Cork Entertainment

Cork is often labelled the ‘party capital of the south’ due to its varied and lively nightlife. Despite its size, it boasts a staggering selection of nightclubs, bars and live music venues that will satisfy most tastes. This is probably due in part to the demographically young population that the city has. There are also other good entertainment options on offer including an exciting and growing drama scene, comedy, performance art and poetry readings.

Nightlife

Cork has a deserved reputation for lively nightlife, fuelled by its huge student population. The club scene has really taken off in recent years, so you will be sure to find something that you like. Certain clubs play specific types of music including commercial dance tunes and hip-hop as well as more specialist nights such as indie and trance. As with any other city, venues and session nights change frequently, so make sure you pick up a free copy of Whazon for all the latest listings and reviews.

Pubs have long been an integral part of Irish hospitality and Cork certainly won't disappoint on this front. You will find a good selection of places, from traditional Irish pubs through to a new generation of sleek and upmarket drinking establishments, popular with the younger crowd. You won't need a guide to find somewhere if you are just after a drink. There are plenty of good watering-holes in the city, though some of the older pubs are worth seeking out for their atmosphere.

The live music scene is also well-established and several pubs in the city centre and surrounds have regular slots for house bands, playing everything from rock to jazz. There is usually something on every night of the week and during the afternoons at the weekends. Cork could never be described as lacking when it comes to nightlife and it's certainly not a difficult town in which to enjoy yourself.

Theatre and music

Cultural entertainment continues to thrive in Cork and there are several all-round venues for entertainment and the arts. The Opera House on Emmet Place tends to host the larger events and concerts. Here, you will find a range of high-quality drama, dance, opera and pop concerts. The Granary tends to have small-scale drama productions, while the Firkin Crane Theatre at the Institute for Choreography and Dance is the best place for classical and contemporary dance.

Classical concerts are held at the School of Music and the City Hall. The main place for alternative artistic activity is the Triskel Arts Centre, which has exhibitions of contemporary art and a cinema showing art house films. Full details of film, drama and music performances can be found in the Irish Examiner, available from newsagents.

Festivals

Festivals are a big part of Irish culture and Cork plays host to the following:

• St Patrick’s Festival: a popular festival spanning three days to celebrate the patron saint of Ireland (March).
• Cork International Choral Festival: this is one of Europe’s largest annual choral festivals, held at Cork's City Hall over the four days preceding the first Monday in May (late April to early May).
• The Cork Midsummer Festival: this varied arts festival showcases local artists and arts organisations in the fields of dance, theatre, film, literature and music (late Jun).
• Cork Jazz Festival: most of the big names in jazz have played at this festival at sometime or other. As many as 40,000 fans attend from many different countries (October).
• Cork Film Festival: held every year to celebrate the art of film and to support young film makers trying to enter the industry (October).