Bundoran’s new wave of music returns with a splash

Back in the 90s, there was a club in the seaside town of Bundoran called Peppies. It was usually awash with teens to 30-somethings. Reads like a disaster in the making, right? Afraid not. It held all the quirky situations you would find in a Donegal seaside “resort” town - loud pop and 90s rave and an unhealthy dose of chips around the exterior!

Right next door to this club, was its sister bar, The Kicking Donkey. This is where Linda Connolly began her service industry experience, as such. Bar education in a venue she would then go on to lease, on her return to her home town, during the pandemic. Along with her partner Ashleigh, they went on to stamp their mark on the establishment. Reopened for just over a year now, it has been transforming and gradually progressing.

It has some of the most friendly patrons of all the venues in South Donegal and has developed a warm, almost charming atmosphere. A collection of music heads, multinationals, and of course, plenty of surfers, typically congregate on the premises.
Ambitious and using some of her well-honed initiatives, Linda was willing to branch out and test the waters with several local music folk.

Cue some talks with the Treehouse Productions duo of Keith Mannion and Patsy O’Kane and it soon became clear, that both parties had a similar wish to bring regular live music, to the locale. It was time for some production meetings!

Treehouse Productions was officially established in 2020, during the first lockdown of the global pandemic. After gathering a small team of friends and colleagues, they released two series of successful music shows, online. It was made with a very guerrilla / DIY ethic. They subsequently hosted a ‘Treehouse Live’ night in the Ballyshannon Abbey Centre, where both

Mannion’s and O’Kane’s bands performed. After feeling it was possible to hold live events again, they were open for business, and all things Treehouse have returned.

Both O’Kane and Mannion continue to write and record with their own separate projects.

O’Kane once a member of the lauded The Wild Herrings, now composes music with his new act, Cantinita.
While releasing several successful albums (one or two can be seen framed on the walls of the Kicking Donkey venue itself!),

Mannion has toured as his critically acclaimed Slow Place Like Home project and as a member of the Edinburgh-based band, Gaze is Ghost, for the past decade. He has worked alongside a lot of the acts he is bringing to the North-West.

“It’s food for the soul, to invite colleagues and friends from the circuit, to come play at a venue that is really open to trying this. We are willing to take a risk and I guess we will have to wait and see what the metrics suggest.

“You have to have belief in the audience though, despite this being a rural area. Artist/venue networks occur in many rural communities, as there is a hunger to attend and be a part of original music. The hope is that that same passion for the live music scene remains in South Donegal,” he says.

Mannion has already booked a number of mouth-watering shows for the year ahead and hopes to expand on that down the line.

“I’m delighted to bring some exciting acts, from all over the country and overseas, to the locale.

“From Ryan Vail in Derry to fellow Donegal acts in Arn. Lunch Machine, Tramp, Junk Drawer from Belfast and Galway band, Adore to Dublin-based Nerves (above) and Swimmers Jackson flying in from London, for a show.

“I feel it’s a nice blend of both award-winning acts and rising talent. Also, watch out for some guest DJs playing at the venue.”
Keith adds:, “I have some pretty fantastic upcoming shows to announce but there will be a feast of entertainment coming in the second half of the year and perhaps one or two surprise acts! All things being equal, we can continue doing this.”

He also suggests that it may not only be music shows they could be organising.

“There remains room for other forms of the arts and entertainment to be represented also”.

Some exciting decisions are to be made.

With Treehouse Productions now treading the boards and The Kicking Donkey hosting, the chance for a new identity within the South Donegal music and arts scene is looking a lot more healthy.

It all kicks off on Saturday, May 6, at 9pm, at The Kicking Donkey, Bundoran.

Upcoming shows:

Saturday, May 6 - Nerves and Tramp

Saturday, July 8 - Lunch Machine and Arn.

Saturday, July 22 - Junk Drawer and Adore

Saturday, August 5 - Ryan Vail and support

Saturday, September 9 Swimmers Jackson and support

More TBA