When it comes to planning your weekends during the summer season, you really are spoiled for choice. That’s why we’ve teamed up with Mastercard to bring you the ultimate event guide every weekend for the rest of the season.
Dublin
If your idea of fun is getting transformed into a walking (well, running, really) rainbow, then you’ll love the Rainbow Run in Dun Laoghaire harbour, which takes place this Saturday.
This unique run involves participants of all abilities and ages being doused from head to toe with coloured powder paint while they run, jog or walk along the scenic south Dublin pier, where at intervals along the route you will be bombarded with different colours until you cross the finish line and enter the colour festival covered in a kaleidoscope of pinks, blues, greens, yellows, purples, reds and every mixture of colours you can think of.
We recommend wearing white so you can really see the colours pop, and make sure to bring some sunglasses to cover your eyes… This is sure to be a brilliant spectacle for participants and passers-by. Teddys Ice Cream to finish, anyone?
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Smithfield Square will be transformed into an entertaining mixture of cultures and craic from across the globe this Saturday, as the annual BlueFire Street Fest returns, bringing live music, street performers, and lots of tasty food stalls.
The festival of world arts and culture will kick off from 2pm, with music from top notch acts including Farah Elle, a songwriter with an alternative pop sound influenced by an eclectic taste of genres; from hip hop to R&B and ska, featuring Arabian echoes from her Libyan background.
Workshops will also be held throughout the day, where you can brush up on intriguing skills such as Forró dance moves, studying how to be a class slam poet, developing your kick ass drumming beats, or discovering the latest DJ techniques, while a chilled out alfresco cafe area will be the perfect spot to eye up the exciting performances happening around you.
Vintage lovers and chilled out casual browsers alike will love whiling away an afternoon in one of Dublin’s best markets. On every Saturday from 12-6pm, the Ha’Penny flea has Vintage Clothes, Designer threads, Vinyl Records, Retro Furniture, and bangin’ music playing from speakers throughout the market to add a real buzz to your weekend.
Located in the Grand Social, this is the place to go to pick up some pre-loved vintage threads and add to your record collection - whether you’ll actually play them or choose to hang them up as hip artwork on your wall is completely up to you.
Top tip: pop across the road after you’ve perused the crafts to pick up some freshly baked bread from Il Fornaio Enoteca, a charming Italian bakery.
Whether you’re a trad music lover or someone who’ll listen to just about anything, the Fleadh and Fair event in Fingal will win you over with its easygoing atmosphere, and of course, great tunes.
The weekend will feature free workshops, concerts and talks by some of the biggest names in traditional Irish music, and Swords Castle will be at the heart of the event, opening with a very special concert featuring Mike McGoldrick, John Doyle & John McCusker and A Stór Mo Chroí.
A Session Trail around the town will feature performances by musicians from all over the country, whilst a busking competition on the main street will see young talent battle it out for a top cash prize.
The medieval grounds of Swords Castle (which are worth a stroll around any weekend), will host a programme of workshops, recitals and talks in the Séamus Ennis Arts Centre Marquee, which will be surrounded by a vibrant Fair of artisan food, drink & craft and a wide selection of musical instruments in the beautifully restored Chapel. Live music and fresh food, what’s not to love?
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Taste Club presents 'An Oyster Journey'
Did you know that you are only supposed to eat oysters in the months that contain an 'r'?
To celebrate the start of the Irish oyster season, Taste Club in partnership with Mastercard™ has teamed up with Cliff Town House and Urchin to bring you on a journey of Ireland on Wednesday 27th September. Taking a new approach to the traditional pairing menu, an oyster from each region is served with a specially designed taster cocktail to bring out its unique flavour and texture.
Created by Sean Smith, the signature platter focuses on the idea that ‘when you taste an oyster, you are experiencing the very place from where it was grown.’
Highlighting Ireland’s rich heritage and artisan producers, the Taste of Ireland platter includes six varieties of oysters served both fresh and grilled that bring taste buds alive, from the freshwater Carlingford Oyster prepared with full-bodied Castlebellingham Cheese and Oxtail to Flaggy Shore Oysters grilled with earthy tarragon and spinach.
Guests can book to enjoy the the Taste of Ireland platter, five taster cocktails, a selection of small bites and an oyster masterclass - sounds heavenly, doesn’t it?
Priority booking for Mastercard™ cardholders, spaces are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Galway
Clifden Arts Festival 2017
Now in its 40th year, the Clifden Arts Festival brings a fantastic range of arts events to one of Ireland’s prettiest villages, with a selection including traditional, lively Irish music, classical quartets, exceptional concerts, as well as invigorating comedy, spectacular theatre, inspiring talks and incredible visual arts exhibitions.
The festival will be on until the 24th September, with highlights of this weekend including a thrilling Aerial Workshop, where you will learn the basics of aerial cocoon work and be introduced to basic climbs, keys and short sequences as you swing from silks, as well as a must-see performance from RTE Concert Orchestra, featuring renowned flute player Sir James Galway, who collaborated on film soundtracks such as The Lord of the Rings, and partnered such popular artists as Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, Joni Mitchell and Sir Elton John.
This simple yet brilliant potluck event will change any naysayers view that vegan food is bland and boring, as people will share their best foodie creations whilst meeting new people and bonding over a shared love of non-animal products.
Hosted in Club Áras na nGael, the potluck is a mere €3 entry, with free tea and coffee and no entry fee for under 16s - perfect for any budding vegans out there. If the weather is nice there are plans to break out the BBQ, although indoor alternatives have been arranged in case of the typical temperamental Irish climate.
Organisers say that “you don’t have to be vegan to attend”, as long as you bring vegan dishes, and that there is “always an amazing variety of food – if you think vegans only eat lettuce you will be in for a shock!” Sounds like our sort of party.
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Cork
Cork International Short Story Festival 2017
Dedicated to the celebration of the short story, the festival showcases readings, literary forums and workshops.
Weekend events include readings from Tanya Farrelly & Sean O'Reilly, a public discussion with Thomas Morris, Rob Doyle, Danielle McLaughlin and Nuala O'Connor, moderated by Tania Hershman, on the state of the contemporary short story and a reading of short stories by American writer David Means, a regular contributor to The New Yorker and Harper's magazine.
Workshops will also take place in the form of a Fiction Masterclass and a Short Story Masterclass, which will guide both experienced writers and beginners alike towards a more structured approach to their work. Featuring some of Ireland’s brightest young writers, the Cork International Short Story Festival is a lovely way to spend a bookworm-ish weekend in Cork city, with plenty of bars and restaurants nearby venues for post-reading discussions. Always wanted to write that big novel? Consider this literary festival delight your inspiration.
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