Editing Dropkick Murphys (section)

===Hellcat years: 1998–2007===
[[File:Kencaseycrowd.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Ken Casey in front of the crowd, 2007]] 
After McColgan's departure, the band searched for a replacement but did not have much luck. [[Al Barr]], lead singer for [[The Bruisers]] was well aware of the Dropkick Murphys and at first actually resented the fact that the Dropkick Murphys were quickly becoming one of the biggest bands in the area, opening for all the bigger bands to come through, a slot Barr and the Bruisers would usually have obtained. Barr was informed of McColgan's departure and quickly assumed that the band was finished. However he was contacted by Derek TC NYSR producer-founder of the groundbreaking 1990s Oi!-Skampilation series at [[The Middle East (nightclub)|the Middle East Club]] in [[Cambridge, Massachusetts|Cambridge]] and told to contact Ken Casey right away. Barr auditioned for the band, first performing a new song titled "10 Years of Service" and was offered the job right away which he accepted. Barr's first release with the band was the 1998 single for "Curse of a Fallen Soul", a song that also would appear on their upcoming album. On March 9, 1999, the band released their second studio album and first with Barr, ''[[The Gang's All Here (Dropkick Murphys album)|The Gang's All Here]]''. The album featured more of a hardcore–street punk sound closer to that of Barr's former band, The Bruisers and more of an Irish influence than on their debut album. The band gained their first mainstream exposure when the video for their single "10 Years of Service" received airplay on the [[MTV]] show ''[[120 Minutes]]''. The band set out on a year-long tour to support the album. In late 1999, the band along with [[The Business (band)|The Business]], released a split single (as McBusiness) titled, "Mob Mentality" in 1999. A year later they released a full-length album of the same name featuring the two bands covering each other's songs along with songs from other artists. Dropkick Murphys also re-recorded their own song "Boys on the Docks" with Al Barr on vocals marking the third different recording of the song.

As the band began the process of recording their third album in 2000, Rick Barton decided to quit during the recording sessions. In 2014, Barton discussed his departure saying "Myself and Kenny ended up hating each other. We've since made amends, but you know, touring in a band for four straight years... that same old story." With Barton gone, the band added four new members which included former [[The Ducky Boys|Ducky Boys]] guitarist [[James Lynch (musician)|James Lynch]], who joined shortly prior to Barton's departure, 17-year-old guitarist [[Marc Orrell]], [[mandolin]] and [[tin whistle]] player [[Ryan Foltz]] and [[bagpipe]] player Robbie "Spicy McHaggis" Mederios, whose nickname was inspired by a [[McDonald's]] menu item while the band was on a tour in [[Scotland]], would join the band as their new full-time bagpipe player replacing Joe Delaney, who played on their debut album, but could not tour with or commit full-time to the band.<ref>{{cite web |last=Walsh |first=Rob |url=http://www.ink19.com/issues/august2003/interviews/dropkickMurphys.html |title=Dropkick Murphys |website=Ink19.com |access-date=April 21, 2012 |date=August 2003 |archive-date=April 18, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090418134846/http://ink19.com/issues/august2003/interviews/dropkickMurphys.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> With a new line-up in place, the band spent the rest of 2000 recording their third album.

''[[Sing Loud, Sing Proud!]]'', the band's third album, was released on February 9, 2001. The album showcased the band's developing sound and new lineup (Rick Barton was featured on three of the album's tracks) and included collaborations with [[Pogues]] frontman [[Shane MacGowan]] and [[Cock Sparrer]]'s Colin McFaull. The album would feature the singles and music videos for "The Spicy McHaggis Jig", "The Gauntlet" and a cover of "[[The Wild Rover]]" and featured the [[Boston College]] [[fight song]], "[[For Boston]]", which would go on to become one of the band's most performed show openers. The band embarked on one of their biggest tours at the time. In 2002, the band recorded three shows at the Avalon Ballroom during St. Patricks Day weekend, a weekend performance of shows in their hometown of Boston that would become an annual and must see event for the band and their fans. The result of the recording was the band's first live album, ''[[Live on St. Patrick's Day from Boston, MA]]'' which was released in September 2002.

In 2002, former lead singer Mike McColgan formed the band [[Street Dogs (band)|Street Dogs]]. The first incarnation of the line-up would also feature Jeff Erna, the original drummer for the Dropkick Murphys. The band released their debut album, ''[[Savin Hill (album)|Savin Hill]]'', in 2003. The song "Stand Up" featured guest appearances by Ken Casey and Al Barr. Casey was originally asked to produce the album; however, he was too busy with the Dropkick Murphys.

