Cork has, rightly, for many years styled itself as a City of Festivals. Many, many other cites; many, many other communities, host many and varied festivals but not that many do so with such natural, unfettered gusto and enthusiasm.
The Cork Film Festival, and its increasingly popular offspring, the IndieCork Film Festival, punch above their weight. The Folk Festival has just marked its 40th anniversary.
Kinsale is cleaning up after another Gourmet Festival. There are many more and, last night, one of the most successful city festivals of all — the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival — began.
This jamboree has been a fixture for many years and has achieved a confidence that means it has become much, much more than a jazz festival but it has never lost sight of its primary motivations.
The atmosphere in the city during this festival always moves up a gear; it is as if it is an occasion to celebrate the summer just gone and throw a defiant swagger at the looming winter. The festival has been good for the city and the city has been good for the festival.
Long may that relationship continue.
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