My magical, memorable night at the Marquee

We were one of the very first to enter the tent when Amble played at Live at the Marquee recently.

As eager beavers, Edel and I got the prime spots in the wheelchair section. We like to be installed on time, but this was the best position we have ever managed.

I was right at the inside edge of the wheelchair section which put me looking directly at the centre of the stage.

We were extra excited because the support act, announced only the day before, happened to be Ryan McMullan who hails from Belfast, and who we love and adore in his own right.

He played a lovely set and we sang every word seeing him together for the third time in 12 months. We screeched our delight at him so loudly, he absolutely had to have heard our dedication. If the other revellers didn’t know Ryan beforehand. I imagine they’ll all be hooked now.

I’ve been to Live at the Marquee many times, seeing various different acts, but I had a real sense of anticipation for Amble.

They only met and formed two and a half years ago, leaving their sensible jobs as two teachers and a data scientist to take the plunge into the music business full-time after they exploded on social media when their song The Island, which became the soundtrack to every beautiful video promoting anything Irish - followed closely by Mary’s Pub and Tonnta, all so heart wrenchingly stunning.

The rapturous roar when the lads and their supporting musicians walked on stage set a tone. I have never seen the Marquee so packed, but there was such a lovely feeling in the place. We applauded the success the lads have enjoyed, knowing we were witnessing something special.

They have played 60 shows already all over the world in 2025 and their Cork gig was only the fourth one in Ireland during the year. They seemed and told us they were grateful to be playing their first Live at the Marquee gig.

I was proud to be there, knowing Irish music is flourishing.

Robbie Cunningham, Oisín McCaffrey, and Ross McNerney are extremely talented in their singing, songwriting, and storytelling.

The way they play their instruments is spellbinding and I knew right from a start that the night would fly by.

In the future, I’ll look back, glad I was there when 5,000 people formed Amble’s biggest ever show before they rose to great heights.

I hope they always maintain the beautiful, intimate atmosphere that just sent a warm glow through the crowd. I was nervous that being so new to performing might interrupt the flow of their set list but they seemed to glide effortlessly through hit after hit, enchanting us more and more as they went.

One thing they didn’t do is guide us in singing back to them or give us a chance to sing much more than a line on our own in collective voice.

When the audience joined in for lyrics, we have taken to heart, it was spine-tingling and I felt goosebumps rise on my skin at least five times. I just wanted to hold the moments, and even though I knew all the words of the songs, I wished for them all to be longer.

There was an enduring energy the sound of the banjo provided and at times we could hardly see the players’ hands because they were playing perfectly at such pace.

Each time they stopped playing, a roar went up as if our limit was the sky, and joy landed upon us and settled just in time for the next beautiful rendition.

Amble are magical.