Music venues in Cork keeping the show on the road

With The Frames looking to shine a spotlight on intimate venues across the country, Cork’s grassroots music sector reflects both pressure and optimism for the future. Owners and proprietors of Crane Lane, De Barra’s, and Coughlan’s discuss the challenges they are facing — but also explain why they are optimistic too. John O’Shea reports

Veteran Irish band The Frames played De Barra’s in Clonakilty on Monday as part of a tour of intimate, grassroots venues across the country. Glen Hansard and Co said the shows are intended to shine a spotlight on small, independent venues and how crucial they are to the live music industry.

With many venues facing challenges including rising costs, how do the people running live grassroots music venues in Cork feel about the direction of the sector — and are they optimistic about the future?

Crane Lane hosted Cian Ducrot and Picture This for their first gigs during the early stages of their careers. Both acts have gone on to become established names both at home and internationally.

Kate O’Shea, event manager at Crane Lane, said live grassroots music venues are crucial starting points for up-and-coming acts.

“Picture This did their first gig here in 2016 and basically came in the back of a van. One of their uncles drove them down,” she said.

“If they didn’t have the opportunity to play, they might never had honed their career so much. They might have gone down a different path or a different career.

“But because they had the stage and it is always open to anyone that wants to come and play, as long as you have the drive and the talent, you can go anywhere with that.”

Crucial

Ms O’Shea said venues such as Crane Lane are crucial for artists to develop.

“They are vital to the training of a musician. They are vital to the small, intimate concert that people also need, as well as the big large ones.

“There is no point in having stadiums and stadiums of events if you can’t get up close and personal with a musician.

“That is what musicians also love. You have to have both options to have a good music lifestyle.”

De Barra’s Folk Club in Clonakilty was included in the 2025 Hot Press Best of Ireland edition, celebrating the cultural best of what Ireland has to offer.

Ray Blackwell, manager of De Barra’s, said the role played by grassroots music venues has never been more crucial.

“These spaces not only embody our cultural heritage but also serve as the proving ground for emerging artists and technical crews,” he said.

“They provide hands-on experience while fostering diversity in artistic expression.

“By attending local venues, you actively support new and upcoming artists and contribute to the local economy, all while engaging with your community.

“Added to this, as we navigate a world increasingly marked by emotional distancing, the value of small grassroots venues cannot be overstated.”

Venues in Ireland are facing a number of challenges. Ms O’Shea said: “The lockdown hit all live music venues the hardest, especially the smallest ones because people weren’t going out as much, people weren’t spending as much money.

“We also lost a lot of local musicians to other jobs because they couldn’t keep waiting for live music to set back up again. We lost a lot of great musicians. So the impact has been massive in that sense.

“I found that a lot of people lost their confidence because when they were locked in, they just felt like they couldn’t come out and perform in front of people.

“But now I see a big difference and it is because of the small venues and the grassroots venues that gives people that opportunity.”

Coughlan’s on Douglas St is another one of Cork city’s best-loved venues for live music.

Owner and manager Edel Curtin told The Echo there are a number of challenges facing the sector.

“Since we started off 14 years ago here, the costs have dramatically changed. Obviously, the pandemic in the middle of all that changed people’s habits — their socialising habits, their spending habits.

“During the pandemic, there was a whole campaign to say, don’t go out, don’t socialise, stay at home. There was never a campaign afterwards to say, let’s go back out and socialise and support your local venue.

“People just got into the habit of staying at home, drinking at home, and not going out to gigs.

“Then there’s obviously the cost of living for everybody, which everybody’s affected by.”

More support

Mr Blackwell called for more government support to be made available for music venues.

“It’s as simple as this — if there aren’t immediate supports or interventions for grassroots venues, these crucial nodes of music and culture run the risk of disappearing forever and when they’re gone, we will not be able to bring them back,” 

Mr Blackwell said. “With this at the forefront of our concerns we hope that this grassroots tour by The Frames will spark a wider national conversation about how Ireland protects and sustains its most vulnerable creative spaces and hope it will help build momentum around practical solutions.”

Among Mr Blackwell’s proposals for the grassroots music sector are giving established venues cultural status and introducing a levy on big-ticket and stadium events to support smaller venues.

Following the example of the UK’s Music Venue Trust, Irish music venues have proposed that all ticket sales for large-scale and stadium shows — such as Oasis, Taylor Swift, and Bruce Springsteen — include a €1 levy, ringfenced to a fund supporting grassroots venues.

In the UK, Harry Styles is the latest artist to lend his support to this type of cause.

Mr Blackwell also called for the removal of Vat on tickets for small, independent venues, in line with existing exemptions for many arts venues in Ireland, along with revising business rates to better reflect the cultural, economic, and community value provided by grassroots venues.

Despite the challenges, there is an overall sense of optimism about the future of live grassroots music venues.

Big demand

Ms Curtin said there is still a big demand for venues such as Coughlan’s going into the future. “I think the music scene in Cork, in a way, has never been stronger. I think in Ireland it’s actually never been stronger.

“There’s so much talent and our stage has never been in more demand. There’s so many people who want to come in and perform and play.

“So, the future of the music industry right now in terms of talent, there’s a huge amount of talent. But will our spaces be able to stay open in order to support and nurture that talent?

“If they don’t, there won’t be these great bands in another five, six, 10 years’ time.”

Mr Blackwell said: “Working at De Barra’s brings me great joy and a strong sense of worth and belonging, especially as I follow in my father’s footsteps.

“Being at the confluence of art and culture is exhilarating and witnessing new generations of talent perform on our humble stage is a privilege.

“Without the artists who have graced our stage and the community that has supported us for the past 50 years, our local cultural environment would be significantly diminished.”

Amazing musicians

Ms O’Shea said it is crucial that venues such as Crane Lane are maintained into the future.

“In Ireland we are known for music and known as a nation that creates music. We have some amazing musicians and bands that come out of Ireland,” she said.

“So, without that support and keeping these types of venues alive, then it will die out.”

In response to a query from The Echo on the future of grassroots music venues, a spokesperson from the Department of Culture, Communication and Sport said: “Grassroots venues play a vital role in the Irish music ecosystem and without these venues many artists would not get the much-needed support and opportunity to perform live, build their following and develop their craft.

“The Government understands the contribution they make to the cultural vibrancy of our towns and cities and in recognition of this, [culture minister Patrick] O’Donovan launched the Grassroots Music Venue Support Scheme in 2025 with a total allocation of €500,000.

“This year, the minister has committed €1m in funding to support a second iteration of this scheme, which will help address some of the issues raised by this sector.”