Feis Maitiú Corcaigh runs for nine weeks, throughout which almost 15,000 participants take to the stage to compete in a range of artistic disciplines.
The Festival's founder became its first President, and while sparsely populated records fail to produce exact dates, it is believed that the position was held by an Fr Micheál for approximately 12 years, or four terms.
This festival, which has since ceased, was first hosted at Father Mathew Hall, and ran for a fortnight under the adjudication of Ria Mooney and Seán Neeson, the former of which was Principal of the Gaiety Theatre School of Acting.
Over the years, many internationally renowned adjudicators have presided at the Festival, most notably Sir Arnold Bax, the famed English composer and poet who is now buried at St Finbarr's Cemetery.
In an effort to continue the remarkable rate at which the Feis had advanced, the Capuchin Order took the decision to seek Br Paul's replacement from outside their ranks, something which had never before been done.
In 1984, the sixth President of Ireland, Dr Patrick Hillery, performed the official opening, and in doing so, paid tribute to the great cultural contribution that the Feis makes to the people of this island.
1994, the final year of Br Paul O'Donovan's tenure, coincided with a visit from Dr Hillery's successor, Mary Robinson.
Current leader of Fianna Fáil, Micheál Martin, has held a long affiliation with the Feis, and during his term in office, was instrumental in securing the state funding necessary to ensure the Festival's continued existence.
The festival caters to performers of all ages, but is particularly popular amongst those students and teachers involved in primary, secondary and third-level music and dramatic education.
He has adjudicated at Festivals in Ireland, the UK, Isle of Man, Jersey, Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka and Hong Kong with examining tours to South Africa, Singapore, Malaysia, India, Australia and New Zealand.
[15] Through its partnership with the Evening Echo,[16] an award-winning regional newspaper in Cork,[17] Feis Maitiú Corcaigh has garnered a media profile that few other festivals in the Federation enjoy.
Feis Maitiú Corcaigh shares this difficulty in many respects, but the burden is eased somewhat through grant aid from the Department of Education and Science with funding from the National Lottery.
The Civil War came about in 1983 when a separatist militant group known as the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam looked to create an independent state.