Guinness Cork Jazz Festival wraps up with vibrant crowds in Cork

The 2026 Guinness Cork Jazz Festival featured dozens of top-class musicians and drew thousands of attendees to the streets of Cork City over the weekend. The Irish Examiner reported that Oliver Plunkett Street experienced heavy crowds by Saturday afternoon, as young festivalgoers gathered across the city. [1]

The Irish Examiner noted that performance highlights included artist Sheila Maurice-Grey of Kokoroko, who performed at the Everyman venue during the festival. [1]

As FTMQ News reported earlier, the festival coincided with the reopening of the historic Oyster Tavern in Cork City after a three-year closure. The venue, which dates back to 1792, opened under operator Paul Whelan. Original Boney M member Maizie Williams was also scheduled to perform at the festival with an ensemble to mark the 50th anniversary of the group's first hit song. [5][6]

The Cork Jazz Festival has been held annually in Cork City in late October since it first began on Friday, 27 October 1978. [3][6]