More than 45,000 people converged on Cork over the weekend for the Guinness Jazz Festival, with music fans from as far away as Australia, America and Canada generating an estimated €25 million in revenue for the local economy.
Renowned as Europe's friendliest jazz festival, the event has hosted many of the greats in its 30-year history.
Stars such as Ella Fitzgerald, Oscar Peterson, Dizzy Gillespie, Lionel Hampton, Buddy Rich and Wynton Marsalis have thrilled the festival's audiences over the years.
The Cork Jazz Festival first took place in 1978. Jazz buff Pearse Harvey suggested the idea of the festival to Jim Mountjoy, who was marketing manager of the Metropole Hotel at the time. Players Wills sponsored the event to the tune of £5,000. The event was organised as a last-minute replacement for a cancelled bridge tournament.
Highlights of this year's festival included acts such as Swedish group EST, Brazilian pianist Elaine Alias, the legendary Mose Allison, Israeli bassist Avishai Cohen, celebrated ska band The Skatalites and bassist Miroslav Vitous. The ever popular Blind Boys of Alabama took the stage at the Opera House last night.
Meanwhile, some of the world's best parade bands performed on the streets of Cork. The Lamarotte Jazz Band from Tilburg, Holland, played swinging dixieland and old-style jazz and were one of the hits of the event. The festival comes to an end this evening.
Some 1,000 musicians from over 30 countries entertained the fans this year in over 80 venues citywide. A host of fringe events also took place in towns such as Kinsale and Blarney.
The Guinness Jazz Festival is by far Ireland's biggest and most prestigious jazz event and is one of the most important festivals on Ireland's arts and cultural calendar. This is the 26th year that Guinness has sponsored the festival.
Spokesman for the Cork Business Association, James O'Sullivan, paid tribute to the festival's organisers, citing its ongoing success as a major achievement.
"I think it is congratulations to all involved in the festival and I am glad to say they were honoured this year with a business association quarterly award. This is recognition of the work they have done and the amount of money they have brought in to the local community," he said.