Five Irish Festivals 

Whether you are seeking an adrenaline rush, some enjoyable music, horse racing or drama these 5 Irish events are happening this summer. 

A City and A Garden

Commissioned by Sounds from a Safe Harbour in association with Body & Soul, this event is presented as part of Brightening Air, a nationwide, ten-day season of arts experiences brought to you by the Arts Council.Visitors will be able to discover the stories and songs hidden in the trees and bricks of our city spaces through smartphone technology; interwoven narratives and soundscapes that envelop you as you walk down a Cork city street or through the National Botanic Gardens in Dublin. Danny Denton, a literary curator, has chosen four excellent writers to create new stories. Follow Gavin Corbett or Melatu-Uche Okorie throughout the National Botanic Gardens, or Louise Hegarty's narrative from North Mall in Cork to Bells Field. Walk with Lisa McInerney from The Shakey Bridge to Red Abbey Square. This festival is ideal for some family fun for a true immersion in Irish Culture. For more visit soundsfromasafeharbour.com

Red Bull Cliff Dive

On September 12, Ireland will host a leg of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series 2021. Downpatrick Head on Ireland's West Coast, surrounded by rugged coastal terrain, high cliffs, and breath-taking ocean views along the Atlantic Coast, will play home to the world's finest cliff divers for the event's sixth Irish touchdown. After three visits to Inis Mór and a 2019 appearance in front of 150,000 fans in Dun Laoghaire Harbour, the World Series returns to the West, where the Atlantic seas will once again challenge these gifted athletes to their utmost. The world's best cliff divers will be written into modern history as the first to leap, twist, and somersault from breath-taking heights of up to 27m and at speeds over 85km/h. With no protection other than their concentration, skill, and physical control, before meeting the wild Atlantic below, in a location steeped in Irish folklore and ancient history. Visit redbullcliffdiving.com.

Bantry and Beyond

Bantry and Beyond, the virtual manifestation of the West Cork Chamber Music Festival, will take place this year through to Sunday, July 25. The festival has gone to the musicians since the Festival musicians were unable to come to Bantry. Festival-goers will transform into virtual tourists visiting places across Europe and the United States. The thirty Festival concerts will begin with four themed weekend performances, before transitioning to daily performances from Friday, June 25 to Sunday, July 4, followed by a five-concert coda later in July. The performances will be broadcast live on the website ourconcerts.live. Great music in the hands of great musicians is always an intoxicating mix. A virtual recording by top production companies has one advantage over the live concert, namely the close-up intimacy of the performance, a front-row experience, with quality audio. A day of craic and ceoil for music lovers. For tickets visit westcorkmusic.ie.

Kildare Derby Festival 

The Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Festival of Racing featuring the Dubai Duty-Free Irish Derby at the historic Curragh Racecourse is one of the most highly anticipated horse racing and social events of the summer, and it usually draws large audiences. For the second year in a row, however, racing will be behind closed doors - it takes place June 25-27. The festival which runs alongside the Derby begins on June 20 . Jand features live and virtual events, including a kite show over the festival weekend. Family day is June 20 with racing (the human version), new cycling routes and the Racing Legends Exhibition, located in the old Court House and open to the public throughout the festival week. The exhibition has some rarely seen memorabilia of great trainers, owners, jockeys and racing families from The Curragh. Visit kildarederbyfestival.ie. 

Galway International Arts Festival

Landmark Productions and Galway International Arts Festival (GIAF) are partnering once more to bring a new play by acclaimed playwright Enda Walsh. Medicine, starring actor Domhnall Gleeson, Medicine’s world premiere performance will be at the prestigious Edinburgh International Festival in August prior to its opening at GIAF 2021 in September. Domhnall Gleeson is accompanied by a strong cast including Clare Barrett, Aoife Duffin, and drummer Sean Carpio. Medicine is a humorous and sad commentary on how we have historically treated persons labelled as mentally ill and the performance “shatters the boundary between cast and audience“ where the laughter and interaction of those watching becomes part of the play. Medicine runs at the Black Box Theatre, Galway, from 2 - 18 September 2 - 18. Visit giaf.ie