Tom Dunne: Charmed by quirky, original and utterly Corkonian music

There was something in the water in Cork in the 80s for musicians, says Tom Dunne.

In the mid-eighties, Sir Henry's was already legendary. Picture: Luke O'Brien

Fri, 16 Jul, 2021 - 11:00

Tom Dunne is a music-lover extraordinaire who, as well as presenting radio and TV shows, can also be seen in the wild as the lead singer with Something Happens.

In Cork, when it comes to music, there is something in the water. It is true now and it was true in the nascent days of punk. As Dublin struggled to have any kind of scene at all Cork had venues, a scene, an actual record – Kaught at the Kampus - and such bands.

Kaught at the Kampus was the hardest thing to take. A vinyl release, it had zeitgeist bands, was put together by someone who from Dublin looked like a mover/shaker all day long, the brilliant Elvera Butler, and rippled with attitude. It suggested the Arcadia in Cork was the place to be. That U2 had found their feet there before Dublin didn’t help our discomfort.