New Cork film captures the vibrant musical and cultural heartbeat of the city

A NEW film digitally released on Christmas Eve is inviting the world to to explore the very beating heart of Cork city through its vibrant music and culture.

The team behind Cork’s premiere fireside-folk festival, Quiet Lights, released ‘A City Under Quiet Lights Vol II’, by filmmaker Myles O’Reilly, which is available to stream on YouTube.

Recorded over the course of the 2022 Quiet Lights festival, the film is a captivating cinematic journey that invites the world to explore the cultural and musical heart and soul of Cork city through the camera lens, featuring with live performances by Jim Ghedi, Cinder Well, Martin Hayes, Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin, Máire Carroll, and Niamh Bury.

The film, shot, and directed, by Mr O’Reilly, captures intimate, one-song performances by the artists set against the backdrop of cherished Cork landmarks.

St Luke’s is the venue for Jim Ghedi performing ‘Ah Cud Hew’ and fiddle virtuoso Martin Hayes performing ‘An Braon Báisti while St Fin Barre’s Cathedral provides the dramatic setting for Cinder Well’s ‘Overgrown’, 

Coughlan’s supplies the backdrop for Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin performing ‘Embrace The New Day’, while Philip Glass’s ‘Piano Étude No 6’ is performed by Máire Carroll at Triskel Christchurch and the Grand Parade Ferris Wheel hosts Niamh Bury for ‘Who Am I’.

Myles O’Reilly said it had been an honour to again document “during the cold wintery month of November”, the Quiet Lights festival for the second year running.

“I set out over the weekend to capture several live performances of the artists attending, either in some part of the venue they were scheduled to play or at quiet location within the red brick warren of Cork’s city centre streets and alleyways.

“I especially loved roaming the northside of the city, more familiar to visitors as the view from Patrick’s Bridge of the hundreds of terraced houses lined along hilltops adorned with church steeples,” Mr O’Reilly said.

“And what a pleasure it was to hear and feel so much music again. To roam from street to street, artist to artist. Taking it all in. Then sitting by the River Lee at dusk, its waters coursing through the cupped hands of urban, house filled hills. Fairy lights on the horizon. Each distant lantern, an inviting home to roost. I could go on but will let the film do the talking!” 

Quiet Lights announced a break for November 2023, and instead teamed up with Sounds from a Safe Harbour festival to present a number of concerts last September, but the festival will return in 2024.

The first instalment, ‘A City Under Quiet Lights Volume I’ was released last month and is available on YouTube.

It features Lisa O’Neill, Joshua Burnside & Laura Quirke, Niamh Regan, Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh, Kate Ellis & Caimin Gilmore, Junior Brother, and Rachael Lavelle.