The All-Ireland hurling final is looming, and while it may take over Dublin (plus Cork and Clare) for the weekend, it is not the only event to look forward to over the next few days – especially if you have no interest in sliotars and hurls.
In Dublin, The Sugar Wife is finishing up at the Abbey Theatre on Saturday, or alternatively head to 2:22 – A Ghost Story starring Laura Whitmore, Colin O’Donoghue, Shona McGarty and Jay McGuiness in the 3Olympia Theatre, running until August 11th.
Riverdance is running at the Gaiety Theatre until September 8th, but if it is a small business market you are after, head to Summerween by Rotten Rouge on Sunday in Wigwam, with a tarot reader, a book swap, and vendors selling arts, crafts, prints, stickers, homewares, jewellery and accessories – to name a few.
Damien Dempsey takes to the stage in Dublin’s Iveagh Gardens this weekend – though Saturday’s concert seems to be sold out, tickets are still available for Friday. Alternatively, Paloma Faith also plays the Iveagh Gardens on Sunday, with tickets available on ticketmaster.ie.
If you are into traditional music, head to Wexford’s Fringe Fleadh on Sunday at the Gorey Market House Festival, where the town will ignite with a foot stomping session in advance of Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann.
As part of Earagail Arts Festival in Co Donegal, Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin and the Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh Trio will be playing a concert on Sunday in Letterkenny’s Regional Cultural Centre.
On the other side of the country, for those of you not heading to Croker, on Friday Seán Kyne will be playing in Abbeystrewry Church in Skibbereen, Co Cork, while on Sunday, Amigo the Devil take to Cyprus Avenue.
Likewise, for those in the banner county who are not interested in the prospect of the Liam MacCarthy coming home again, the Peadar Clancy Festival presents a family fun day on Saturday at Colmeen GAA pitch in Co Clare with bouncy castles, a barbeque, a raffle, inflatable darts, face painting and lots more.
The date of this fun day was originally supposed to be Sunday, but of course it was changed to accommodate the hurling.
There are many events taking place this weekend in Galway as part of the city's International Arts Festival. Mark O’Rowe’s play Reunion is showing in the Black Box Theatre until July 27th, while UK dance act Leftfield play the Heineken Big Top on Friday before Irish DJ Annie Mac on Sunday.
Endgame, by Samuel Beckett, directed by Garry Hynes, plays until July 28th at Galway’s Town Hall Theatre, or you could head to the Tiny Traders Village in the city centre every weekend of the summer, or to their pop-up in the festival village daily throughout the duration of the Arts Festival.
Forest Fest takes Co Laois this weekend, with music from The Cult, The Human League and Ocean Colour Scene among others, plus family entertainment, circus and street theatre, drumming workshops, street food, craft beers, a cocktail bar and a funfair.
Misery will be brought to Waterford – and at least one county in Munster – this weekend, with TheatreVamps presenting the play based on Stephen King’s novel in the Theatre Royal for two nights on July 19th and 20th.
Head to the funfair in Bray, Co Wicklow, which runs from Saturday until the August bank holiday (except for July 29th and 30th), or head to the Beach Barbeque festival, also in Bray, this Saturday and Sunday.
Ballybunion Arts Festival takes place this weekend too. Based in the Co Kerry coastal town, the festival features a family-friendly experience encapsulated by fun, entertainment and artistic engagement. Highlights include hula hooping, provided you are under 106 years old, a live podcast by Bressie, workshops, Gaeilge and music by Ger O’Donnell and Trevor Sexton.
You can be brought back in time by a magical professor in the Jurassic Roar show in Castlebar, Co Mayo on Saturday, featuring animatronic technology, and award-winning puppetry in an entertaining and educational show featuring realistic dinosaurs.
So fear not, whether it's misery or music, education or accessories you are after, you will find it somewhere this weekend.
