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music · Saturday 11 July 2026 · 8:00pm 
Jack Lukeman Summer Special at De Barra's
At De Barra's Folk Club · 55 Pearse Street, Clonakilty, Co. Cork
At De Barra's Folk Club · 55 Pearse Street, Clonakilty, Co. Cork
Jack Lukeman is one of those performers who fills a room with more than just sound. The Kildare-born singer - now a number one, platinum-selling artist with a multi-octave baritone that borrows equally from jazz, soul, and Irish balladry - returns to De Barra’s Folk Club for his annual summer special on Saturday 11 July 2026, joined by guitarist Ray Blackwell. If you have never caught him live, this is a smart place to start. If you have, you already know why it sells out.
De Barra’s is the kind of venue where the room itself becomes part of the performance. Founded in 1978 and now a third-generation family business, it holds its own against far larger stages - Lonely Planet has named it one of the world’s top music venues, and Christy Moore, Damien Rice, Glen Hansard, and Noel Redding of the Jimi Hendrix Experience have all played here. The walls are covered in instruments and memorabilia, the sightlines are good from almost anywhere, and the atmosphere on a summer Saturday night is exactly what you come to West Cork for.
Jack Lukeman has toured as a special guest with Sting, Imelda May, and Jools Holland, and his shows at De Barra’s tend to be long on variety and warm rapport with the crowd. Ray Blackwell accompanying him adds a quieter, more intimate dimension to the set. Expect the unexpected - Lukeman draws on a wide repertoire and has a reputation for genuinely surprising an audience mid-show.
The venue is small by design. Tickets go quickly, and standing room fills up well before 8pm. Arrive early and you will get a drink at the bar and a decent spot. Arrive late and you will hear it through the wall.
Clonakilty sits about 55 km west of Cork city along the N71. By car from Cork it is around 50 minutes; from Bandon the journey is under 20 minutes. Bus Eireann serves the town from Cork city (route 251), with the journey taking roughly an hour. De Barra’s is on Pearse Street near the centre of Clonakilty, an easy walk from anywhere in town. Street parking is available in the town, and there is a public car park on Emmet Square a short stroll from the venue.
Clonakilty is worth a full day - the town has good independent restaurants, a lovely beach at Inchydoney a few kilometres out, and a strong tradition of live music that goes well beyond one venue. There is more to see in Clonakilty and across Co. Cork.
Heading to De Barra's Folk Club in Clonakilty? Cork has plenty more to see. Read the Clonakilty area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.