And Very Briefly . . .

TOMORROW night in the Temple Bar Music Centre at 8 p.m. Big Issues vendors will take to the stage in East of Eden Quay, a variety show with music, dance, comedy and drama - phone 01-6708624/6708620 for tickets (all proceeds to the Big Issues Social Initiative)... Cork Arts Fest has appointed Tricia Harrington as Arts Officer responsible for the festival and the college's arts activity, the first appointment of its kind in an ... The Institut Francais has made Irish Times arts contributor Paul Ryan a knight of the Ordre des Arts et Lettres... The Verbal Arts Centre in Derry is running a series of meetings with writers, and tomorrow the poet and playwright Damien Gorman visits in association with the Creative Writers' Network... Briana Corrigan, formerly of The Beautiful South, sings with the wonderful French sounding Jeanette Byrne at the Da Club tomorrow night at 10 p.m. ... A midsummer concert of French music in aid of Cerebral Palsy Ireland, with guest soloists including Philippe Cassard and Finghin Collins, and a special backdrop painted by Stephen Walsh, who has cerebral palsy, will take place at the National Concert Hall on June 22nd - the organisation has been running a fascinating scheme which involves people suffering from the condition, in composing music with the aid of a music therapist and the Drake Music Project - information on 01 2695824...