![]() ![]() “Kevin Costner at the time was the biggest movie star in the world. ![]() Nell and Julia invited the pair in for a cup of tea and had a chat. The director was scouting for Michael Collins and was accompanied by none other than Kevin Costner, who was originally slated to play the titular character. O’Leary tells a funny story of the time Neil Jordan stopped into the pub. Indeed the pub has attracted many notable figures over the years. It’s the kind of place where someone like Golden Globe-nominated composer Maurice Roycroft (aka Maurice Seezer) will pop in and play the piano for no reason other than he enjoys it. West Cork is home to a thriving arts community, something that works to Levis’ advantage. “You could have every mix of people and it’s amazing to see the traditional workers like mechanics and farmers mixing with the artists. ![]() “On a normal night, you’ll get an accountant, a farmer, a metal sculptor, a carpenter, a potter, a musician, a filmmaker, a mechanic,” he says. While the pub might have an artistic bent, O’Leary says it attracts people from all walks of life. “We staggered it and we had amazing acts.” “This year, we had eighteen artists play over eight hours,” says O’Leary. The capacity for the day is limited to eighty people and the lineup is kept secret from everyone – even the sound engineers. Once a year, the pub hosts Secret Song, a daylong event that sees musicians, poets and spoken word artists perform in three areas across the pub. There’s a distinct lack of venues in Ireland that support the artist.” “We’re trying to provide a quality moment for people, for the artist and the audience. All proceeds from gigs go back to the artist and it’s not a place where you’ll catch people chatting during the performance. Levis’ Corner House now hosts a few gigs a week and prides itself on being a venue that prioritises the experience of the artist. Over the years, the likes of Glen Hansard and Duke Special have performed in the pub. As such, he counts many musicians among his pals and has cultivated the pub as a music venue. “Our own buddies initially were coming down from Cork and Dublin saying, ‘Jesus it’s great,’ and spreading the word that way.”īefore taking over the pub, Joe was the frontman of Cork band Fred. Though he hesitates to use the word, Joe says the growth was “organic”. We kind of didn’t notice the lack of people initially and then that improved.” We came down and we were very new and enthusiastic. You’re talking on Saturday nights, you might have four people. “It was during the recession and it was fairly depressing down here, to be honest. Things were quiet, but Joe and Caroline were buoyed by their own enthusiasm. Joe and Caroline moved to Ballydehob in 2013 on a weekend that happened to coincide with the death of his aunt Nell, who passed away at the age of 104.Īt that point, the pub was being run by Joe’s mother. “They were kind of infamous down here,” says O’Leary. The pub and grocers was previously managed by his grandaunts, Julia and Nell. He is the fourth generation to run the pub. Levis’ Corner House has been in O’Leary’s family for over a century. Under their stewardship, what was once a charming country pub has evolved into an intimate music venue unlike any other. The couple have been running the pub since 2013. “WE HAD NO intention of ever taking over a bar,” says Joe O’Leary, who runs Levis’ Corner House in Ballydehob, Co Cork, with his partner Caroline. ![]()
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