Don O’Mahony is a freelance arts journalist based in Cork.
Don O'Mahony
In September, a three-day festival of musical improvisation and sound art, In Your Own Time and Place, took place in Cork city and featured Quiet Music Ensemble and a six-hour 'Sonic Vigil' with a range of artists. Don O’Mahony reviews.
The fourth edition of the Sounds from a Safe Harbour festival took place in Cork on 7–10 September and featured Ólafur Arnalds, The Vernon Spring, Richard Reed Parry, Ye Vagabonds, Niamh Regan and more. Don O'Mahony reviews.
TG4's new series 'Éire Eile', presented by Cóilí Collins (DJ Shampain) explores subcultures and alternative scenes in Ireland, including interviews with Strange Boy, Problem Patterns and the Mary Wallopers. Don O'Mahony reviews.
The Department of Energy, the record label founded by Dan Callanan, has recently released 'May Day (Landscape Mixtape)' featuring 63 tracks from over 40 artists, exploring the theme of local resistance to corporate and state violence. Don O'Mahony reviews.
Cork house music duo Fish Go Deep have recently released a new album, 'This Bit of Earth'. Don O'Mahony reviews.
Filmmaker and musician Myles O'Reilly has been releasing music under the title of [Indistinct Chatter] since shortly after the pandemic began. His third record of ambient electronica, 'My Mother's Star' was released last month. Don O'Mahony reviews.
Composer and producer Neil O'Connor (formerly Somadrone) has recently released 'Ampere', a second album under the title Ordnance Survey, featuring collaborations with Dónal Lunny, Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh, Cormac Mac Diarmada and David Murphy. Don O'Mahony reviews.
Jazz musician Aengus Hackett has just released his debut EP of electronic music under the alias Penji. Don O'Mahony reviews.
Mark Waldron-Hyden, electronic artist and founder of Sunshine Cults Records, has just released his latest album 'Future Life Continuity', a collection of work featuring synths, loops and more. Don O'Mahony reviews.
The second Quiet Lights festival took place in Cork at the weekend. Don O’Mahony attends a selection of concerts including Caimin Gilmore, Lōwli, Lemoncello and Rosa Nutty on Saturday, and Junior Brother and Rozi Plain on Sunday.
The third outing of the biennial festival Sounds from a Safe Harbour took place in Cork earlier this month, featuring Feist, Slow Moving Clouds, Lisa Hannigan, Crash Ensemble, Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh and Thomas Bartlett, Sam Amidon, and more. Don O'Mahony reviews.
Cork Midsummer Festival on 19–22 June featured an ambitious new work by composer Karen Power featuring vocalists Ute Wassermann and Michelle O’Rourke, the Quiet Music Ensemble and a specially formed sound choir. Don O'Mahony reviews.
The New Irish Jazz Orchestra directed by Paul Dunlea recently collaborated with fiddle-player Martin Hayes for a concert at the Curtis Auditorium in Cork (16 June). Don O'Mahony reviews.
The second Cork Sound Fair took place last week. Spread over four days (28–31 March), the festival displays the fascinating diversity of Irish electronic music. Don O'Mahony reviews a selection of performances from Saturday night and Sunday.
The first Quiet Lights festival of folk showcased a broad range of musical expression. Don O'Mahony reviews a double-bill of Dowry and Claudia Schwab.
Exploring scientific theory, natural phenomena and human behaviour, 'In Clouds' is a new collaborative performance directed by composer Peter Power. Commissioned by Cork Midsummer Festival and Triskel Arts Centre to mark 40 years of the venue, the work was performed on 15 June. Don O'Mahony reviews.