Arts Minister Catherine Martin will be attending the South by Southwest (SXSW) music festival in Texas despite calls for her to boycott the event. 

Irish acts including Soda Blonde, Kneecap, Gavin James and Mick Flannery have pulled out of the festival citing the event's association with the US military and the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.   Soda Blonde guitarist Adam O’ Regan spoke to Shane this morning and explained why the band will not play the festival.