The country's largest alcohol-free music festival takes place this weekend.

Hype Youth Fest gets underway on the grounds of St Mel's College in Longford this afternoon (4pm).

The festival which hopes to prove that teenagers don't need drink or drugs to have fun, is expecting a crowd of around 4,000.

The idea is the brainchild of the Foróige youth club network which works with 12-18-year-olds around the country.

Chairperson of the festival Ruth McGarry Quinn spoke to us as she was setting up yesterday: