NOBODY likes to be stereotyped – although there is maybe one exception to the rule in this case. Cork people love Cork. We think we’re the best at everything, mainly because we are.
Music is no different, with some of Ireland’s best artists hailing from the county. And while we love the whole county, we all know West Cork offers just that little bit more.
So here are five of West Cork’s best musical acts.
LYRA
Hailing from Bandon, LYRA is one of the country’s most impressive pop voices. Her first EP was self-released in 2016, and she’s gone from strength-to-strength since then.
She has been nominated for RTÉs Choice Prize Award, performed sold-out shows in Dublin and London, and even featured on Grey’s Anatomy.
Powerful vocals characterise songs which range from a tribute to her mother to her latest release Edge of Seventeen – a dance cover of Stevie Nicks’ classic.
Martin Leahy
Ireland has a great tradition of protest music, from the rebel songs of the 50s and 60s to the music of The Pogues, Sinead O’Connor, The Boomtown Rats and more.
Martin Leahy, who lives in Ballinadee, recently joined that list with his song Everyone Should Have A Home – his response to the current housing crisis.
He’s been travelling up to Dublin every Thursday to perform the song outside the Dáil.
Bantum
An electronic music producer from Bandon, Ruarí Lynch this year performed at the prestigious Oscar Wilde Awards in LA.
His track ‘Gully’ is named after a place in Bandon features on a recent Bord Gáis TV ad, and his 2016 album Move was nominated for the RTÉ Choice Music Prize award.
That performance in LA was with Loah, who was a headline act at the recent Skibbereen Arts Festival.
Molly O’Mahony
Molly is a singer-songwriter from Ballydehob who has just released a new single – Her Song.
She spent the past decade writing and performing with art-folk group Mongoose, who have shared stages with the likes of Glen Hansard, Mary Coughlan, and Eddi Reader.
But now she has gone solo, with beautiful song-writing and great instrumentation.
Eve Clague
Hailing from Clonakilty Ireland, Eve Clague is a singer-songwriter who draws on a rich variety of music to create a highly personal and direct style of song writing.
Her music centres around her acoustic guitar and deeply honest vocal style, and having left school at 15, Eve has toured nationally playing with a number of bands.
Eve even came into the Star’s studio a couple of years ago to perform one of her brilliant songs.
