LATEST NEWS

Martin Leahy is a multi-instrumentalist, producer and songwriter who has worked with some of Ireland’s greatest musicians, including Christy Moore, Declan Sinnott and John Spillane. In recent years, he’s gained national and international attention for his songwriting and activism, particularly his song “Everyone Should Have A Home”, which has become a rallying cry for housing justice. Martin has had the honour of Christy Moore covering his song “Snowflakes” on Christy’s latest album called “A Terrible Beauty”

He released his song, “Everyone Should Have A Home”, in April 2022. He has been travelling from Cork to Dublin every week to protest outside Dáil Éireann by singing his song since May 2022. He has performed at all the major Cost Of Living Crisis protests in Dublin and in Cork including the recent Raise The Roof Protest in Dublin. His song and protest has been featured on RTE News, Al Jazeera News, American public radio npr, Dutch, German and French TV national broadcasters, The Guardian, The World.Org, The Irish Times (front cover) The Irish Examiner,  Irish Independent, Hot Press, Echo, Joe.ie, Virgin Media TV,  TG4 etc.. “Everyone Should Have A Home” has also been covered multiple times by different artists as a means to raise awareness of the Irish housing crisis. The song is also mentioned in the latest edition of Rory Hearne’s book on the housing crisis called ‘Gaffs”.

The guy who gave the crisis a soundtrack  – The Guardian

Martin has had the honour recently of Christy Moore covering “Snowflakes” on his album and at his live gigs. The song is related to Martin’s own experience of social media trolling. Martin joined Christy at Vicar Street and The Cork Opera House recently where they both performed “Everyone Should Have A Home” and “Snowflakes”.

He also has written a number of songs in solidarity with the people of Palestine and performs weekly at the Cork City protests and has also performed at the national march in Dublin. His song “Palestine” has been shared multiple times including Al Jazeera, Middle East Eye and also by the activist and musician Lowkey.

Martin has been playing as a session musician on the Irish music scene for about 25 years. Along with his recent successes as a singer/songwriter he has worked with songwriters and musicians including John Spillane, Christy Moore (on his No.1 selling album ‘Listen’) Jimmy McCarthy,  Seamus Begley and Jim Murray, Declan Sinnott among many others. He has toured the world with the traditional band North Cregg. An accomplished multi instrumentalist, he has produced many albums including Leah Sohotra, Cormac O Caoimh, and the recent single by John Spillane called Palestine Sunbird. 

Paula Bilá is a singer-songwriter from Chiclana, Spain, currently based in Amsterdam. She began her musical journey at the age of nine, studying viola at a conservatory.
It was during these formative years that she discovered her passion for songwriting and singing, which has since become the core of her career.

Her debut album, Love & Hate, was created during her five years living in southern Ireland. Produced by guitarist Bill Shanley, known for his work with Mary Black and Ray Davies, the album was released in both Spain and Ireland and was featured at the Canadian Music Week festival in 2014.

In 2017, Paula recorded her second album, Choices, in Madrid with producer Manu Sanz. The album was launched at the iconic Galileo Galilei venue and marked a significant milestone in her career.
In 2020, driven by a desire to reconnect with her roots, Paula moved back to Cádiz. During this period, she began a duo project with double bassist Joan Masana. They recorded new music through a series of live videos and toured extensively across Spain and Europe, participating in jazz festivals such as the Copenhagen Jazz Festival.

Now based in the Netherlands, Paula continues this project with Italian double bassist Mauro Cottone. They are working on a new album and have performed at notable Dutch venues, including De Rode Bioscoop with the AMARTE concert series, the Grachten Festival, and Pand P Podium in Eindhoven. They are also planning to record a trio album with renowned drummer Giacomo Camiletti.

In addition to her duo project, Paula is actively involved in other jazz initiatives. She is a member of The Leaning in Underground quartet, which is set to release an album in October 2024. Paula has also participated in the Fuensanta Music Project, performing at Teatro Barrio Alto in Lisbon and De Doelen in Rotterdam. Additionally, she has been involved in jazz projects in Spain, including the Andalucia Big Band and the Clasijazz Big Band Pro.”
Paula’s music seamlessly blends jazz and folk influences with her Spanish heritage, reflecting her ongoing evolution as an artist.

