The Spark: quick facts
- Who: about 30 children aged nine to 12 from Kabin Crew (Knocknaheeny, Cork) and Lisdoonvarna Crew (Co. Clare).
- Made at: the Kabin Studio, a not-for-profit youth music project, produced by its founder Garry McCarthy (GMCBeats).
- Released: 15 May 2024.
- Views: more than two billion across social media, and over 50 million streams.
- Awards: longlisted for two 2025 Grammys, and winner of the RTÉ Choice Music Prize Irish Song of the Year.
Some Irish primary school kids got together in a youth studio in Cork, wrote a rap over a drum and bass beat, and filmed a music video in a single day. A few weeks later, the whole world was singing along.
If you haven’t seen “The Spark” yet, turn the volume up.
Who made The Spark?
The song was made by two groups of children. Kabin Crew are young rappers from Knocknaheeny, on the northside of Cork city, who take part in Rhyme Island, a youth rap project at the Kabin Studio. Lisdoonvarna Crew are children from Lisdoonvarna in Co. Clare, including young people living in international protection accommodation in the town.
The Kabin Studio is a not-for-profit music and creativity space set up by producer Garry McCarthy, who makes music as GMCBeats. The project was supported by Creative Ireland, the government’s culture programme. The children wrote their own verses about what gives them their energy and spark, and McCarthy built the track around them.
Filmed in one day
The video was shot in a single day around Cork: at the Kabin Studio, on the top deck of the 202 bus, and at the Pavilion music venue in the city centre. There’s no big budget, no slick choreography, just a group of kids having the time of their lives, and that’s exactly why it works.
Why The Spark went viral
It was released on 15 May 2024, and within days it was everywhere. Millions of people shared it on TikTok, Instagram and X, and it was soon being called the song of the summer. One of the most-shared reactions summed it up: people couldn’t believe a song made by primary school children went this hard.
A few things made it unstoppable:
- The beat. Fast, bouncy drum and bass that’s impossible to sit still to.
- The kids. Every child gets a moment, and every one of them is having a blast.
- The message. It’s a song about confidence, energy and believing in yourself, from children whose communities don’t often get the spotlight.
- Big names noticed. Artists including Stormzy, Becky Hill and Tove Lo shared their support.
From Knocknaheeny to the Grammys
What happened next was like something out of a film:
- The kids performed at Electric Picnic and All Together Now, and to a crowd of 12,000 at the Pukkelpop festival in Belgium.
- In October 2024, The Spark was longlisted for the 2025 Grammy Awards in two categories: Best Dance/Electronic Recording and Song of the Year.
- In March 2025, it won the RTÉ Choice Music Prize for Irish Song of the Year.
- Kabin Crew brought The Spark to Cork’s St Patrick’s Day parade, and have since released new music.
Producer Garry McCarthy summed up the whirlwind on Instagram: “What a mad few months this has been.”
Why it matters
Knocknaheeny is a community that has often been overlooked, and some of the Lisdoonvarna children had arrived in Ireland with very little. The Spark gave them a stage the whole world could see. It’s a reminder of what happens when young people are given a microphone, a bit of support and the freedom to be themselves.
It also proved, once again, that some of the best things on the internet come out of Cork.
The Spark FAQ
Who sings The Spark?
The Spark is performed by Kabin Crew from Knocknaheeny in Cork and Lisdoonvarna Crew from Co. Clare, a group of about 30 children aged nine to 12.
Who produced The Spark?
Garry McCarthy (GMCBeats), the founder of the Kabin Studio in Cork.
When was The Spark released?
15 May 2024.
Was The Spark nominated for a Grammy?
It was longlisted for the 2025 Grammys, in Best Dance/Electronic Recording and Song of the Year. It did not make the final nominations, but it did win the RTÉ Choice Music Prize Irish Song of the Year.
Where was The Spark video filmed?
In Cork: at the Kabin Studio, on the top deck of the 202 bus, and at the Pavilion venue.
More from Cork and viral Ireland
- The Cork boy who sang with a busker and hit nearly a million views
- Facts about Cork: why we call it the real capital
- The best viral Irish videos of all time
- Adele’s Hello sung in Irish by TG Lurgan
Featured photo: Cork city and the River Lee, by Podstawko, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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