Amble review: A movement begins as trio charm a packed Marquee in Cork
Amble — Robbie Cunningham, Oisín McCaffrey, and Ross McNerney — on stage at Live at the Marquee. Picture: Chani Anderson
Amble took to the stage at Live at the Marquee on Thursday evening to play what was their biggest Irish show to date.
After what was a damp and dreary day in Cork, the sun broke through the clouds as crowds made their way down Centre Park Road to the tented venue to see the trio from the west of Ireland.
Fresh from a string of summer gigs at King John’s Castle in Limerick, the Trinity Summer Series in Dublin, and the Big Top in Galway, Leitrim’s Robbie Cunningham, Sligo’s Oisín McCaffrey, and Longford’s Ross McNerney arrived in Cork on Thursday where they made a pit stop to buy some Cork merch ahead of the All-Ireland Hurling Final weekend.
Addressing the crowd, Robbie Cunningham, said: “How are you doing, Cork. We are Amble. It’s great to be here. This is our 60th show.
“And this is our biggest Irish show… the real capital.“
Cunningham also gave a shout-out to his parents who were in the crowd.
He quipped that his parents were used to coming to the Marquee to see superstars and that they never thought they’d be seeing their son on stage at the venue. He said:
The trio filled the venue with their warm and organic presence, showcasing their signature sound throughout the whole set: No-frills instrumentation, serene soundscapes, and natural harmonies — the kind that makes the hairs stand up on your arms.
Their hits and , made popular on social media as the backing track to people’s videos depicting the beauty of Ireland, went down a treat with the crowd.
With an undercurrent of parting and loss, their nostalgic hit had us all reflecting back on childhood, to understand the present.
The crowd were very much involved from the get-go, with everyone singing along to , , and .
McNerney told the crowd that the last few months had been very special for the band, but that the Cork show had sold out in about a day and that the shock of that didn't hit until standing on stage looking out onto the crowd.
The band thanked the fans and said they will “never take it for granted”.
Warming up the crowd on Thursday was Ryan McMullan with his effortless vocals.
Renowned for his captivating performances and poignant songwriting, the Portaferry native has previously supported music icons such as Ed Sheeran, Dermot Kennedy, Snow Patrol, and Kodaline.
Amble was formed in 2022, originally by Cunningham and McCaffrey as a duo, with an aim to play cover songs at pubs across Dublin.
McNerney was later added to the band, and the band went on to become a serious endeavour.
McCaffrey, a data scientist and programmer, Cunningham, a primary school teacher, and McNerney, a secondary school teacher, quit their jobs in 2024 after signing a record deal with Warner Records.
Originally armed only with acoustic guitars, a bouzouki, and their voices, the trio attracted more than 100 million streams and went on to sell out three nights at the 3Olympia, a 3Arena show, and a string of gigs everywhere from Melbourne to Denver, before ever releasing an album.
In May 2025, they released their long-anticipated debut album and embarked on a North American stadium tour supporting Hozier.
The tour will take them to the US, Canada, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand later this year, including a sold-out show at Dublin's 3Arena on December 4.
Amble’s success and fan base in Ireland and abroad is a nod to the revival of Irish folk music.
The band seems to be part of what can only be described as a movement, reflected at sold-out Live at the Marquee gigs by them and Kingfishr this week — and a capacity sold-out Marquee for the Mary Wallopers on Friday night too.
