Des O’Driscoll looks back on the strange set of circumstances that led to the founding of the festival in 1978.

A strange set of circumstances led Jim Mountjoy to suggest a jazz festival for Cork in 1978. Little did he know how his idea would snowball, writes Des O’Driscoll

Thanks to Des O’Driscoll (Arts, June 13) for his very interesting article on Cork City’s music scene, reminding us of the history of Cork’s Arcadia Ballroom, as it was initially known.

TENS OF thousands of jazz fans blew into Cork city yesterday as the 31st Guinness Jazz Festival roared into action.

Cork is in line for a €20m windfall on the forthcoming bank holiday weekend — thanks to the Guinness sponsored Cork Jazz festival.