Guinness Cork Jazz Festival

Born in 1978 after a cancelled bridge tournament left Cork's Metropole Hotel with rooms to fill, this festival now turns Cork into Ireland's jazz capital every late October. More than 70 venues, from concert halls like the Opera House and the Everyman to city-centre pubs such as Cyprus Avenue and Coughlan's, host Irish and international musicians across swing, jazz, ska and brass. Many sessions spill into pubs and onto the streets, giving the event a relaxed, sociable feel.