Cryptic Clues To Pop Rock Groups

[ziggystardust]

Hello any help would be appreciated Question 1 and 2 are cryptic clues for pop rock groups and no 3 is name the flower

Many thanks for any help

1, Starts the rugby game------------in Ireland 8 and 7 letters
2 They publicly announce 3 and 11 letters
3 This bloom is universally popular ( no clues to how many letters

[cashier]

2 The Proclaimers

[Toorak]

Amhrán na bhFiann ?

[Calibax]

3 Cosmos

[JimF]

That's certainly the Irish National Anthem, which is often sung before sporting internationals, but doesn't fit the pattern. I keep wanting to say Hothouse Flowers, but can't work out why...

[elliemay1]

Ireland's Call is played before rugby matches, not the National Anthem, but doesn't fit the theme either

[Chinajan]

1: Dropkick Murphys

[Captain2]

Nice on Chinajan. I'd actually thought of 'dropkick' but just said to myself 'no pop group would start with that...'

[JimF]

Great answer! Annoying, as I'm a big fan of the Dropkick Murphys.

[ziggystardust]

Hi Chinajan, Many thanks for that

[fiction-factory]

Well I thought Music 1960-2020 was my specialist subject- but I haven't heard of Dropkick Murphys or Cosmos

[Captain2]

FF, 'Cosmos' is a flower not a group (see OP's note at the top). :))

[Calibax]

^Cosmos was the flower FF, not a band. :o)

[JimF]

If you like The Pogues, you can think of The Dropkick Murphys as Pogues++. Generally heavier and shoutier.

[fiction-factory]

Thanks. I saw the title and jumped in too eagerly

[JimF]

For the record (boom! boom!) there have been several bands called Cosmos: https://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=4485