Councillors seek to convert disused Cork pub to artistic hub for Kabin Crew

Sinn Féin councillor Michelle Gould and her Cork City North West party colleague Kenneth Collins believe it would make the perfect home for the young music stars behind the hit song, 'The Spark'

The Kabin Crew perform 'The Spark' at Pukkelpop music festival in Belgium. Picture: Pukkelpop/ Philippe_DN

A campaign has been launched to convert a derelict Cork pub into a new home for those behind the Grammy-nominated viral music hit, 'The Spark'.

The song, which was recorded by a group of young rappers from the Kabin Crew in Cork and the Lisdoonvarna-based Crew in Clare, has been viewed millions of times on YouTube.

Last week, the song was longlisted for a prestigious Grammy award.

The Kabin Crew is currently based in a repurposed cargo container in Knocknaheeny. However, now a group of local politicians want the group to be given a more permanent home—  in the form of the Hollyhill Inn.

The pub closed in 2017 and has been derelict since.

Sinn Féin councillor Michelle Gould and her Cork City North West party colleague Kenneth Collins believe it would make the perfect home for the young music stars.

Sinn Féin councillors Kenneth Collins and Michelle Gould, with TD Thomas Gould, outside the old Hollyhill Inn building. Ms Gould has submitted a motion to Cork City Council requesting the compulsory purchase of the disused building so it can be used as the new music and artistic hub for the Kabin Studio.

Ms Gould said she has submitted a motion to Cork City Council looking for the local authority to compulsory purchase the pub.

“I propose that this site should be the new permanent home for The Kabin Studio Cork," she said in a Facebook post.

“Both myself and [councillor] Kenneth Collins will be looking for the support of our fellow councillors and the city council.

Their current location is not fit for purpose, and turning the Hollyhill Inn to a music and artistic hub would be  fitting for the young people of the Northside

“Let’s dream big and let the ‘Spark’ continue."

The group of young rappers released their viral song, ‘The Spark’, earlier this year. It received support from some of the biggest musicians and rappers in the world — such as Stormzy and Becky Hill.

Along with performing with Becky Hill during her Musgrave Park performance in July, the talented teens entertained the masses at Electric Picnic in Laois, All Together Now in Waterford, and Belgian music festival Pukkelpop.

'The Spark' was created by Rhyme Island, an initiative that gives young people the space to discover their potential to rap via a range of workshops and classes based in Knocknaheeny, and in collaboration with Creative Ireland.

The music video was directed by Kabin videographer Seán Downey, aka SwanIGuess, and filmed at The Kabin, on location in Knocknaheeny, and at The Pavilion in Cork.