Rubberbandits at Number Two, and on course for a Christmas Number One

The Rubberbandits have entered the Irish charts at No.2, and are on course for the number one slot by Christmas day.

The Limerick hip-hop duo's hit song Horse Outside outsold everything else on the week of its release, apart from the new release by X Factor winner Matt Cardle.

Cardle's When We Belong hit the top slot, but Horse Outside outperformed major international artists such as Rihanna and Take That.

Such is the size of the duo's new-found following that they were invited onto Friday night's Late Late Show. Earlier in the week, the Rubberbandits got a boost when their local TD Willie O'Dea backed their campaign to top the charts.

O'Dea's subsequent appearance on RTÉ Radio One's Liveline, where he was made to defend his support of the Bandits and their controversial lyrics, gave the track another boost.

If the momentum keeps building, Ireland's most well-known plastic bag wearers should reach their target.

So far Horse Outside, which first appeared on RTÉ Two's Republic of Telly, has had more than two million hits on YouTube, turning the Rubberbandits from an act with a strong but cult following into a household name.

The official Christmas Number One wil be announced on Thursday 23 December.

Listen to Willie O'Dea and the Rubberbandits on Liveline here