‘Mighty night’ in store as stars come out to help Cork's Jimmy Crowley 

The full line-up for next week’s City Hall benefit concert for Cork singer and songwriter Jimmy Crowley has been announced, with organisers promising “it will be a mighty night”.

Last month, in what was called a “last resort” GoFundMe appeal, Mr Crowley revealed that he was last year diagnosed with stage three oesophageal cancer, and had then suffered a debilitating stroke last December.

His partner, Eve Telford, set up the GoFundMe appeal in an effort to facilitate their hopes that he would be able continue his rehabilitation at their Cobh home.

In a show of support and appreciation by the public, the fundraising target of €100,000 was surpassed within a week.

In a response to that support, Ms Telford posted: “We’re so overwhelmed by the donations here. Thank you all so much! We’re at a loss for words, to be honest. Thanks to you all, we will be able to afford a live-in carer, and Jimmy will be able to come home!”

Peerless curator of folk songs

Born in Douglas in 1950, Jimmy Crowley has been a lifelong troubadour and a peerless curator of folk songs.

His band Stokers Lodge was an early landmark in a career which has become synonymous with Cork folklore, and their 1975 recording the ‘The Boys Of Fairhill’ is totemic on Leeside. From his early recordings of local songs such as ‘Johnny Jump Up’,’ Salonika’, and ‘The Armoured Ca’r to his own sublime compositions, he has spent a lifetime bringing folk music to a wider audience.

His 15th album, Life, was released last year, and he was recording an album of songs with his partner, folk singer Eve, when he was taken ill.

Weekly column

His weekly column in The Echo, ‘The Songs Of Cork’, ran for 22 years, each week featuring a different Cork song, running to 1,125 songs before he wrapped it up in 2024.

Now, a group of his friends from across Cork’s folk music scene has organised a fundraising concert in Cork City Hall, which will take place next week, and which will feature a huge line-up of musical talent. All proceeds will go to the Jimmy Crowley fund.

The Cork Folk Festival’s Willy Hammond, one of the concert’s organisers, said of the upcoming event: “It will be a mighty night”.

Among those confirmed to appear at next week’s gig are: John Spillane, Cónal Creedon, Aoife Granville, the Lee Valley String Band, Fiona Kennedy, Gerry Murphy, Eoin Ó Riabhaigh and Johnny Murphy of Stokers Lodge, Cork Seán nós singer Máire Ní Chéileachair, The Oars, Eoin Jordan and Anthony Ruby, Tim O’Riordan, and The Cheese Club, also known as the Singers Club. The full line-up will be posted on journalofmusic.com.

A Tribute to Jimmy Crowley will take place at Cork City Hall 7.30pm on Wednesday, June 24. Booking €29 on eventbrite.ie. For further information, email Hammy at jimmytribute@gmail.com.