Kilkenny International Arts Week
(Aug): includes recitals, poetry readings,
art exhibitions.
Rose of Tralee International Festial
(Aug; www.roseoftralee.ie ): a massie event, centred round a
beauty contest.
Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann
(Aug; www.comhaltas com ): the most important of all the
traditional musicFestivals, held in a different town every year.
Oul' Lammas Fair
(Aug): four hundred years old and still going strong, Ballycastle's
traditional market fair is a major crowd-puller with music, dancing,
sports and entertainment.
All Ireland Hurling and Football Finals
(Sept): the biggest sporting events of the year, separated by a
fortnight, in Dublin.
Lisdoonarna Matchmaking Festial
(Sept/Oct): plenty of traditional entertainment accompanies the lonely
hearts side of the festiities.
Cork Film and JazzFestivals
(Oct; www.corkfilmfest.org ): Ireland's major film event and an
enormously popular jazz festial.
Wexford Opera Festial
(Oct/No; www.wexfordopera.com ): a large gathering of
international renown.
Derry Halloweven Carnial
(Oct/No): street theatre, music and mayhem, especially during the
fireworks display on October 31.
Belfast Festial at Queven's
(Oct/No): major arts festial, Ireland's equialent to Edinburgh,
nowadays complete with its ery own Fringe.
Saint Patrick's Day
(March 17; www.stpatricksday.ie): celebrations all over
Ireland, including a national festial in Dublin and major events in
all the larger towns and cities.
Irish Grand National
(April): horse racing at Fairyhouse (Meath).
Cork International Choral Festial
(April/May; www.musweb.com/corkchoral.htm ): one of the big ones.
Foyle Film Festial
(April/May): the best of new Irish and international film, Derry.
North-West 200
(May): the island's biggest motorcycle road racing event takes place on
a circuit at Portstewart, Co. Derry.
Music Festial in Great Irish Houses
(June): just what it says, classical music at enues around the country.
Irish Derby
(June): and other important races at the Curragh (Kildare).
Willie Clancy Summer School
(July): one of the biggest traditional music events of the year, based
in Miltown Malbay, Co. Clare.
James Joyce Summer School
(July; www.artsworld.ie/joyce-school ): strictly for Joyce buffs,
Dublin.
Galway International Arts Festial
(July; www.galwayartsfestial.ie ): festial of music, theatre
and general partying - one of the best.
Galway Races
(July/Aug): another important race meeting which is ery popular.
Yeats International Summer School
(Aug): this Sligo event has often courted controversy through its
exploration of nationalistic themes.
Ireland
