Upcoming Events

Please let us know if you have any events planned - we would be happy to publicise them here

26 May 2013 - Lough Cutra Castle Triathlon (Galway)

Event: Lough Cutra Castle Triathlon Date: Sunday 26 May 2013 Venue: Lough Cutra Castle, Gort, Co. Galway Time: All day from 8am Type: Triathlon, adult and childrens races (Triathlon Ireland Sanctioned) Charity: Sunni Mae Foundation and Coole Football Club Web: www.loughcutratri.ie Description Lough Cutra Castle Triathlon is a great day out for all the family with races for everyone - 3 kids races (8-10, 11-12 and 13-15 year olds), 3 adult distances(Olympic, Mid Distance and the introductory Sprint). You can take part as an individual, as part of a family or as part of a relay team. This is a wonderful, friendly event which is particularly encouraging for first time triathletes and children. The entire children's races take part within the Castle grounds - the swim is in the lake, the cycle around the grounds and the run in woodland and finishing right in front of the fairytale Castle. The adult swim and run are in the estate, the cycle is around local roads. This is a Triathlon Ireland sanctioned event. It is also part of the Kids Tri Series, and part of Castle Triathlons which holds four other triathlon events in England and France. The local charity partners are The Sunni Mae Trust and Coole Football Club. Please support them if you can.

07 June 2013 - International Quilt Festival of Irelland (Galway)

The 2nd International Quilt Festival takes place this June in Galway City. This festival is completely outside the box in its design, as a traditional Irish Quilter's Village will be created especially for the event. As you walk around, you are sure to run into the village's very charming mayor and the town crier, who announces activities and events taking place throughout the day. You may even find Molly Malone pushing her cart and selling fat quarters! There will be specially chosen companies offering their goods and services, quilt workshops, medieval banquets and, of course, hundreds of beautiful quilts in uniquely designed exhibits. Some of these exhibits include actors, sets, music and even different aromas. All of your senses will be activated and your soul will be touched as you stroll from exhibit to exhibit. See website for details.

09 June 2013 - Galway Film Fleadh (Galway)

The Galway Film Fleadh is Ireland's leading international film festival. Each July it welcomes to Galway City a diversity of filmmaking from around the world. The Fleadh is above all a film lover's festival and it attracts directors, actors, cinematographers and artists of all ages and cultural backgrounds. Celebrating its 25th year in 2013, the Galway Film Fleadh continues to focus on bringing together audiences and filmmakers within an intimate environment, and sharing the wonder of cinema. The Fleadh's diverse audience is made up of the general cinema-going public, film buffs, student filmmakers, industry professionals and special guests. The star-studded list of past guests is dazzling, including such greats as Peter O'Toole, Woody Harrelson, Maureen O'Hara, Michael Moore and Anjelica Huston. In addition to the screenings, there will be master-classes, public interviews, debates, tributes and retrospectives, making the Galway Film Fleadh Ireland's busiest film event.

15 June 2013 - Open Water Swim Swim Accross Lough Key Lake (Roscommon)

Open Water Swimmer will be running two lake swims, one of 750 metres and 1.5 kilometres, around the Castle Island in Lough Key, from 8am to 1pm. Open to all. Following on from last year's great event Open Water Swimmer will be holding another swimming event in Lough Key, giving you another chance to 'lap the castle'. Lough Key is the first of four nationwide events Open Water Swimmer Ireland will be holding during the summer of 2013. If you are setting yourself a new challenge, or practicing for your own chosen sport, join this event in the confidence that you are part of a professional operation. Being held in one of Ireland's waterway gems and getting so much in your competitor bag it's an outdoor event not to be missed. See website for details.

21 June 2013 - Sea Sessions (Donegal)

The best surf and music festival in Ireland. Party beside the sea featuring the best rock and dance music. 'Sea Sessions' is a unique boutique festival in a unique location. Watch the best surfers in Europe battle for top prize and then watch the sun go down as the music gets going. The festival is on in the town centre, so you can walk to all the events from your hotel, guesthouse or campsite.

24 June 2013 - Carrick-On-Shannon Water Music Festival (Leitrim)

The week long Carrick-on-Shannon Water Music Festival features the Lakelands Gala Proms as one of its highlight events. Directed by world class conductor, Fergus Shiel, the proms has become an annual 'must-see' for lovers of classical music, with its rich format of popular classics delivered by a superb 30 piece orchestra and singers of the highest international calibre. This prestigious festival is also renowned for featuring major international artists across all music genres from rock to jazz and from traditional to world music. Children and families are actively encouraged with many daytime activities such as puppet shows, interactive music shows and street entertainment laid on to occupy even the most energetic and enthusiastic child.

