DeBarras is a third generation family run Irish pub and independent music venue in the beautiful seaside town of Clonakilty that has for the last 40+ years earned a musical pedigree and reputation that has travelled far beyond the confines of its West Cork home.
Long standing associations with Noel Redding (The Jimi Hendrix Experience) Paddy Keenan (The Bothy Band), Sharon Shannon, and folk artists Christy Moore and Roy Harper, have served as the cornerstones of this little venue’s worldwide renown as one of the finest music houses in Ireland.
Musicians from all genres, generations, and nationalities, have fed into the Folk Club’s magical history, with every performance seaming to weave itself into the brickwork of its worn, familiar walls.
This month, the venue welcomes a huge line-up of artists from near and far:
For almost 20 years, John Spillane has performed the first Thursday of the month at DeBarras. His DeBarra’s shows are always special occasions where audiences are treated to the magic dynamism of John’s band (Flor Rahilly, Nigel Gruffery & Martin Leahys) special mystery guests, and the odd world premiere of new songs, all wrapped with roguish humour tinged with Cork irreverence. John continues his residency this Thursday 4th August.
From Clonakilty, comes a guitar and mandolin wielding folk/country artist with the maturity to know that there is strength in vulnerability and power in gentleness. Paula K O’Brien writes songs that connect people, through their worst and best times, through life and through grief. See her intimate performance Thursday 11th August.
A Burial At Sea return to DeBarras stage Sunday 14th August. The usual rock n’ roll setup of guitar, bass, drums is bolstered by a mini two-man horn section, which has resulted in the band to be labeled as “trumpet-core” and “post-rock mariachi”.
Songwriting legends Nick Kelly and Sean Millar bring their exciting new collaboration DOGS to Clonakilty on Thursday 18th August. This show will be their first live appearance in Ireland since successfully completing their much-publicised Song Cycle to Glastonbury.
Renowned singer songwriter Luka Bloom returns to DeBarras for his first show back in the Folk Club since 2019 on Thursday 25th August, to perform songs from his latest album ‘Refuge’.
Tom Earwaker ignited as The Uplifter in 2004 and has since toured around the globe from New Zealand to New York City, throughout Europe and beyond. Friday 12th August, expect explosive live percussion powered by bass-driven live shows that are simultaneously joyful, carefully chaotic, fiercely delivered, ferociously spirited and brimming with a heartfelt playfulness channelled through a life-long obsession with dinosaurs.
Dogtail Soup’s DeBarras Summer Residency comes to a close with their penultimate show Sunday 28th August. ‘Dogtail Soup’ is an eclectic and flavourful musical stew made by carefully simmering Camilla Griehsel (Swedish World Music diva) with Maurice Seezer (Twice Golden Globe nominated Film Music composer), adding a pinch of Paul Tiernan (International troubadour, pillar of West Cork’s favourite band, Interference), a sprinkling of Anthony Noonan (drummer for Roy Harper with extra dulcet tones), a cupful of John Fitzgerald (bass and all known instruments… last seen touring with Gilbert O’Sullivan) and an occasional splash of James O’Leary (founding member of Interference on electric guitar).
The August Programme also includes performances from HARP, TimeCops, Eoin O’Neill, The Black Apple Bastards, Strange Angel, Runaway Retros, Gerron and Limit 60. For tickets and full listings, visit https://debarra.ie/
Ray Blackwell, manager of the beloved venue says: “It’s great to have DeBarras vibrating with music and people again, and to see strangers and familiar faces all communing joyfully under the common banners of music, culture and shared experiences.
To complement this, our musical programme this summer -as ever- reflects a multitude of genres, from world famous folk artists to trumpet-core noiseniks.
And while we are delighted to once again welcome artists from overseas back to our humble stage such as Burial at Sea & The Uplifter we are even more committed now than ever to showcasing our tremendous local talent that forms the bedrock of not just our reputation, but also the future of our success as an independent music venue and focal point of our community.
We are overjoyed to present the likes of Paula Kingston, H.A.R.P. and numerous other local acts on the Folk Club stage. Support grassroots live music wherever you are! You’re independent live music venue needs YOU!!!”
AUGUST LISTINGS:
Thurs 4th – John Spillane
Fri 5th – H.A.R.P.
Sat 6th – TimeCops
Sun 7th – Eoin O Neill
Thurs 11th – Paula K O’Brien
Fri 12th – The Uplifter
Sat 13th – The Black Apple Bastards
Sun 14th – Burial at Sea
Thurs 18th – DOGS FEAT: NICK KELLY and SEAN “DOCTOR” MILLAR
Fri 19th – Strange Angels (FEAT jeff ward/Jerome Rimson/Les Sampson)
Sat 20th – Runaway Retros
Sun 21st – Gerron
Thurs 25th – Luka Bloom
Fri 26th – Limit 60 – EP Launch
Sat 27th – The Black Apple Bastards
Sun 28th – Dog Tail Soup
September
1st – John Spillane
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DeBarraFolkClub
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/debarras_clonakilty/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DeBarrasClon/