After the ''Sing Loud, Sing Proud tour'' in early 2003, McHaggis decided to quit the band and was replaced by Canadian piper [[Scruffy Wallace]]. Foltz would depart soon after (though he made an appearance in the music video for "Gonna Be A Blackout Tonight", a song featured on the band's next record). Multi-instrumentalist, [[Tim Brennan]] was recruited to replace Foltz and has been with the band ever since.

''[[Blackout (Dropkick Murphys album)|Blackout]]'', the band's fourth album, was released on June 10, 2003. The album included the minor radio hit "[[Walk Away (Dropkick Murphys song)|Walk Away]]", as well as the fan favorite song "[[Fields of Athenry]]". The band also re-recorded "The Dirty Glass". The song was previously released the prior year on ''[[Face to Face vs. Dropkick Murphys]]'' with [[Kay Hanley]] as a guest vocalist. The re-recorded version featured vocals from Stephanie Dougherty (Deadly Sins). Dougherty became an unofficial member of the band and would also join them on tour working their merchandise table until departing the band in 2009 (although she would return for random performances of the song following her departure). The song "Time To Go" was written about the [[Boston Bruins]], and in November 2003 the band performed the song live at the [[TD Garden]] during intermission at a Bruins game. ''Blackout'' included a special bonus DVD with the music video for "Gonna Be A Blackout Tonight" along with two live clips filmed during the 2002 St. Patrick Day shows. It featured the trailer for the band's then untitled upcoming DVD which would eventually be titled ''On the Road With the Dropkick Murphys'' and released in March 2004. The tour to support the album featured the band appearing on the 2003 [[Warped Tour]].

For the 2004 baseball season the band released a re-working of a century-old [[Boston Red Sox]] fan anthem, "[[Tessie]]". "Tessie" was used in the major motion picture ''[[Fever Pitch (2005 film)|Fever Pitch]]'' and was included on the [[EA Sports]] video game ''MVP Baseball 2005'' soundtrack. The band was invited to the ''Fever Pitch'' premiere of the movie which was held at [[Fenway Park]] where the video was also shot. The song continues to be played at Red Sox games along with [[Dirty Water]] after games the team wins. "Tessie" also was the first release of the band to feature Tim Brennan and Scruffy Wallace. In 2005, 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]]'', an outtake from the ''Blackout'' album.

''[[The Warrior's Code]]'', the band's fifth and final album for Hellcat, was released on June 21, 2005, and made its debut at number 49 on the album charts, which at the time was the highest debut for a Dropkick Murphys album. The album features the singles "Sunshine Highway" and "The Warrior's Code" as well as the bonus track "Tessie". The album also featured a re-recorded version of "[[I'm Shipping Up to Boston]]", a song originally recorded for the band's "Fields of Athenry" single. The song featured lyrics from a [[Woody Guthrie]] poem the band found in his archives. The song was featured in the 2006 [[Academy Award]]-winning film ''[[The Departed#Music from the Motion Picture album|The Departed]]''.. Two videos, one with and one without footage from ''The Departed,'' were made due to overwhelming response to the song, which became at the time the band's first and biggest charting single (at the time) reaching number 1 on the [[Bubbling Under Hot 100]]. The song helped introduce Dropkick Murphys to an even bigger mainstream audience thanks to the film and soundtrack. The song also became the walk-up song of Boston Red Sox player [[Jonathan Papelbon]], who danced an [[Jig|Irish jig]] to the song several times throughout the 2007 [[Boston Red Sox]] [[World Series]] Championship season. During the team's victory parade, Papelbon did the jig while the band played the song on the same float. In 2012 the band said that since Papelbon signed with the Philadelphia Phillies, he could no longer use the song, as it was a "Boston song". They hoped the new Red Sox closer [[Andrew Bailey (baseball)|Andrew Bailey]] would use it, but both Bailey and his replacement, [[Koji Uehara]] had different songs.<ref>{{cite web |date=March 6, 2012 |url=http://boston.cbslocal.com/2012/03/06/dropkick-murphys-wont-let-papelbon-use-their-song-as-entrance-music-anymore/ |title=Dropkick Murphys Won't Let Papelbon Use Their Song As Entrance Music Anymore |location=[[Boston]] |publisher=[[CBS]]}}</ref> [[Washington Nationals]]' second baseman [[Daniel Murphy (baseball)|Daniel Murphy]] also used it as a walk-up song.{{citation needed|date=July 2012}}