St John’s Church Monkstown and FreezerRoom are delighted to announce the launch of a new venue in Cork hosting contemporary music and arts events.
Live at St John’s is a new collaboration with St John’s Church, Monkstown, Cork, and local residents Graham White (FreezerRoom) and Pat Kiernan (Ex Corcadora) who collectively have a shared ambition to programme special music and arts events in this beautiful and historic location.
St John’s, Monkstown is a small Gothic Revival church, completed in 1832 and dedicated to John the Evangelist. It is part of the Church of Ireland’s Carrigaline Union of Parishes in the Diocese of Cork, Cloyne, and Ross. The church was built on a site originally donated by Gerard and Daniel Callaghan, at a cost of IR£950. It was designed by William Hill and built in the Early English Gothic style of architecture. The Church is still in regular use, with a vibrant community attending services every Sunday at 9:30am. The Monkstown Chamber Choir, a robed choir, sing Choral Evensong at 7pm on the Second Sunday of each month (excluding Summer months).
The first live event programmed by FreezerRoom at the venue sees renowned singer songwriters Jack O’Rourke and All the Queen’s Horses perform a double header act on Saturday February 18th 2023. This event sold out in hours, showing the demand for live events in the area.
Jack O’Rourke is recognised as one of Ireland’s greatest contemporary singer/songwriters. A captivating live performer, Jack will bring his music to St John’s, doing what he loves best – sitting at a piano and sharing his moving and sublime songs with his audience.
“Melodies are in abundance, with O’Rourke effortlessly spinning out tune after tune with no fear of them running out. The man is also a gifted lyricist. O’Rourke is able to succinctly express and/or mix fact and fiction.” Tony Clayton Lea, The Irish Times
All the Queen’s Horses is an award winning alternative, indie-folk songwriter project by Sean Murphy based around piano, cello and synth.
‘’Stunning, resonant storytelling, a serious new Irish talent at work’’ ~ Brian Kilmartin Managing Editor Irish Times Features
Both are previous winners of the prestigious ISC (International Songwriting Competition). Jack O’Rourke 2016 and All The Queens Horse in 2021 and 2022. Judges of this include Hozier, Tom Waits and Coldplay.
Monkstown village is on Cork harbour 14km south east of Cork City on the estuary of the River Lee. We encourage people coming to a St John’s gig to enjoy what Monkstown has to offer with bars, restaurants and cafés all within a short walking distance of the venue.
Monkstown is served by Bus Eireann routes 216 and 223 from Cork City and suburbs.
