Cork is a favourite port of call for The National's Bryce Dessner

Bryce Dessner of The National has a long-held affinity with Cork. It’s part of the reason he’s organising an impressive music fest in the city, writes Ed Power

THE 20 or so curious souls who turned up for The National’s December 2002 gig at Triskel Arts Centre in Cork were in for a treat. All that day, the band had worked on a new song, ‘Val Jester’, which they debuted on the night. It was the first track they would write for their next album, Alligator, the LP that arguably marked the beginning of group’s ascent to their present status as world’s most credible arena act.