<<This event is free as part of Culture Night however due to limited capacity you must register for a ticket in order to attend>>

Mohammad Syfkhan

Mohammad Syfkhan is an Irish based Kurdish/Syrian singer and Bouzouki player. Mohammad’s own brand of ecstatic music takes elements from Middle Eastern and North African music to create an atmosphere of joy, love and happiness. Since arriving in Ireland, Mohammad has used the language of music to integrate into the local community by playing at private parties and concerts. He has been playing music since the 1980’s, while living in the city of Raqqa, Syria  where he began working as a professional singer and started his own band, The Al-Rabie Band which played concerts, parties, weddings and festivals all over Syria. His debut album ‘I Am Kurdish’ came out on Nyahh Records in February.

“Syfkhan takes his domestic influences and fuses them with music from beyond those regions, from North African folk rhythms to Turkish psychedelia. It’s a glorious alembic not bound by borders, where Mohammad himself brings a cultivated exuberance to his playing that belies his vintage.”
The Quietus

“His bouzouki playing, all coiling melodies, gliding shreds and emotional drive, is obviously a crucial component. So it fits that the first sounds to speak out from the grooves are the poised trills from Syfkhan’s buzuq, tempting you into the swirling uplift” – Backseat Mafia

”No one would be left sitting to this.” – Klof Mag

Folk Americana trio The Raines (Juliana Erkkonen, Yvonne Tiernan and Ruth Dillon) are delighted to make their first appearance at the Clonakilty International Guitar Festival as part of their 2025 Summer Tour. Following on from recently appearing as special guests to Hothouse Flowers, Mick Flannery, and the White Horse Guitar Club, the band will bring new music as well as songs from their album Reverie. As always, their lyrics, cleverly arranged songs, glorious harmonies, and lush strings will guarantee that you are in for a special evening.

“The Raines put me in mind of something from Bob Dylan’s Rolling Thunder Revue from 1975 — particularly with the parts with Scarlet Rivera on violin opposite Bob — meets an edgy Emmylou Harris…”
— Barry Egan (Independent.ie)

Irish trio Adore have signed to Big Scary Monsters and today release ‘Show Me Your Teeth’, a track fuelled by months of sleep deprivation, recurring nightmares, and the strange clarity that comes from staring fear in the face.

With just a handful of singles to their name, Adore have already drawn attention from key tastemakers across press (The Guardian, So Young Magazine, DIY Magazine, CLASH Magazine, Louder, The Line of Best Fit, Dork Magazine, Rough Trade, Nialler9) and radio (BBC 6 Music’s Steve Lamacq and John Kennedy at Radio X). ‘Show Me Your Teeth’ follows recent support runs with Chalk and Sprints, landing ahead of their first UK headline shows this month.

“Show Me Your Teeth was written during a period where I had nightmares every night for 5 months,” says guitarist and vocalist Lara Minchin. “These nightmares often lead to me waking up several times throughout the night, resulting in several nightmares with different, sometimes interwoven storylines. An ambivalence developed towards these nightmares which then translated into waking life.”

Working once again with producer and Gilla Band bassist Daniel Fox, ‘Show Me Your Teeth’ doesn’t flinch. Jagged, heavy, and unrelenting, it demands the truth, whether it comforts or cuts. Lara drew further inspiration from horror films, vampire folklore, and personal illness: “It’s about wanting to see the imperfections alongside the ideal, about wanting intentions to be revealed; good or bad and the excitement of anticipation of the unknown being revealed,” Lara says.

Adore pull from a lineage of bands that made messiness feel deliberate. Their sound is angular, twitchy, sometimes abrasive; “Musically, I’m never quite sure what has inspired a particular song because it’s all rather subconscious, but I do remember I was listening to the album Deluxe 85 by Sanity Band and Double Thriller by The Glands on repeat!”, Lara recalls.

Hailing from Dublin, Donegal and Galway respectively, the trio consisting of Lara Minchin (guitar, vocals), Lachlann Ó Fionnáin (bass, vocals) and Naoise Jordan Cavanagh (drums) share a kinetic, intuitive bond – “We are three feens with guitars and drums. We make music that feels right to us,” the band say.

