Cork Jazz fans don’t let rain dampen their spirits 

JAZZ fans refused to allow rain and high tides dampen their spirits over the weekend as thousands turned out for the festival.

Revellers have been enjoying the range of Guinness Cork Jazz Festival events taking place across Cork city.

Festivities began last Thursday with jazz fans making the most of the celebrations during the festival which concludes tonight.

Cork has been a hive of activity in recent days as 53,000 made their way through Cork Airport over the bank holiday weekend.

The festival attracts hundreds of musicians and thousands of music fans to the city each year.

This year was no different and included some familiar faces who have championed the festival from the start.

Former Guinness Cork Jazz Festival committee chairman Pat Horgan was among the crowd.

He has been attending events since Jim Mountjoy founded the festival in October, 1978 in a bid to attract punters to the city’s Metropole Hotel.

“The atmosphere was amazing this year even though we were underneath a canopy and it was pouring rain,” Mr Horgan told The Echo.

Last year’s event was worth over €45m to the local economy and attracted more than 100,000 people to the city. It is hoped that this year’s festival can match if not exceed all records.

Corkonians braved unfavourable travelling conditions yesterday to make it to events.

Cork City Council had appealed to motorists to plan their journeys into the jazz carefully with flooding at high tide over the weekend due to the forecasted super spring tides over the bank holiday weekend.

Flooding occurred during high tide on Saturday evening and again yesterday evening, with a number of roads closed for a period as a result.

Areas affected by floods included Lavitt’s Quay, South Terrace, and Wandesford Quay.

Cork City Council had asked revellers to avoid South Mall last evening due to the volume of surface water in the area and many posted pictures on social media of flood waters in areas such as Crane Lane and Oliver Plunkett Street.

Flooding was also reported in parts of the county over the weekend including in Carrigaline, Bantry, and Youghal.

The period of high astronomical tides is due to continue until 8pm this evening.