05 July 2013 - Ennis Street Festival (Clare)

The 8th edition of Ennis Street Festival will bring all the local community out onto the streets of Ennis town to celebrate the many cultures and artistic ways that make Ennis such a special place, with an exciting, exhilarating and colourful mix of music, dance, visual arts, theatre, puppets shows, arts exhibitions, workshops at Glór Theatre, acrobatics, street art, art & craft market and the duck race, put together by both national and international artists and local community groups. It’s fantastic chance for whole families to join us for 3 amazing days of fun , art, cultural heritage and festivities, we have worked hard to ensure that this arts festival is accessible to everyone and you are guaranteed wonderful memories when visiting our beautiful town.

06 July 2013 - Willy Clancy Summer School (Clare)

The annual Willie Clancy Summer School is now in its 41st year. It was established to promote the study and practice of Irish traditional music, song and dance. The school provides tuition on the following instruments: uilleann pipes, tin-whistle, wooden flute, fiddle, button accordion, melodeon, concertina, banjo, harmonica and harp. There are 10 dance classes, including Conamara Sean-Nos, Old Step-Dances, and a variety of Set-Dances. The singing workshop involves lectures and demonstrations on the Irish and English language song traditions. There is a week long course examining the historical/cultural background of Irish traditional music. The structure of the day is: 10am to 1pm: classes and workshops; 3pm: lectures; 5pm to 7pm: recitals; 8pm to 10 pm: recitals; 9.30pm to 1am: set dance céilís. There are recitals on: pipes, fiddle, concertina, whistle and flute, accordion and melodeon, banjo, harp, harmonica, singing and set and solo dance demonstrations.

07 July 2013 - Moville Vintage Car Rally and Road Run (Donegal)

Moville Vintage Car rally is the longest established vintage show in the north west of Ireland and July 2013 will see Moville hosting its 39th annual event. The show has grown from an initial dozen cars in the early years to one of the largest vintage shows in the county with up to 150 cars on display at current shows. Moville's main street and square are vacated on the day to accommodate the large vintage attendance which is from both northern and southern Ireland. The Foyle ferry has played a major part in recent years in greatly boosted figures especially from the Causeway Coast area with exhibitors from as far away as Ballymena. This is a perfect family day out with an admission free event and something to entertain people of all ages. It's also an excellent social gathering and an opportunity to reminisce of past times as they view the vintage display that symbolize up to 3 generations. The quality and condition of the vintage and classic vehicles is exceptional and a result of the pride with which exhibitors have in their prize possession. So if you are visiting Donegal or Derry in early July, this is an event well worth a visit and guaranteed not to disappoint. The sea side town of Moville also offers many other attractions, landmarks and entertainment to engage and enthral visitors.

10 July 2013 - The 5th International Percy French Festival (Roscommon)

The Percy French Festival – The French Connection - in association with Roscommon County Council and to coincide with The Gathering Ireland takes place from the 10th – 12th July 2013. Set in the wonderful historic Georgian building of Castlecoote house in French’s native Roscommon we have an exciting and diverse programme of lectures, recitals, poems, monologues, music and paintings celebrating the life and times of the multi-talented William Percy French. The Festival features prominent speakers covering the historical and sociological context of his life and work.

15 July 2013 - Galway Arts Festival (Galway)

Galway Arts Festival has presented many leading international theatre and dance companies including The National Theatre of Great Britain, Royal Court Theatre, Michael Clark Dance Company, Hofesh Shechter Dance Company, and National Theatre of Scotland (UK); Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Stephen Petronio Dance Company, New York Theatre Workshop and Hubbard Street Dance (USA); Canada's Robert Lepage; Australia's Circa; and works regularly with leading Irish companies including Galway's Druid Theatre Company. The Landmark Productions and Galway Arts Festival production of the multi-award winning Misterman by Enda Walsh, starring Cillian Murphy, which premiered at Festival 2011 toured to New York in November/December 2011 and recently to the National Theatre, London in April/May 2012. The festival has presented the work of seminal artists across other art forms including Bill Viola, Henri Matisse, Josef Albers, Joni Mitchell, David Mach, Marina Abramovic, Cormac McCarthy, David Hockney, Kronos Quartet and Philip Glass amongst many others. A major festival exhibition The Road by Hughie O'Donoghue toured to Prague in Winter 2011.

