How do you start things with a bang, create a spectacle, catch people's attention in this jaded electronic age?
The organisers of Cork 2005 wanted to begin the city's year as European Capital of Culture with a bit of sparkle, and for the most part they did, creating a good-humoured vibe in the city. Despite storm-force winds and driving rain on Friday and through the night, and a miserable, rain-sodden day yesterday, Saturday was pleasant and fresh for the centrepiece events of the weekend.
Even as the official speeches and performance of Red Sun by 100 members of the Children's Chorus were still going on at City Hall on Saturday, the streets were starting to liven up. Outside City Hall, crowds lined the streets to watch the release of 2,005 white balloons from the roof and the military guns blazing.
The street carnival was mainly around Grand Parade, South Mall and the refurbished Patrick Street. Lots of streets and bridges were closed and earlier in the day the centre city was like a ghost town - but as the entertainment got under way, the life came back, and the daily commerce of the city seemed to continue around it even as large crowds gathered around performers, laughing and clapping.
There were 27 street entertainment acts (comprising 180 performers between them) doing their thing at different points over and over through the afternoon - stilt walkers, hairy gorillas, giant ostriches, samba bands, DJs, fire-jugglers, a guy in a gondola on roller-skates, and, of course, the ubiquitous drummers.
One odd Scottish group consisted of three kilted gents with long beards and drums, and another long-bearded chap with bagpipes. An English performer, Peach, had a good routine which included exploding a cabbage (you had to be there), which he called "a miracle of intense stupidity". Two ancient frost-encrusted Arctic explorers roped together wandered the streets. Crowds around many of the acts were deep and it was estimated yesterday that there were about 100,000 people in the city centre on Saturday.
But January days are short, and the carnival seemed to last only a couple of hours before starting to wind down as people began to make their way to the quays for the 5 p.m. highlight of the opening, Spraoi's giant serpent on the river and the fireworks.
The serpent didn't quite twist itself around bridges as expected, but comprised large, beautifully lit static contraptions floating on the water, to indicate sections of the beast or its tentacles.
Situating the Awakening event along the river was a good idea in terms of fitting lots of people (26,000 free ticket holders in well organised, uncrushed sections), but one obviously can't elevate a river, so it proved hard for many properly to see the performances.
Elsewhere in the city various projects were on show over the weekend for all comers, including a tea dance organised by the Cork Pops Orchestra, Estonian artists at Cork Vision Centre, Billy Foley at the Fenton, and Martin Finnin at the Vanguard.
In the National Sculpture Factory, the Cork Traveller Women Network, in the persons of Brigid Carmody and Mary O'Sullivan, was displaying its impressive year-long project, a traditional barrel-topped caravan, which nine Traveller groups in the city have been working to build, decorate and kit out.
