Greetings from Safe Harbour
Halloween is on the way, and Cork has a full run of gigs, a play and a few scares to get there.
Rhys Darby brings his stand-up show about middle age to Cyprus Avenue, and Dizzee Rascal's We Want Bass tour stops at Cork City Hall. Gavin James plays Cork Opera House with songs from his fifth album, Goldrush.
On Halloween night, The Frank and Walters mark 30 years of Grand Parade at the Opera House. Over at the Everyman, Enda Walsh's Disco Pigs, the Cork play that helped launch Cillian Murphy's career, opens its run, and Triskel is screening Scream for its 30th anniversary.
This is our pick of what's on this week. As always for a full event list check out the link at the bottom of the email.
Let's dive in 👇
EVENT HIGHLIGHTS
Rhys Darby: Unhinged
Tuesday 27 October · Cyprus Avenue
A stand-up show about middle age, with material on artificial intelligence and plenty of physical comedy. You might know Rhys Darby as Murray in Flight of the Conchords or as Stede Bonnet in Our Flag Means Death.
The Frank and Walters
Saturday 31 October · 20:00 · Cork Opera House
Cork's The Frank and Walters mark 30 years of Grand Parade with a hometown show, and the songs include "Colours", "Indian Ocean", "How Can I Exist?" and "Tony Cochrane". The album is also getting its first vinyl release.
Disco Pigs by Enda Walsh
Saturday 31 October to Friday 6 November, Wednesday 11 to Thursday 12 and Saturday 14 November · Everyman Cork
Pig and Runt are two Cork teenagers who share a birthday and a secret language, and adulthood is closing in on their private world. The play premiered in Cork in 1996 and launched the careers of Enda Walsh, Cillian Murphy and Eileen Walsh, and this is the first production directed by Walsh himself.
Evening shows start at 20:00, with a 14:30 matinee on Saturday 14 November. Stay on after Thursday 12 November's show for a discussion hosted by Regina Crowley.
Dizzee Rascal (We Want Bass Tour)
Wednesday 28 October · Cork City Hall
British grime artist Dizzee Rascal is in Cork on his We Want Bass tour.
Gorilla Gorilla
Wednesday 28 October · Wavelength, Cyprus Avenue
Cork five-piece Gorilla Gorilla mix alternative rock, post-punk and grunge, and Hot Press praised their "live wire performance". Rafters and Evil Scientist join them for a night of original Cork music, and costumes are encouraged for Halloween.
Boa Morte
Thursday 29 October · 19:30 · Coughlan's
Boa Morte's fifth album, Signal:Lost, is the first half of a two-album project, with the second due in early 2027. The Cork band's sound is alternative folk and quiet, ambient textures.
Rónán Ó Snodaigh and Myles O'Reilly
Thursday 29 October · 20:30 · De Barra's Folk Club, Clonakilty
Rhythm, the Irish language and immersive sound meet in this pairing. Rónán Ó Snodaigh, a founding member of Kíla, uses his voice for chant, song and incantation, and composer and filmmaker Myles O'Reilly adds spacious, atmospheric soundscapes. It's set up as a close, attentive evening rather than a typical concert.
Stuart Wilde
Thursday 29 October · 21:00 · Sin É
West Cork singer-songwriter Stuart Wilde writes dark, heartfelt, poetic songs that run from thunderous to tender, about lost love, shadow worlds, dirty dishes and crows.
Gavin James
Friday 30 October · 20:00 · Cork Opera House
Gavin James plays with his full band, with songs from his fifth studio album, Goldrush. He started out busking and playing pubs in Dublin, and Ed Sheeran has championed his music.
Ralph McTell: Somewhere Down the Road
Sunday 1 November · 20:00 · Everyman Cork
This is Ralph McTell's final national tour of Ireland, celebrating more than five decades of songwriting, including "Streets of London". A new album, The Timedrift of the Road, reinterprets his songs with Irish connections, performed by Irish artists.
Pirosmani Quartet
Tuesday 3 November · 20:00 · St Fachtna's Cathedral, Rosscarbery
A string quartet evening in Rosscarbery, from the St. Barrahane's Church Festival of Music, with Mairead Hickey and William Hagen on violin.
Cork Zine Fest
Thursday 29 October to Sunday 29 November · Triskel Arts Centre
Zine Makers Month brings workshops, a conversation series with invited speakers and open zine-making sessions to Triskel. The results go on show in the Sample Project Space, with a zine library of the work made, and the exhibition opens on Saturday 21 November.
Scream [30th Anniversary]
Friday 30 October · 20:00 · Triskel Cinema, Triskel Arts Centre
Wes Craven's 1996 slasher gets an anniversary screening as part of Triskel at Halloween. A masked killer obsessed with scary movies stalks a small town, and high school student Sidney Prescott thinks the murders are linked to her mother's killing a year earlier.
Cork & Kerry Food Festival
Saturday 31 October to Sunday 1 November · 10:00 to 18:00 · Cork City Hall
Local and national food, drink and crafts fill City Hall, with tastings, family-friendly activities and chefs, food writers and educators to meet. Cork and Kerry are the focus.
Halloween Print Workshop
Friday 30 October · 12:00 to 14:00 · St James' Church of Ireland Hall, Mallow
Elizabeth Bixler leads a hands-on Halloween workshop for Mallow Arts Collective, where children turn brown paper bags into monster, ghost or witch masks. No art experience needed.
For a full overview of all events on this week in Cork check out our event listings page
UNTIL NEXT WEEK
Thanks for reading Safe Harbour!
If you enjoy the newsletter or you find it useful here are some ways you can help us:
💌 Forward it to a friend, neighbour, or your local WhatsApp group
📝 If you were sent this and want in on the action, sign up here.
See you next week 👋
P.S. Not feeling it anymore? No hard feelings. You can unsubscribe from the email footer below