Inside the Savoy Cork revival: Historic music venue reopens in city centre

After years of closure, the historic Savoy returns as a reimagined live music venue in the heart of Cork City

Ed O’Leary, Caoilian Sherlock and Joe Kelly at the foot of the iconic lion steps in the Savoy in Cork City, where the trio have helped transform the historic former cinema foyer into a new bar and live music venue as part of the building’s reopening. Picture: Chani Anderson

The occasion marked the end of a months-long battle to save one of Cork’s most famous nightlife venues from the brink of dereliction.

Fortunately, the intense preparation for the Savoy’s grand reopening on Valentine's night seems to be paying off. Just a week into the venue’s comeback, and gigs are already being booked for Christmas. 

For local promoters the Good Room, who are working in conjunction with building owners Clarendon Properties to relaunch the venue on Cork City's St Patrick Street, the experience, while exhausting, has been hugely rewarding. 

With the rest of the building now developed for retail and residential use, Good Room principals Joe Kelly, Caoilian Sherlock, and Ed O’Leary are excited about what the future holds for the Savoy. 

BoolaBoom at the opening night of the Savoy in Cork.

The space has been reimagined in various ways. Spread across two rooms — a main section and a smaller upstairs lounge area — the revamped venue has a capacity for nearly 600 people. 

Completing the finishing touches in time for opening night proved a struggle for all involved. O’Leary says the paint was still wet on opening night, due to the lengthy and complex construction process.

Various transformations

Steeped in local history, the Savoy has undergone various transformations during its lifetime.

Zurito performing at the opening night of Savoy. Picture: Eddie O'Hare

It opened in 1932 as a cinema, serving as the main screen for the early years of the Cork Film Festival, which saw stars like Gregory Peck and Sophia Loren grace the red carpet.

In the 1970s, the Savoy hosted live music, and in more recent years up to its closure in 2016, artists including Biffy Clyro, Calvin Harris, MGMT, and Wu-Tang Clan — among many others — graced its stage

Reopening for the first time since 2016, the location has been reimagined as a live music venue and cultural space. Renovations involved improvements to the sound and sightlines to cater for a more intimate setting.

The Savoy on St Patrick's Street, Cork. Picture: Larry Cummins

“We made a success of St Lukes but there is more footfall in the city," he told the Irish Examiner. "Like anything in life, it’s going to take a few months to build momentum. We have stuff provisionally booked for Christmas that hasn’t been announced. 

"I think once people have read the stories and seen the photos of what’s happening here, there will be a lot more interest. 

"There is a lot in the pipeline, including Ronan O'Gara and former Wales star Dan Biggar, who will be coming here to discuss the Six Nations in 'Biggs & ROG On The Fly' on March 4.” 

Kelly says nightclubs and music venues are still facing challenges in the wake of the covid-19 pandemic.

When I came to Cork, first there were at least 17 nightclubs. As a nation that culture is in us, but now there is only three or four in Cork City. Nightclubs have been annihilated because they never had a strong enough lobby group. 

"The nightclub business has been allowed to die effectively in Ireland and politicians don’t care. As a result, we have had to completely redefine the whole nightclub business.” 

As for the official reopening of the Savoy last Saturday night, Kelly says: “When it all came together, Ed and I just stood watching, taking it in, for a few minutes. This is a place that is steeped in history, which has welcomed iconic acts like the Rolling Stones, the Bee Gees, and Rory Gallagher.” 

Ed O’Leary beside one of the new bar areas in the Savoy: 'People are happy to see this isn’t a new building. It’s an old one that has been revived for another life. This is the next stage of its lifetime. The building has gone from being derelict to having a purpose again.' Picture Chani Anderson

O’Leary says they had been working 16-hour days to make their dream a reality.

“We had a conversation months ago and decided we were just going to go for it. There was a lot of work that needed to be done, which was mainly electrical. 

"I wouldn’t say the place was falling apart when we first came here, but it was in very ragged condition. 

"We were making the venue smaller, so there was a lot involved, including the building of new walls to block off public access. 

"The building work took seven months. The paint was still wet when we opened on the Friday night. You are trying to navigate all these things while bringing in your sound systems and getting your lighting and your bar ready.” 

The nightclub’s return has sparked positivity in Cork City.

“People are happy to see this isn’t a new building,” says O'Leary. “It’s an old one that has been revived for another life. This is the next stage of its lifetime. The building has gone from being derelict to having a purpose again.” 

 

Caoilian Sherlock: 'This has been a really good news story for Cork. We are seeing so many ghosts of the Celtic Tiger where venues were successful only to shut down and never come back. It’s great to be on the other side and have the chance to breathe new life into Cork City.' Picture: Chani Anderson

Sherlock describes the heartening reactions to news of the pub’s reopening.

 “Almost everyone seems to remember the venue in one of its forms. We’re having people telling us they remember visiting the Savoy as children when it was an arcade. Other people recall coming here when it was a cinema. Now, there will be stories for the next generation. 

"We are hearing new details all the time such as how Charli XCX performed here before she was famous. It’s great to give younger people the chance to enjoy a new space. 

"This has been a really good news story for Cork. We are seeing so many ghosts of the Celtic Tiger where venues were successful only to shut down and never come back. It’s great to be on the other side and have the chance to breathe new life into Cork City.”