President pays tribute to the

PRESIDENT Mary McAleese officially unveiled Cork as European Capital of Culture on Saturday as 85,000 people poured into the city to mark the historic year.

The president was joined by ambassadors and citizens from across the European Union for the official opening ceremony at City Hall, as the street carnival kicked off across the city.

President McAleese, who jokingly referred to Cork as the "real" republic, said this was payback time for the city and a vindication of its legendary citizens, including short story writer Frank O'Connor.

"This wonderful accolade for Cork is a recognition for Cork, is a recognition of her people," she said. The president said hosting the European City of Culture programme was "a formidable task" but it would immensely enrich the city."

Arts Minister John O'Donoghue said: "Cork's cultural heritage is distinctive on the Irish tapestry." Mr O'Donoghue said Cork's "cultural genius" had found itself in men like author Niall Tobin, former president Jack Lynch and sportsman Christy Ring.

A musical drama, Red Sun, performed by 100 young performers from Cork's Children's Chorus brought colour to the ceremony in the City Hall and revellers travelled from all across the country and Europe to see the street theatre and fireworks spectacle along the banks of the River Lee.

Cork 2005 director John Kennedy said the festival programme reflected the change in Irish culture.

"In devising a programme of activities that would do justice to both Cork and to the designation of European Capital of Culture, we have had to take into account the changing nature of life on the island," he told the packed City Hall.

There are more than 200 official projects on the programme for Cork's tenure as European Capital of Culture over the next 12 months.

Tony Sheehan, a Cork 2005 programme director, said: "There is a spectrum of events from the very small to the very large." He said every event during the year, from small community projects to large-scale theatre, were given time and attention.

"We're a city on the edge of Europe but we have so much to say about the centre of Europe," Mr Sheehan added.

He said Cork was gearing up for a surge in the number of visitors during the year. "Lonely Planet (travel guide) have listed Cork as the third best city in the world to visit in 2005 because of the Capital of Culture," he said.