Ireland (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Fionn Davenport [621]
FEBRUARY
Jameson Dublin International Film Festival ( 01-872 1122; www.dubliniff.com) The island’s biggest film festival, with local flicks, arty international films and advance releases of mainstream movies, runs during the last two weeks of the month.
MARCH
St Patrick’s Day (17 March; 01-676 3205; www.stpatricksday.ie) Ireland erupts into one giant celebration on 17 March. The biggest party is in Dublin, where the streets reverberate with a cacophony of parades, fireworks and light shows for five days around 17 March. Over 250,000 attend. Cork, Armagh and Belfast also have parades; elsewhere, festivities are less ostentatious.
APRIL
Circuit of Ireland International Rally (www.circuitofireland.net) Known locally as ‘the Circuit’, this rally car race, held over the Easter weekend, begins and ends in Northern Ireland but takes in chunks of the Republic, too.
Irish Grand National (www.fairyhouseracecourse.ie) The showcase race in the national hunt season takes place at the County Meath racetrack on Easter Monday.
World Irish Dancing Championships ( 01-475 2220) About 4000 dancers from all over the globe compete in late March or early April. The location varies from year to year.
MAY
Cork International Choral Festival ( 021-421 5125; www.corkchoral.ie) One of Europe’s premier choral festivals, with the winners going on to the Fleischmann International Trophy Competition; held over four days from the first Monday of May.
North West 200 ( 9076 0066; www.northwest200.org) Ireland’s most famous road race is also the country’s biggest outdoor sporting event; 150,000-plus people line the triangular route to cheer on some of the biggest names in motorcycle racing. Held in mid-May.
Fleadh Nua ( 01-280 0295; www.comhaltas.ie) Absorb a week of traditional music as Ennis, County Clare, hosts one of the country’s most important festivals during the third week of the month.
Irish Open Golf Championship ( 041-988 1530; www.countylouthgolfclub.com) Not as prestigious as the European Open, it still manages to attract its fair share of top European names. Takes place over four days around late May at the County Louth Golf Club, Baltray.
Cat Laughs ( 056-776 3837; www.thecatlaughs.com) Kilkenny gets very, very funny from late May into early June with the country’s best comedy festival, attracting the cream of local and international talent.
JUNE
Irish Derby ( 045-441 205; www.curragh.ie) The best flat race in the country is run during the first week of the month at the County Kildare course. A great occasion for racing fans and people with fancy hats.
Bloomsday ( 01-878 8547; www.jamesjoyce.ie) Edwardian dress and breakfast of ‘the inner organs of beast and fowl’ are but two of the elements of the Dublin festival celebrating June 16th, the day on which Joyce’s Ulysses takes place; the real highlight is retracing Leopold Bloom’s daily steps.
Wexford Opera Festival ( 053-912 2400; www.wexfordopera.com) Ireland’s premier festival of classical music and opera runs for two weeks in early June in Johnstown Castle.
Lismore Festival of Travel Writing ( 058 53803; www.lismoreimmrama.com) Although clearly impossible to teach(!), heaven’s gift is explained in mid-June through presentations and workshops by top international writers (none of whom worked on this particular book).
JULY
Killarney Summerfest ( 064-667 1560; www.killarneysummerfest.com) From kayaking to street theatre and gigs by international artists, this two-week extravaganza in the first half of July literally has something for everybody.
Willie Clancy Summer School ( 065-708 4281; www.setdancingnews.net/wcss/) Six days of intense traditional music workshops, gigs and pub sessions in Miltown Malbay, County Clare; the best players in the world generally show up.
Oxegen (www.oxegen.ie)