Cork 2005 under fire over failure to hit cash target

THE organisers of Cork 2005, European Capital of Culture, have been criticised for their failure to raise adequate commercial sponsorship to fund the year’s programme of events.

The high-level criticism from the Department of Arts is revealed as the Irish Examiner established that a number of large local companies were either never formally approached for major sponsorship or were only approached in recent months.

Since January, several events have been dropped, including concerts, a play about Frank O’Connor and a food project with celebrity chef Seamus O’Connell.