11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Take me to Sea Church: East Cork venue launches shuttle bus to make gigs more accessible
Get me to the gig on time – the team behind one of the country's most scenic live music venues, housed in a restored church, has launched a new shuttle bus service for concertgoers.
Sea Church, the multi-purpose entertainment venue in Ballycotton, Co Cork, has unveiled plans for its own shuttle bus service that will collect concertgoers at two locations in the East Cork region, bring them to gigs, and return them afterward.
The Sea Church Express will launch on July 11 for the venue's Flashdance: 80s vs 90s Disco Night and will be available for all events from then on.
The bus will collect attendees at the Titanic Experience in Cobh and at Midleton Railway Station, departing Cobh two and a half hours before showtime and leaving Midleton two hours before showtime.
It will drop passengers off at Sea Church 90 minutes before the performance, giving them time to relax at the bar or restaurant, or simply enjoy the stunning setting overlooking Ballycotton Bay.
The bus will depart 30 minutes after the scheduled end of the show, allowing time for an encore or for passengers to enjoy a drink at the Fishbowl, a reserved waiting area created for Express passengers after the gigs.
Oliver Falter, general manager of the Flynn Cush Hospitality Group Ltd, which developed and runs the venue, said the shuttle bus is another addition to the fantastic offering in Ballycotton.
'There's a huge demand in the East Cork area for the entertainment we provide, but we needed to address the issue of rural transport at night, and so we decided to put on our own bespoke bus,' he said.
'It means that gig goers can come to Ballycotton with the peace of mind of knowing they will be brought safely back to Cobh and Midleton.'
The Academic in The Ballycotton Sessions
Sea Church is the former St Colman's Church of Ireland building, built in 1835 with funds raised locally.
As the local Church of Ireland population declined, the church gradually fell into disuse and was eventually closed.
It remained shut for several years until Ballycotton-born tech entrepreneur Pearse Flynn bought it in 2018 from American owners and began a multi-million-euro restoration and transformation into a music and arts venue.
It has since hosted a series of high-profile and intimate live music gigs featuring some of the biggest names in the music business.
It also hosted The Ballycotton Sessions, presented by broadcaster Louise Duffy and screened on RTÉ, featuring performances by The Waterboys, Moncrieff, Hermitage Green, Jerry Fish, Síomha, Hudson Taylor, and The Blizzards.
The shuttle bus is a return service, with tickets costing €20, regardless of pickup location.
Details on upcoming gigs and the bus service are available at
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