Disused pub on Cork's northside could host Kabin Crew, says Gould

A Cork city councillor has submitted a motion to Cork City Council requesting the compulsory purchase of a building on the northside of Cork city to be used as the new music and artistic hub for the Kabin Studio.

Sinn Féin councillor for Cork City North West Michelle Gould has said that the old Hollyhill Inn pub and off licence which has been vacant for the past nine years would be the perfect permanent base for the Kabin.

Speaking to The Echo ahead of this evening’s meeting of Cork City Council, Ms Gould said: “The Kabin Crew song ‘ The Spark’, which received over 2bn views on social media, has been longlisted for a Grammy Award in the Best Dance/Electronic Recording and Song of the Year categories.

“At the moment they are operating out of a container which is much too small for what they need.

“The former pub is only 100m from their current location on Harbour View Rd in the heart of Knocknaheeny, and would be an ideal location for the Kabin Studios.

“I believe this would be an ideal project to tie in with the Knocknaheeny regeneration.”

Ms Gould said she and her colleague councillor Kenneth Collins are hoping for the support of Cork City Council on the initiative.

“The Kabin Crew have enjoyed tremendous success playing at numerous music festivals and featuring on the Late Late Show amongst others, and it is important that we build on this for young people,” she said. “Although based in Knocknaheeny, Kabin Studios have people from all over the northside involved with them.

“A building like the Hollyhill Inn would allow them to expand to produce more music, more recordings, have a theatre and use this creative space to rehearse, act, perform and more.

“Garry McCarthy [GMC Beats], along with tutors and volunteers, have done unbelievable work, and when I spoke with him, he said we should ‘dream big’.

“I think he is absolutely right. The young people are a credit to their communities and to their families.”

Ms Gould said there has been a lack of support for the arts “for far too long”, and said this initiative could be an iconic project to build upon the Trojan work that Mr McCarthy and the Kabin Crew have done.

“I say give them their permanent home and let the ‘spark’ continue,” she said.