Wide range of options for Cork gig goers this St Patrick’s Weekend

With Saint Patrick’s Day falling on a Tuesday this year, Cork has fallen on its feet with six days of a wide range of live music options all over the city to celebrate our national holiday.

Thursday, March 12

Starting with Thursday, March 12, in Coughlans Bar on Douglas St, Ger Wolfe – who is lovingly nicknamed the ‘Lark of Mayfield’ because of his lilting vocals and tender folk songs – will be playing at 7.30pm (€18).

Indeed, Douglas St is almost like a mini music festival, as there are two other great options that night. In The Hyde Out at 8.30pm are Rachel O’Gorman and Leah Ellis who have formed a new group that are quickly making a name for themselves around the city with their great mix of contemporary and classic pop and rock music, with everything from Fleetwood Mac to Abba to Chris Stapleton. For people who might like something more traditionally Irish, The Gables host a traditional music session every Thursday from 8pm.

Charlies Bar on Union Quay will have Robbie Barron and Hugh Dillon playing from 9pm. These dual guitarist/vocalists will be the first of six gigs held in that bar over the week.

Friday, March 13

On Friday, March 13, the entertainment options begin from 5.30pm with Colin McLean, a virtuoso instrumental guitar player, performing in Bakestone on Perry St. 

At 6.30pm Dukes Coffee House on Carey’s Lane have music with Mike O’Riordan. He will be playing a selection of Irish songs. 

Both of these events are part of Cork City Council’s Nighttime Economy Initiative’s Coffee House Lates.

There are nine other events around Cork that night, and a key element being the return of Cork City Night Markets on Cornmarket St from 7pm, with live music from Jack Ahern, a fantastic singer and guitarist, with music from Queen, The Beatles, Rory Gallagher and everything in between as part of his vast repertoire, along with food stall options opening late.

Over in Cyprus Avenue from 7pm, there is a bumper concert featuring Kila And Paddy Casey (€30). 

Part of the Rock Against Homelessness concerts in Aid of Focus Ireland, directly supporting their vital frontline services for people experiencing homelessness, it’s headlined by Kila, truly one of the most energetic interpretations of traditional Irish music in a live environment you can ever witness, and Paddy Casey, one of Ireland’s most iconic songwriters of the last 20 years.

In St Peter’s Church on North Main St at 8pm Irish Women In Harmony (€20) are presenting a concert. The collective of women, best known perhaps for their chart-topping charity intepretation of Dreams by The Cranberries, perform in various combinations and this particular evening will feature five members of the collective, showcasing more great Irish female talent.

Saturday, March 14

Moving now to Saturday, March 14, we can start at 2pm in The Marina Market with Arundón, who play a mixture of traditional and contemporary Irish music. They have also been influenced by South American and, in particular, Andean music, so the band’s music is led by the mystical sounds of the Uilleann and Pan Pipes.

At 8pm in Cork City Hall, Ceol Chorcaí (€10 adults, €5 children) will be a huge celebration of Irish music, song and dance, showcasing some of Cork county’s finest traditional musicians, singers and dancers, putting our heritage right up on the stage.

At the same time, but less traditional, over in The Poor Relation on Parnell Place will be Alternative Munster, a night featuring three acts: Stantons Grave, The Revolt and Mart.

The Alternative Munster nights have become one of Cork’s most consistent rock events, with a constantly high standard of brilliant live vital music. In terms of DJ options, over in the recently reopened Savoy venue at 7.30pm will be an incredible night of music, with one room featuring the legendary Donald Dineen (€20) and his seemingly infinite collection of records and the guys behind Sunday Times! taking command of the other room, on a Saturday night for a change.

Just around the corner in Dali, on Lavitts Quay, will be Funksmack and Gilbert Steele (€11.30); they promise a night of all disco, house and soul and ‘hands in the air energy in a dark and sweaty room!’

At 9pm, upstairs in Fred Zeppelins on Parliament St will be hosting Martina And The Moons (€10), an all-female four-piece band who combine varied influences such as Joni Mitchell, 90s britpop and punk rock to make a thrilling new sound. On the night they are joined by local band Other Mother.

Down on Pembroke St in Cantys, Souldriven will be starting around 10pm, a band that never fails to soundtrack a great night.

Sunday, March 15

Moving to Sunday, March 15, at 2pm in Cork City Hall will be an afternoon céilí, which will be ‘called’ by William Hammond of the Cork Folk Festival in great style, with the music provided by Ger Murphy and Ken Carter. People of all ages are invited with no experience needed – new dancers will be guided through each set by experienced dancers on the floor. 

It is a free event but tickets do need to be booked in advance (www.corkcity.ie) so that they can facilitate everyone.

In Alibi on Washington St at 6.30pm, Dan O’Keefe will be playing his regular session there. The range of songs and styles he can cover with just his voice and trusty guitar is amazing.

Also on Washington St at 7pm in The Kino is ‘Rory’s Birthday Party’ (€18.50) which will feature East West Assembly, an 11-piece live band performing high energy soul-influenced music, along with DJs Tama Sumo and Lakuti who are flying in from Berlin. Abbie Lee, a Cork vocalist, will be joining Frawl & Shane to open proceedings.

One final tip for Sunday is Coughlans at 7.30pm with Áine Tyrrell (€18). She is a firebrand singer-songwriter, performer and activist. Her live shows are compelling, stimulating, incredibly entertaining and ultimately joyful, mixing songs, stories, spoken word and politics into one great concert experience.

She is joined that evening by Cian Finn, a renowned singer and performer in his own right.

Monday, March 16

Moving to Monday, March 16, at 8pm in St Peter’s Church, North Main St, Séamus & Caoimhe Uí Fhlatharta (€15), a pair of traditional musician siblings, will be performing. 

Many will have heard their haunting cover version of Blackbird, but an entire concert featuring their incredible musicianship and harmonies will deliver a much broader understanding of Irish traditional music.

From 10.30pm, The Pavilion on Careys Lane will host End Up, a multi-genre collective of Cork-based DJs and producers, which has become one of the most popular club events in the city.

St Patrick's Day

Getting to St Patrick’s Day, the parade itself starts at 1pm and immediately afterwards there is music all over the city.

For instance at 2pm in the Crane Lane, Two Time Polka bring their unique mix of zydeco and cajun music with a River Lee twist; at the same time in The Park on South Main St, Big Weird Glasses, an electronic two-piece, will provide their ‘range of inter-generational bops with a sprinkle of indie-pop tunes’. And in The Vicarstown, on North Main St, an all-day reggae session kicks off after the parade.

Finally, for the evening of Saint Patrick’s Day, I suggest Charlies on Union Quay from 7.30pm, where you can get a fix of the rock and roll medicine that is Stuart Wild.

Just over the bridge in the Poor Relation, you can see a double bill of the Hightown Crows at 7.30pm followed by Two Time Polka at 9.30pm.

And finally, starting at 8pm in Fred Zeppelins on Parliament St, there is a fundraising rock concert for UN Crisis Relief Sudan (€5) with Gorilla Gorilla, Therapy Horse and Silver playing.

• Please check each individual venue or artist’s social media for any changes or ticket information. If no price is in brackets, the gig is a free event.