It’s almost time for the Guinness Jazz Festival, set to
start October 28 in Cork, Ireland. Over 40,000 music fans will descend on the
city to hear 1,000 popular jazz musicians from around the world.
When I visited Cork in 1996, I made the obligatory trip to
Blarney, went to see
Twister at a local movie theater, bought an overpriced knit sweater (that I still have and never wore) and drank my
fare share of Murphy’s Irish Stout. The Murphy’s Brewery is in Cork, so I’m
not sure why Guinness gets the sponsor gig.
Anyway…I looked online to locate the hostel that I stayed in back then, Isaacs on MacCurtin Street — it was
definitely a dorm style budget hostel back then, but looks like a pretty nice
hotel now. I’m sure many places are already booked solid
in Cork for the festival, but here’s a long list of
possibilities if you’re considering a last minute trip. If you’re out of luck in Cork, you could always try the smaller
fringe Jazz Festival farther south in Kinsale.