[2] Its title refers to an old Irish saying that drummer Tom Coll's great-aunt used to say; the phrase "Skinty Fia" translates to "the damnation of the deer".

[9] Chatten was inspired by an accordion gifted to him by his mother for Christmas, realising "that that was an interesting place for me to go on the next record" despite his lack of experience with the instrument.

[3] They were also inspired by the Primal Scream album XTRMNTR (2000) and the drum and bass artist Roni Size, wanting to "[recreate] electronic sounds with guitars", according to guitarist Carlos O'Connell.

The songs were written during the day, which Chatten deemed a healthy and structured process, and recorded at night to create a level of uncertainty.

[11] The band had read of a recently deceased Irish woman living in England whose family had wished to engrave the phrase on her gravestone.

"[17] Writing in The Guardian, Alexis Petridis praised the band for constantly inverting expectations of them, saying: "there’s something cheering about Fontaines DC’s bold refusal to join in, to deal instead in shades of grey and equivocation.

They praised the band's ability to tap into alienation and isolation, saying: "By burrowing into Fontaines D.C.’s particular experiences as strangers in a strange land, Skinty Fia ultimately homes in on the eternal fears—of growing old, bored, bitter, and unloved—that unite us all.