Success of The Kabin Crew Honoured with a Civic Reception at City Hall
21/02/2025
On Thursday 20 February, the Lord Mayor of Cork Councillor Dan Boyle hosted a Civic Reception for Knocknaheeny’s Kabin Crew to celebrate their success over the last 12 years.
The Kabin Crew is a vibrant group of songwriters, rappers, musicians and creatives based at The Kabin Studio in Knocknaheeny, Cork. The Kabin Studio is dedicated to nurturing young musical talent and creating a safe & friendly environment for young people to thrive.
It was founded in 2013 by Garry McCarthy, from GMCBeats Workshops, who re-purposed an idle MasterKabin in partnership with Cork ETB and Music Generation Cork City to run workshops and recording projects for the local community, helping them develop skills in music, rap, songwriting and performing.
The Kabin Studio educates young people about community, inclusivity and communication. It has created a safe and supportive environment where young people can thrive and build lasting friendships.
The Kabin Crew believe in the power of making music & being creative, providing a platform for people from the local community and beyond to express themselves.
Speaking at the event, the Lord Mayor said: “I am delighted to be hosting a civic reception for these inspiring young people, their families, mentors and supporters. 2024 was an epic year for the group. How many young people can say they had 2 billion views on social media, played at electric picnic, were long listed for a grammy or had their own Christmas TV special. More importantly, the young people have been an inspiration for others and a shining example of the creativity and talent we have on the northside of the city”.
The Lord Mayor also took the opportunity to acknowledge founder and creative director, Garry McCarthy whose approach to engaging people and nurturing creativity has created a unique, safe and creative space in the city. He also, acknowledged all of the mentors, supporters and family who have encouraged, nurtured and supported the young people on their journey.
Music Generation Cork City, the Tomar Trust and Cork City Council are key sponsors of the project and the Lord Mayor thanked the teams in City Hall who have supported and collaborated with the project. The Kabin Studios are one of the 14 community groups partnering with Cork City Council Arts Office and Community Section on Creative Places, an 18-month research and development project, designed to develop a people-led plan for the brilliant arts programmes in Knocknaheeny, supported by the Arts Council.