Adore have already established themselves as hot prospects in Ireland. Releasing their debut single ‘Postcards’ in June 2023, the band have played live relentlessly since – supporting SPRINTS on tour across the UK in late 2024, along with further dates supporting CHALK, The Scratch, 86TVs, The Bug Club and Cardinals across Ireland. With the autumn 2024 release of singles ‘Can We Talk’ – an enraged blast of melodic garage-punk, and their explosive call to action ‘Supermum!’, the band reaped the rewards of their hard graft with a sold-out headline show at Dublin’s 450 capacity Whelan’s in December 2024.

With every release, Adore sharpen their edge and stretch their reach, building something that could define the next chapter of Irish punk.

Adore’s new single ‘Show Me Your Teeth’ is out now via Big Scary Monsters. Adore tour across the UK, Ireland and France over the coming months.

Thriving on creating bold, genre defiant music with the sole purpose of converting negativity and mental struggles into positive energy, Rex Arcum is a fully independent Rap Rock artist from Cork, Ireland. With the release of his debut album “Origins” in 2022 and a collaborative EP “COMPOUND” in 2023 Rex Arcum started to turn heads and bring together fans of rap/hip-hop and rock/metal throughout Ireland, the U.K. and beyond. Rex Arcum’s music fits perfectly in the libraries of fans of acts like Linkin Park, Grandson and Rage Against The Machine.

Christopher Luke is a West Cork-based creative specializing in dynamic storytelling through documentary filmmaking, music videos, and visually compelling poster art. With a keen eye for capturing authentic narratives, Christopher’s work seamlessly blends nostalgia with a touch of experimentation inspired by arthouse cinema. Having collaborated with renowned artists like Mick Flannery, Susan O’Neill, and Jenn Grant, Christopher’s portfolio showcases a diverse range of captivating projects. His work has been featured on TG4 and esteemed publications, such as Clash Music, Hotpress, and RTE Culture have praised Christopher’s ability to evoke emotion and engage audiences through his thought-provoking visuals.Whether you’re seeking a documentary that captures the essence of your brand or a music video that transports viewers into a mesmerising visual world, Christopher’s expertise and dedication ensure an unparalleled artistic experience. With a commitment to delivering captivating storytelling, he combines technical finesse with a unique artistic vision, leaving a lasting impact on clients and audiences alike. Discover the power of storytelling through the lens of Christopher Luke. Explore his portfolio and let his creative vision bring your project to life.

The students of St Josephs national school are taking to the streets of Guitartown this year to bring the people what they want. Led by their intrepid principal Conor Mulcahy, and teachers Julie Harrington and Andrew Whelton, they will gather in the open spaces of Clonakilty to serenade the citizens of Guitartown. From 12noon on Friday the 20th until the school bell rings, go to Astna Square, Emmett Square, outside O’Donovans, Spillers Lane, or just follow your ears

Birthday Pals!

Our friends over at the Olive Branch are also celebrating 20 years in business. In addition, they happen to be hugely enthusiastic supporters of music in west Cork and the guitarfest would not have made it this far without their generosity and encouragement. To celebrate, we’ll be sending festival artists over to the Olive Branch at regular intervals to do mini pop-up performances throughout Saturday 21st. at 12noon, 2pm and 4pm

Bring an instrument or a song to Fiddlers Green and join us for an open acoustic session to remember one of Clonakilty’s great characters Will Tetley, who died in September. Better known as Just Will, he travelled the world busking and eventually settled in Clon, appearing regularly at gigs and sessions. His original songs related his globe-trotting adventures and reflected his mischievous, rebellious sense of humour.  He also turned his hand to watercolour painting, and was often seen cycling through town on his way to watch Liverpool in Mick Finns. And he played the best version of ‘Georgia On My Mind’ that any of us have ever heard.

We invite you to join us to to remember him through a communal singsong.

Supported by Party Piece, a project funded by Cork County Council, Creative Ireland, and the Department of Culture, Heritage & Gaeltacht