Coughlan’s Live prepare for busy festive season

Music lovers on Leeside will be forsaking their fireside for the cosy confines of Coughlan’s Live, as a jam-packed Christmas schedule promises a series of seasonal spectacles for the Cork venue.
Tonight, local heroes including The Hard Ground, Nicole Maguire (pictured) and John Blek join forces for a special Christmas concert, doing their darndest to raise funds for the city’s fantastic Penny Dinners charity. Come Stephen’s Night, it’ll be leftover turkey sandwiches and one hell of a knees-up as The Barflies stage their traditional post-Christmas session.
Normal service resumes on the Sunday and Monday with the usual sessions that have delighted music fans through the year, while the soft-edged voice of Cork native Elly O’Keeffe, playing on December 30, ensures the sterling year for the intimate Douglas St. venue ends in some style.
Of course, it’s not like the Coughlan’s Live crew are going to be putting their feet up for the 24 hours before 2015 swings into action; they present the Mick Flannery show at Cork Opera House, surely the hottest ticket in town this New Year’s Eve.
It’s all go, then, for the award-winning venue, and with the resurrection of The Pav also on the cards in a few months’ time, there’s plenty to look forward to. Roll on 2015; but not quite yet!