My Weekend: Working at the historic home of Cork's Jazz Festival

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your work.

I live in Cork city, but Allihies on the Beara Peninsula is home. I grew up on a farm and worked in our local pub for years while in school — the full Irish experience. I studied Business Management at MTU, and went on and completed an Occupational Health master in UCC. I have passion for travel and adventure, and love going to far-flung destinations.

Career-wise, I have always been drawn to hospitality. The industry is certainly facing challenges currently with cost pressures, but I love the challenge of a fast-paced environment and meeting new people each and every day.

I work for Trigon Hotels as Group Food & Beverage Manager across the Metropole Hotel in the city centre, and the Cork International Hotel near the airport. 

We are currently gearing up for the busiest weekend of the year — The Guinness Jazz Festival. The Metropole Hotel is the historic home of the Jazz, and so becomes the hottest ticket in town over the four days.

What is your ideal way to spend a Friday night?

I love a Friday in the VQ — A nice glass of red in MacCurtain Wine Cellar, dinner in The Glass Curtain, a show in the beautiful Everyman Theatre, rounded off with a cocktail in the MET, or Shelbourne. Grown up fun!

Lie-ins or up with the lark.. which is it for you?

I am an early riser, not a big sleeper, so up and out after a quick recharge.

Does work creep into your weekend at all?

Absolutely. The nature of hospitality means you need to make hay when the sun shines. While I do a lot more office hours in my current role, weekends are fair game in the business. However, when I am off, I am off!

If money was no object, where would you head to on a weekend city break? And who would you bring with you?

I love a far-off destination, but I think Ireland is hard to beat for a weekend away. I am just back from a weekend in Galway with friends — easy to get to, great night life, food, great arts scene, went out to the coastal islands off Roundstone with a crew called ‘Move With Nature’. Highly recommended!

Closer to home, is there some place you like to head to recharge the batteries?

I try to get home to Beara every second week. It’s a great change of pace from city living. A dip off the strand in Cahermore Pier always is a nice reset. 

Dogzen Beara Retreat Centre have just completed an amazing new facility near our house so definitely should be on a bucket list for anyone looking to disconnect!

Do you like to catch up with family/friends at the weekend?

As you get older, I feel you need to have these catch-ups planned six months-plus in advance. I have a friend group where January 11, 2025, is the nearest date we are all available to meet!

Do you get to indulge any hobbies? Even as a spectator?

I love cycling, and I am lucky that I live near the Marina in Cork, and take advantage of the greenway regularly. I bring the bike down west for a bit more off-road adventure! I’m using Duolingo since the start of the year, and it has a hold on my life like you wouldn’t believe! I think anyone using it can relate. 

I am hoping to tackle more of Latin America in the near future so want to have a few more words in my vocab before then.

Entertain or be entertained? If it’s the latter, do you have a signature dish?

Defiantly be entertained. I do a lot of entertaining with work, so when it is my turn, I always make the most of it!

We have so many places to eat out in Cork — where are your go- to spots for coffee/lunch/special meal?

Hmmm, so many to choose from!

Brunch — Salt is right next to our house so we are blessed. Snack —Sunny’s Deli — only open midweek, buy best Rubens Sandwich in town!

Lunch — obviously I am biased, but my family were in the city last Sunday and the Cork International Hotel has an amazing Sunday lunch — best roast beef in town!

Dinner — steaks — Elbow Lane. Night out — Glass Curtain / Special — Paradiso.

Sunday night comes around too fast... how do you normally spend it?

I am normally found in the car driving up from West Cork, or ironing three weeks worth of shirts to get ahead of myself.

What time does your alarm clock go off on Monday morning?

7am.

Anything else you are up to right now..

Right now, my life is jazz! This will be my 15th year of the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival, and my first on the organising committee with the Fringe Festival.

The Met is bringing back our day time jazz in the newly-renovated Ballroom this year, so really looking forward to having this back. We have worked hard to bring a really great line up, catering to all levels of jazz fan this year (including a few secret pop-up gigs) so excited to bring this together across the weekend.

While I don’t think I will make the gigs, The Buena Vista All Stars, and Gregory Porter at the Opera House would be top of my list to see! 

The fringe festival is also going strong, and is something we are hoping to develop more year on year, so watch this space!

Expect performances from other stars over the week such as Mary Coughlan, Les Amazones d’Afrique, De La Soul, Todd Terje, Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, Maya Delilah, Orchestra Baobab, Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson, Amadou and Mariam, Seun Kuti & Egypt 80, hip harpist Alina Bzhezhinska’s tribute to Alice Coltrane, Takuya Kuroda, Hot Chip and more. Main stage venues include The Everyman, Cork Opera House, The Metropole Hotel, Live @ St Luke’s, St. Peter’s Church, Cyprus Avenue, KINO, Cork City Hall and Triskel Arts Centre.

The expanded jazz music trail will offer free performances in 72 pubs and clubs throughout the city, and the ever-popular Big Fringe also returns. Organised by the local Cork Jazz Festival Committee, the FREE programme will feature impromptu soulful moments of jazz, big brass bands, and spontaneous performances by some of Ireland and Europe’s finest jazz talent. Young and old are encouraged to join in the fun and music as the streets of Cork city come alive with the sounds of incredible live jazz.

As part of the cultural offerings, Guinness Cork Jazz Festival, ChoiceCuts and TheRecordHub.com will also host a unique celebration marking 85 years of the iconic jazz label, Blue Note Records, with an immersive exhibition titled 85 Years Of Blue Note at the historic St Peter’s, Cork, for the duration of the festival.

The interactive exhibition will feature the label’s iconic artwork and the label’s first-ever Irish pop-up store curated in collaboration with The Record Hub.

For a full programme of events, visit guinnesscorkjazz.com. Or follow the festival on @guinnesscorkjazz #GuinnessCorkJazz.

The Guinness Cork Jazz Festival is supported by Diageo, Fáilte Ireland, Cork City Council and Cork Airport. For more on the festival or to book tickets see GuinnessJazzfestival.com