An evening to light up the Lee

Cork: Capital of Culture: Coming after the civic function to mark the passing of the designation of European Capital of Culture from Cork to Patros in Greece, the weekend's "Journey of Light" seems richly metaphorical in conception.

The smoothly unfolding festivities of this last month owe a great deal to what seems to be a cordial relationship between the director of the closing ceremonies Dr Martin Barrett (also responsible for the grand opening) and Joe Kennelly, acting director of Cork 2005 in the temporary absence on medical grounds of John Kennedy.

This light-themed celebration, spread over several weeks, had its major public involvement yesterday, when groups of 200 people at a time were to be led on a slow, stage-by-stage journey along the banks of the north channel of the river Lee.

Director Niall Horgan designed a procession led by light-bearers representing the sun and the moon (or in a more fanciful interpretation good and evil) from point to point.

Each space was identified according to the seven stages of life, the seven colours of the rainbow, the seven sacraments or even seven chakras - free-flowing applies to interpretation as well as to progress.

Moving through jugglers, flame-throwers, young actors, circus performers, belly-dancers, samba bands, angels and demons, choirs and singers (including Deirdre Kennedy and Nóirín Ní Riain with Eoin and Micheál Ó Súilleabháin), each group was to gather again at St Mary's Church on the north bank.

In rehearsals the splendid portico was bathed in blue light from stage gantries, the pillars coloured in contrast, with the choirs Seraphim and Madrigal 75 established on the broad steps above a cauldron blazing in blue surrounded by six lesser flames.

There is also a labyrinth - the theme of this week's city-centre events beginning on Wednesday - where the Crux Dance Theatre Company were to re-enact the legend of Theseus and the Minotaur.

Nearby is a shrine - surrounded by a fence imprinted with the faces of Cork's greatest citizens - created as the depository for the public's light-sticks, laid close to Christy Ring Bridge.

Martin Barrett says the labyrinth is used as the symbol of a journey, a universal image which also had the power to unify. But, he added, "we also wanted people just to have some great fun!"

"Labyrinths of Light", which continues until December 21st, will provide more of that with its involvement of schools and community groups, and there is a general sense of expectation that the closing ceremonies themselves, concentrated on December 31st, will bring an embracing sense of public entertainment and achievement. There will be three performances of the sound spectacle "New Beat" at the City Hall (free but ticketed) beginning at noon, and the year comes formally to an end with a fireworks display launched from the hills around Collins Barracks on the north side of the city and visible - we are promised - from all over Cork.

That at least will again light up the city, suffering at the moment from the elegant illuminations along Patrick Street, so discreet as to be invisible from any distance, and having nothing to do with Christmas. They are, in fact, designed as "street enhancements" and part of the overall redesign of the street by the Spanish architect Beth Gali.

Cork isn't quite ready for this seasonal good taste, and the hope must be that next year the street traders will re-assert their own colourful priorities.