There is no end to the talent coming out of West Cork as Pebbledash, fronted by Bandon girl Asha Egan McCutcheon, look forward to UK dates following an upcoming February gig in Galway.

Their lament, Carraig Aonair featured in the Netflix series House of Guinness.

Sung by Asha, the séan nós tune was originally composed by Conchubhar Ó’Laoghaire in the 17th century in memory of his sons Finin, Cormac and Donal, who drowned while fishing when their boat was wrecked upon Fastnet rock.

The band’s second EP, 2025’s To Cast The Sea In Concrete, was met with high praise: ‘surprisingly uplifting and has a lightness to it that balances with the melancholy.

It’s as if it’s the first sunny day in autumn’. Pebbledash crop up time and again as a band to watch for 2026, and after Galway on February 21st, are due to play both Bristol and Nottingham in May this year.

From shoegazing indie we turn to the West and the sound of country with Ballineen duo Charlie Nolan and Nino Benjamin, who have two original tracks coming out on February 14th, Bill, and The Corkonian (Bill’s Return).

Their debut single, Lawless Highway, was released last July, a jaunty ode to American country.

Meanwhile, the West Cork collective AINM are releasing their single Darlin’ on St Brigid’s Day, with a singles release party at Artichoke in Ballydehob.

Connor Maddyn will open with a guitar set, followed by a short film about AINM, a Q&A, and an intimate gig with the band. Darlin’ is the first release of their debut EP, and was made possible by crowdfunder donations to allow the band to record with producer Andy Barlow of Lamb.