John Spillane is a musician, songwriter, performer, recording artist, storyteller, poet and dreamer. Rooted in people, place and story, his music transports the listener and his live performances captivate audiences around the world.
As an artist his music appeals to listeners across many genres and generations. His vocal style has a unique almost sean-nós like quality and his performances shimmer with the magic realism that permeates many of his songs as he effortlessly flits between beautiful poetry tinged with melancholy to roguish, irreverent humour. John has the ability to charm, mesmerise and entertain in equal measure.
A native of Cork, the County he lovingly describes as “the centre of the universe” and a source of huge creative influence throughout his career. John’s music is inspired by and encapsulates Irish traditional music in its contemporary form – a reflection of Ireland today.
A two-time Meteor Award winner for Best Folk/Trad act John is one of the most accomplished songwriters in Ireland. With an extensive back catalogue beginning with the 1997 album The Wells of the World, his songs have been covered by Christy Moore, Sharon Shannon, Sean Keaneand many others. Twelve albums later in April 2021, John released his first independent album in 20 years, 100 Snow White Horses.
John Spillane shared his most artistically ambitious work to date: Fíoruisce – The Legend of the Lough, on Friday 13th September 2024. The concept album, released on double CD and digital, features John alongside a stellar cast of collaborators: Ríoghnach Connolly, Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin, Niamh Farrell, Nell Ní Chróinín, and more and has gone on to be named as ‘Album of The Year’ at the RTE Folk Awards.
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.
Ruth Dillon (Vocals/guitar) has toured and recorded with the legendary vocalist Dolores Keane, is a former member of The Molly Hicks, and has three solo albums of her own. Yvonne Tiernan (vocals/ukelele) has toured the world with numerous bands, most significantly as the lead singer with The Chieftains, and Juliana Erkkonen (fiddle /vocals) has been at the forefront of the Americana music scene in Ireland for 20 years, known for her distinctive fiddle style, which blends her Finnish classical roots with rich folk traditions. She has released eight albums with her previous folk bands.
The Raines have used their collective experience and influences to create a unique and pure sound, writing strong and melodic songs, in which they weave in and out of vocal harmony and counter-melody, interlaced with tender and rhythmic strings.
“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.
“Raging garage-y alt-rock…familiar, yet surprising” The Guardian
“A dose of garage punk bedlam from the Irish risers…barbed piece of garage punk that plays by its own rules” CLASH Magazine
“Sweetly scathing…a cutting marriage of sound and meaning. As lively as it is chilling…the track’s raucous exterior infuses mxelody with hot, glowing rage” So Young Magazine
“Excellently spiky” Louder
“A slice of infectious, riotous garage-punk” DIY Magazine
“A scuzzy grungey ramshackled bundle of raucous energy” God Is In The TV
“A cool blast of melodic garage punk pop” Nialler9
The David Christy Jones Trio of Four consists of David Christy Jones on guitar and vocals; John Noonan on guitar and vocals, Eoin Donoghue on bass and Brian O’Higgins on drums. Known for playing a varied and eclectic mix of blues, American folk and roots, this is not a show to be missed. With blistering acoustic guitar playing, fiery rhythms and moving and emotional classic folk tunes there’s sure to be a little bit of something for everyone.
David Christy Jones from West Cork, has been making and performing music for the past fifteen years. Since 2009, David has been an active and respected session drummer, bassist, guitarist, and vocalist and has played with countless acts across all genres. From jazz, blues, and folk to heavy metal, rap, and country. He has performed in many bands over numerous genres and toured in Europe, The UK, and the USA.
John Noonan, the sharply dressed blues and folk maestro of the group, has decades of live performance and experience under his belt; playing with many different groups to great acclaim.
Hailing from Galway, Eoin Donoghue is an accomplished and versatile bassist; from funk-rock electric bass to delicate and soulful upright bass, his style is groovy and tasteful.
Brian O’Higgins, local legend! Those of you from Clonakilty have likely seen this drumming guru performing on more than one occasion. Bringing an element of playfulness to the group, Brian brings together and completes the trio of four.
Sat 20th – 4pm O’Donovan’s Front Bar – Hosted by Kevin McNally
Sun 21st – 3pm Fiddlers Green – hosted by Liz Clarke of The Kates
Do you have a party piece? that one song or tune that you can pull out at a gathering that will get everyone singing along, tapping their feet, or lost in a reverie? Party Piece is a relaxed participatory music session for everyone, regardless of musical experience in which we help you to play the music that’s close to your heart. It is about the simple joy of sharing songs and sounds with each other and the aim is to play a shared repertoire of tunes and songs that are easy to join in with and that have a wide appeal. Our anchor musician will facilitate the learning (or remembering) of these tunes, and participants are encouraged to sing or bring any instrument they might have to contribute, just turn up and join in!
Party Piece is supported By Creative Ireland, Department of Culture, Heritage and Gaeltacht and Cork County Council, and Music Alive
Play us a song, would ya!
Delighted to announce the second ever open mic at the guitar fest! Gallery Asna Open Mic was started back in January last year as a space for everyone, young and old, to play music behind a mic. We all know the feeling of stage fright and the open mic is a place to help that.
It will take place from 5:30 to 8pm at Gallery Asna on Asna Square on Sunday.
What to expect on Sunday
Sign up at 5:30 –
There will be an empty numbered sheet on the table in the landing of the gallery where you can put your name on. It doesn’t need to be in order. So if you don’t want to be first to play on the night, you can put your name a bit further down the list. So get down on time to get the best spot on the list
Only one song per person but if there’s time towards the end of the night the running order will be ran again to give the crowd seconds
The only sign ups are done on the door, so no requesting a spot over instagram.
What to Perform –
The open mic is a place for all styles of music. Be it rap, soul, pop, jazz or classical, it’ll be loved! The open mic is a safe space for all musicians. It can be their 1st or 100th time on stage and any age is welcome behind the mic.
Who can come –
Anyone! It starts early to let the young ones get in on the fun of live music.
All ages are more than welcome to join and also if they’re brave enough they can get on stage too. Thady, the organiser, remembers his first time on stage was when he was just 12 in Scannells on a Sunday session and he was hooked! 😁
Equipment –
There’s a right handed semi acoustic guitar and 2 microphones which you are more than welcome to play. There are a few extra inputs on the mixer so you can bring along any other instruments with you. There’s also a 3.5mm aux input for those of you who prefer to sing to a backing track, just have your phone ready to plug in.
Social Media –
The open mic will be sharing pictures and videos of the performers as the night goes on for our Instagram (@clonakiltyopenmic) and Facebook page. So, if you have a page you’d like us to tag, let them know and they will be more than happy to do so and of course if you don’t want to be recorded that’s totally cool too!
So excited to see ye all there and to get the show on the road!
See ye there! 🤘