A unique celebration of Cork’s post-punk legacy will take place on Friday, September 19th 2025, as part of Culture Night Late. Cork City was a cultural hotbed of Irish absurdist punk music back in the late 70’s and early 80’s. Bands like Nun Attax (5 Go Down to the Sea), Microdisney and Stump honed their – wonderfully bizarre – craft in the Arcadia on the Lower Road, when Elvera Butler hosted gigs in the Downtown Kampus.
Celebrating these hugely influential artists of Cork’s punk/post-punk period, Kaught at the Karpark is more than simply a lookback to the glory days. It will also showcase current music by band members who are working musicians today, and of course celebrate those like Mick Lynch, Finbarr Donnelly and Cathal Coughlan, gone but not forgotten, who left an indelible mark on their hometown.
The event has been curated by Seanie Buttons, who have been producing a documentary about the Cork post-punk scene for several years entitled Leeside Creatures. “What started out as a labour of love, paying tribute to a group of musicians that have inspired and excited us, has turned into a large-scale feature documentary.
“This gig will be the final scene. A big climactic reunion gig celebrating and paying tribute to one of the most important chapters in Cork’s music culture. For us, this performance is the culmination of a story we’re trying to tell,” says Abbey Blake of Seanie Buttons.
“Culturally, Cork sometimes feels like a parallel universe and these are some of the most significant figures in it. As much as it’s an opportunity to remember people like Cathal, Mick and Finbarr, it’s also a chance to celebrate these guys who are still here, still expressing themselves through the unique idioms, characters and often surreal perspective of this city,” says Leagues O’Toole of Foggy Notions.
The evening will feature performances from some of the scene’s most influential figures:
…and NUN came back – Formed to commemorate Finbarr Donnelly, this occasional band brings the music of Finbarr to life, including songs from Nun Attax, Five Go Down to the Sea?, and Beethoven. The lineup includes Tom Healy (vocals), Ricky Dineen (guitar), Liam Heffernan (guitar, vocals), Humphrey Murphy (bass), and Ian Walsh (drums).
Sean O’Hagan, co-founder of Microdisney and founder of The High Llamas, has spent 40 years in music as a performer, writer, and collaborator. He has worked with artists including Gilberto Gil, Paul Weller, King Krule, and The Coral, as well as scoring six feature films. The High Llamas latest release, Hey Panda, is an extraordinary display of modern pop music-making doubling as a deep listening experience.
Big Boy Foolish – Post-punk duo Ricky Dineen and Liam Heffernan formed organically from an old friendship and a hunger to play music. Emerging from past projects including Nun Attax, Five Go Down to the Sea?, and Nun Came Back, their debut album Stall the Ball (2024) showcases new music with the same boundary-pushing spirit that made Cork post-punk legendary.
Kaught at the Karpark celebrates not only the music but also the cultural impact these artists have had on Cork, helping shape the city’s vibrant creative identity. With a view of the Shandon Bells and the city spread out below, this one-night-only rooftop concert promises a truly iconic Cork moment.
The remainder of tickets for this free event will go on sale this Friday (5th September) at 12pm, and will be available via https://culturenight.ie/event/north-main-st-sc-car-park-kaught-at-the-karpark/. Early booking is advised!