The Pogues are a popular Irish folk rock band of the 1980s and 90s. They have a strong following, essentially invented celtic punk and had a large influence on the larger celtic fusion scene as well. The Pogues were founded in King's Cross, a district in north London, in 1982 as Pogue Mahone — "pogue mahone" being the Anglicisation of the Irish póg mo thóin, meaning "kiss my arse." The band specialized in Irish folk music, often playing with the energy of the punk rock scene from which several of the members had their roots.