25 July 2013 - Boyle Arts Festival (Roscommon)

Boyle Arts Festival is a magnificent festival gem with an emphasis on small, intimate events in historically an d architecturally interesting buildings. Blossoming into an annual 10 day event, it has built a significant reputation, earning it a place as one of Ireland's best celebrations of the arts each summer. While music and art continue to be the cornerstones on which the festival established its reputation, other events catered for include drama, film, literature and storytelling, comedy, singers nights and street theatre and an appealing mix of workshops and childrens programmes. In recent years local art exhibitions, pop-up galleries and craft trails have been incorporated into the town to utilise vacant premises and truly enliven a spirit of community and creativity. Making art accessible to all, Boyle Arts Festival is renowned for punching well above its weight and offering festival goers superb value for money.

02 August 2013 - Mullaghmore Sessions (Sligo)

The first Mullaghmore Sessions music festival took place in Mullaghmore, Co. Sligo in 2012. The bands featured included the best of local and national talent all taking to the main stage in the festival marquee. The 2013 event, set in the seaside village of Mullaghmore, will be a four day celebration of music and song embracing the very best of local and national rock, folk and chart sounds. Big name Irish artists will take to the stage along with the cream of the emerging music scene for four nights of summer festival music in a stunning location. See website for more details.

11 August 2013 - Ballinamore Family Festtival (Leitrim)

The 47th Ballinamore Family Festival offers 8 days and nights of free children's events, free open air concerts by some of Ireland's biggest bands and brilliant entertainment all week long. The festival is one of the top family festivals in the north west of Ireland and was set up to promote Ballinamore as a tourist friendly town and to encourage members of the community who had emigrated to return and reconnect with friends and family. In 2011, the festival won an 'Arts and Entertainment' award in the north west region for having the best programme of events in the 5 counties involved. All events for children are free at Ballinamore Family Festival which includes children's fancy dress, mural painting, Wii competition, drawing competition, handwriting competition, football, treasure hunt, tiny tots disco and much more. The adults aren't forgotten about either, with free open air concerts nightly on the main stage platform, (2012 acts included Nathan Carter, Mick Flavin, and Patrick Feeney). There are also table quizzes, an agricultural show, road races, football, dodge ball, historical tours, ladies night out, binocular soccer, adult fancy dress and much more.

18 August 2013 - Letterkenny Live (Donegal)

Letterkenny Live 2013 is a live music festival over two days with headline bands playing on the gig rig in Letterkenny. The event will feature leading Irish bands and artists accompanied by local up and coming acts. During the day, there will be family friendly events. Local venues throughout the town will provide live music for their customers and visitors. Headline acts will be announced in early 2013

15 September 2013 - Carrick-On-Shannon Literary Heritage Week (Leitrim)

Carrick-On-Shannon Literary Heritage Week is a celebration of the fact that the River Shannon, Carrick town and the surrounding countryside have been the source of inspiration for several literary figures. In keeping with 'Carrick 400' in 2013, Carrick-on-Shannon's 400th anniversary of its royal charter in 1613, the Carrick-on-Shannon and District Historical Society will present a series of events focussing on the literary contributions of men and women born in, or associated with, Leitrim's county town since the late 1800s (and earlier). Turlough O'Carolan, a blind harper considered 'the last bard' lived in Carrick as a youth where his father was blacksmith to the St. George Family. Nora J. Murray, writer and national school teacher born in Carrick, was arrested around 1915 and charged with sedition for teaching songs from the Gaelic tradition to her young students. Canon William J. Slater, rector of St. George's Church of Ireland, was a wonderful story writer and author who contributed numerous pieces on a regular basis to the Leitrim Observer newspaper, while M.J MacManus, son of Carrick workhouse's matron and master of the workhouse school, went on to become a widely respected author, journalist and editor of the Irish Press.

20 September 2013 - Green Door Weekend (Leitrim)

Green-Door is run by Inspirational Homes. A festival of rural architecture, it takes place throughout the counties of Leitrim and Sligo. Homes with eco and design credentials are open to the public for the weekend, along with other building themed events, debates, workshops and films. A comprehensive programme details the homes open to the public, giving maps and co-ordinates. The other activities are spread around the county and provide great inspiration for a weekend in Leitrim.

