No main Jazz act for Opera House after sponsorship row

IT has hosted some of the biggest names in jazz, but Cork Opera House will be without a headline act next month following a row between Ireland’s biggest drinks companies.

Guinness, which has sponsored the Jazz Festival for the last 27 years, claims it has been “restricted” from hosting major acts at the venue because the Opera House has entered into a sponsorship deal with Murphy’s, which is owned by Heineken Ireland.

Guinness’s parent company, Diageo, has issued a statement saying it was looking forward to sponsoring the festival, which will feature more than 1,000 musicians.