Cork was bathed in sunshine and a festive atmosphere this weekend, as Ed Sheeran performed three sold-out concerts in the newly developed Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

Conor Healy, CEO of Cork Chamber, commented: “120,000 people visited Cork this weekend as Ed Sheeran kicked off his Irish tour with three sold-out concerts in Páirc Uí Chaoimh in what were the first major non-sporting event held in the stadium.”

“Having a performer of such calibre come to Cork is extremely exciting for everyone in the city and really highlights the strong demand for world class acts on Leeside. For businesses operating in the hospitality and services industry these concerts delivered a massive injection worth millions to our local economy after a challenging time with bad weather events in recent months.”

“This weekend’s concerts showed Cork city for what is can do and what it can offer. The cultural sector is worth millions annually to our economy and really adds to the vibrancy of Cork as a great place to live. With the availability of Páirc Uí Chaoimh to host leading international acts and the Events Centre development expected to get underway, we hope to see many more musicians and performers include Cork in their global tours going forward.”