Cork Wins Big IMRO Award

5th Feb 2014

Although it’s only barely a year old as a live music venue, Coughlan’s on Douglas Street has won the IMRO Live Music Venue of the Year Award having quickly established itself as one of the city’s main music hubs.

At an award ceremony at IMRO’s headquarters in Dublin last night management from the venue picked up the highly significant award as some of the Irish music industry’s leading lights looked on (with seething jealously we presume).
 

Tá athas orainn an corn seo a ghlacadh: Edel Coffey and Brian Hassett collect Sam Maguire award for Coughlans

"I'm stunned," Edel Coffey, one of the venue owners, said. "I was here last year, just after we opened and that inspired me to put the work in, to make Coughlan's a really special venue. I am so pleased for everyone involved in the venue that the work and the dedication of the team has been rewarded in this way."

As well as lots of local acts, the likes of Lisa Hannigan, Declan O'Rourke, Mick Flannery, Wallis Bird, Mundy, Cathy Davey, Steve Cooney and Liam O Maonlai are among those who have played Coughlan’s over the past 12 months.

This, of course, is another plus for the local music scene and for Cork in general, especially for attracting visitors, showing that the city has recovered from a mid to late nineties decline in live music venues and a dip in the number of band start-ups.

During that love-in with turntables in early naughties Cork bands and live music fans had little more than the Half Moon Theatre and a few on/off venues to rely on so the turn around in musical fortunes, now officially recognised by bodies like IMRO, should be well celebrated.

The People’s Republic of Cork would like to see IMRO now acknowledge the back breaking work being done, not just by Coughan’s, but by a plethora of quality live music venues in the city by bringing the award ceremony to Leeside next year.


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