 after more than a decade of pub performances.
The band's sudden success this week has surprised the musical industry, particularly as the band released their third album on an obscure record label with little interest from the US media.
The album, Within a Mile From Home, entered the US charts at number 20 and is number one on the alternative music chart.
Lead singer David King (43), from Irishtown in Dublin, said he heard about the album's success after his manager posted a sign on the tour bus.
Flogging Molly, who mix punk with traditional Irish folk music, took their name from Molly Malone's bar in Los Angeles, a venue they were accused of overplaying.
"We were flogging the place to death, so we decided to call ourselves Flogging Molly," Mr King said. He attributed the band's sudden success to a breakdown of community in the US.
"It's a sense of wanting to belong to something. I think our music brings out an energy in them that makes them want to belong to the history of Ireland.