Pictures: Thousands take to the stage in Cork's Father Mathew Hall for Feis festival

More than 6,500 people took part in the Feis Maitiú Festival this year.

Now in its 98th year, the festival provides a platform for people to take to the stage with speech and drama, music instrument and singing performances.

Certificates, medals and trophies are awarded for particularly exceptional performances.

This year’s festival featured more than 2,300 individual performances between February 3 and April 2.

Timothy McCarthy, Feis Maitiú Director, said that for many people the Feis is the first experience that they may have with performance.

He said that the festival encourages education through drama and music and participants learn to be able to express themselves and communicate.

“One of the great things I see is when someone comes out on stage and they might be nervous at the beginning. The minute they finish something magical happens - the realisation that they did it, that sense of achievement. It’s a great moment,” he said.

Children from right across the city and county took part in this year’s festival at Cork’s Father Mathew Hall.

Mr McCarthy said preparations are already underway for next year’s event.