Jim Mountjoy's 'passion, creativity, and love for music' shaped Cork Jazz Festival

An Taoiseach Micheál Martin has led tributes to the late Jim Mountjoy, founder of the Cork Jazz Festival, who passed away last Saturday.

Mr Mountjoy first had the idea for a mini-festival in 1978 when the cancellation of a bridge event left the then marketing manager of the Metropole Hotel with rooms to fill on the newly created October bank holiday weekend.

The hotel already had a regular jazz session, featuring talents such as Harry Connolly, so, with the help of local jazz lovers including Pearse Harvey and Ray Fitzgerald, the first fledgling Cork Jazz Festival was born.

Some 47 years on, the jazz festival is still going strong, and the Taoiseach took to social media to mark the passing of its founder, who died peacefully at Cork University Hospital.

“Deeply saddened at the passing of Jim Mountjoy, founder of the Cork Jazz Festival,” Mr Martin wrote on X. 

“Jim leaves a wonderful, happy legacy in music, entertainment, and the development of Cork as a festival city. My thoughts are with his family at this time.”

Guinness Cork Jazz Festival chairwoman Fiona Collins offered her sympathies on behalf of the committee.

“I’m so sorry to hear about Jim’s passing,” she said. “May he rest in peace.”

Aaron Mansworth, Cork Business Association president and managing director of Trigon Hotels, said all at the Metropole remembered a “visionary” who had left behind a remarkable legacy.

“His passion, creativity, and love for music shaped an event that has become part of Cork’s cultural heartbeat. Thank you, Jim, for your vision and enduring contribution to our city. Your music will live on forever in every note played at the Cork Jazz Festival.”

Mr Mountjoy is survived by his wife Pat; his sons Brendan, Michael, and Jim; his siblings Irene, Ede, and Charlie; daughters-in-law Siobhán, Sarah, and Helen; grandchildren Seamus, Áine, Louise, and Catherine; relatives and friends.

Mr Mountjoy will lie in repose at the Jerh O’Connor Wilton Funeral Home on Sarsfield Rd from 5pm to 6pm today. Requiem Mass is at 11am tomorrow in the Church of the Real Presence, Curraheen, with funeral afterwards to St James’s Cemetery, Chetwynd.