Kinvara Area Music was founded in the autumn of 2006, after Winkles, then called The Crane, closed to make way for the new Londis grocery store. Winkles had been a landmark music establishment for years in Kinvara, having been host to sessions, gigs, dances and impromptu music extravaganzas under the proprietorship of the Moylans and even the management of Frankie Gavin for a while.
Though other pubs, notably the Ould Plaid Shawl, Connolly’s and Green’s continued to have music sessions, the closing of Winkles left a lacuna in the Kinvara music scene keenly felt by local musicians.
Foundation of KAM
Discussing this situation over a commiseration pint, Frank Hall, John Martin and Paul Mulligan decided to form a community music organisation. At first the idea was to get musicians together to see what could be done, but it was rapidly expanded to anyone who was interested in music.
The first project undertaken was to put up acoustic baffles in the Community Centre to make the sound better for music, plays, and listening in general. Paul Mulligan, Breiffne O’Rourke and John Martin did much of the work.
The KAM Collection Album
Soon after, an album project of Kinvara musicians was undertaken by Jim Rooney, Bruno Staehlin, and Paul Mulligan.
The KAM Collection, Volume One, was launched at the second Mardi Gras in 2008 – the first Mardi Gras launched KAM itself, and has become the ‘Birthday’ celebration for KAM.
In June of 2007, KAM began producing small concerts in Johnston’s Hall. This was with some trepidationt at first – would, people pay in to see a concert when so much music was available for free in Kinvara?
However, the particular ambience of Johnston’s Hall soon proved to be conducive to great listening and performing! Patrons were allowed to bring in a drink and the absence of bar noise made for easier appreciation of the music. KAM went on to produce over 50 concerts in Johnston’s until plans for renovations there led us to decamp and develope the GiG Room at the Community Centre – launched in March 2014.
There have been further Mardi Gras Concert/Dance/Festivals, as well as several other concerts in the Community Centre.