‘Keyboard Cormac’ missing his instrument

Cavan Town-based musician and entertainer Cormac McCann is appealing for help to reunite him with the rare Casio keyboard that forms the centrepiece of his popular festival alter ego, Keyboard Cormac, after it disappeared during Electric Picnic.

The Belturbet native lost the instrument in the festival carpark on the final day of the event.

The performer attended this year’s Electric Picnic as a festival-goer after appearing as an official act in 2025. Alongside enjoying the music lineup, he spent the weekend up until that point entertaining crowds in his unique style: “I wanted to spend the weekend as Keyboard Cormac, wandering around the festival, playing music for people and bringing a bit of joy, song and craic wherever I went,” he explained.

His spontaneous performances, which involve creating songs on the spot in queues for cafés and food stalls, have become a familiar sight at festivals: “I don’t ever feel intimidated. I just want to entertain people and get into the atmosphere,” he explained.

The mishap occurred while Cormac was attempting to avoid potential traffic chaos after wet weather on a site that was quite muddy: “I left the keyboard lying at the side of the car and moved the car. Twenty minutes later, I realised what I’d done, went back to get it and it was gone,” he recalled.

Initially, he believed someone might have handed the instrument in: “I thought maybe it was legitimately taken and brought to Lost and Found. That doesn’t appear to be the case,” he said.

The missing item is a Casio CA110, a model last manufactured in the 1990s: “The only valuable thing about it is it’s kind of rare and they’re hard to find,” the musician said.

Despite the setback, he has tried to keep the loss in perspective: “At the end of the day, I’m still Cormac, I’ve still got my talent. I’ll still be able to share it with people. The keyboard’s replaceable,” he said.

He also revealed there would be one silver lining if the instrument has found a new owner: “If some child somewhere is enjoying the keyboard, playing it, that would make me happy,” he added.

McCann remains optimistic that the publicity surrounding the missing keyboard could lead to its return.

The Keyboard Cormac character was born organically at the ‘All Together Now’ festival when fellow campers encouraged the classically trained pianist to bring his music beyond his tent.“People said to me, ‘We’re going down to the festival, will you follow us?’ Then I realised I can play and walk with them.”