04 October 2013 - East Clare Walking Festival (Clare)

Come along to the East Clare Walking Festival and experience & marvel at the wild beauty of the area. There will be 3 graded/guided walks and a boat trip/guided walk on Holy Island daily, as well as family walks in Whitegate & many East Clare villages on Sunday. This festival will be based in the beautiful Harbour Village of Mountshannon and will centre around the East Clare Way, which is a National Waymarked Walking Route. This year there will be a Special Boat Trip/Guided Walk on Holy Island and also a Sunday Afternoon Family Walk on the Whitegate/Williamstown Harbour Loop. Family walks will also take place in other villages of East Clare. All walks will be guided/graded, will take in some of the great natural wild beauty of East Clare and there will be something suitable for walkers of all abilities and ages. There will be walks near Slieve Aughty and Slieve Bearnagh including the magnificent scenery of Lough Derg and Lough Graney.

07 October 2013 - CraftFest Northwest (Sligo)

Indoors and outdoors, Sligo residents and visitors will be treated to stunning displays and demonstrations of contemporary and traditional crafts as Sligo launches its 3rd Craftfest Northwest in 2013. The weekend festival promises free exhibitions, workshops, demonstrations and masterclasses throughout Sligo. During Craftfest Northwest 2013, you can visit an exhibition indoors, or enjoy walking down the streets and spotting outdoor 'urban knitting' exhibits. If you feel inspired to 'view or do', come along and try a craft for the first time, or dust off long abandoned knitting or sewing needles, chisels or modelling clay and enjoy a range of workshops and masterclasses designed to keep everyone inspired and busy. To celebrate the Gathering 2013 Craftfest Northwest will create a street exhibition with flocks of birds, not unlike visitors to Sligo who migrate from sunnier climes to visit these beautiful western shores. This activity fun filled weekend will be attractive to individuals, groups and families, there is something for all ages and abilities.

21 October 2013 - Ennis Fashion Week (Clare)

Ennis Fashion Week is a festival of fashion with in-store and evening events including health and beauty seminar, fashion shows and competitions, showcasing Ennis as 'the Boutique capital of Ireland'. Ennis has a unique set of mostly independently owned boutiques, including ladies fashions, children's wear, shoe stores, menswear, lingerie, jewellers, pharmacies, beauticians, hair salons and sportswear. This makes for a very Irish 'high-street' and make Ennis a really interesting place to visit if you are shopping for something different. Ennis, known as "The Boutique Capital of Ireland", brings its wide range of unique retailers together for a series of special events and in-store promotions for customers bringing the whole town together for some stylish activities. Main events and fringe events combine over the festival to create an inclusive, exciting and innovative festival.

23 October 2013 - Sligo Live (Sligo)

Sligo Live Sessions is a national festival celebrating traditional, roots and acoustic music. Now in its eight year, it has carved out a niche as one of the most relaxed, intimate and enjoyable music festivals in Ireland. Sligo Live Sessions is a modern continuation of a long and distinguished musical heritage going back hundreds and maybe thousands of years. It has been shown that the first inhabitants came to Sligo over five thousand years ago and who would bet that the incredable beauty of Sligo did not inspire them to sing, dance and play music! The distinctive Sligo music style is renowned worldwide for its ‘lift’ – a traditional term to describe the uplifting spirit it conveys. The musical program presented in Sligo Live will reflect the verve, authenticity and quality of Sligo’s music.

23 October 2013 - Galway Comedy Festival (Galway)

Annual International Comedy Festival presenting stellar comedy headliners in multiple venues in Galway city. The programme is carefully chosen to bring both top award-winning comedy stars from around the world and up-and-coming talent to Galway over the October bank holiday weekend. Previous festival headliners include Dylan Moran, Tim Minchin, Sean Hughes, Sean Lock, Ardal O'Hanlon, Tommy Tiernan, Des Bishop, Reginald D. Hunter, Phill Jupitus, Rich Hall, Jason Byrne, Colin Murphy, Abandoman, The Boy with Tape on his Face and many more. GCF strives to set exceptionally high standards as a curated, rather than a submissions festival. Each act is carefully chosen and many shows are Irish Premieres. The festival features over 50 different shows and is held over the October bank holiday weekend in multiple venues throughout Galway City. The programme details are announced in early September 2013. More details on the website.