It’s time to look forward to what West Cork artists are bringing to us in 2026, kicking off with the music of father and daughter Killian and Elise Walsh, with Killian based in Mizen Head. The duo have released music in memory of Killian’s wife and Elise’s mother, Catherine, who passed away eight weeks after discovering she had lung cancer.

In conversation with Oliver Callan earlier this week, Killian told how one track was inspired by the sudden appearance of a robin in his ramshackle recording studio in West Cork; the songbird makes an appearance on the techno track, as does daughter Elise. Ambient and melodic techno is on the table here, and the newly-released Robin, as well as Squirrel and Harvest Moon, have been released and are available on many music streaming platforms.

Meanwhile and at the opposite end of the region in Kinsale, five-piece Cardinals are preparing for the debut of their first album, Masquerade on February 13th. The band, brothers Euan and Finn Manning, cousin Darragh, and friends Aaron Hurley and Oskar Gudinovic, have been working hard over the last few years. 

They had their debut headline performance in Cyprus Avenue in late 2022, followed by numerous single releases and a self-titled EP in June 2024. Busy on the touring circuit, the band are playing Utrecht, Brussels, and Lille later in the spring; meanwhile, to catch them at home, their record store tour of Masquerade kicks off in Musiczone in Togher, Cork city, on February 12th.

These pages have before covered the upcoming release of Shimmer Boy, Skibbereen’s Aaron O’Sullivan, whose album In The Aftermath, We Bloom is due in July this year. 

Next Wednesday, the singer-songwriter will release the third track from the debut album, Brixton, following his end-of-year gig at St Luke’s in Cork city where he opened for James Keegan. 

As always, West Cork delivers the goods.