Other festival fun

This year The Cat Laughs is presenting a new venue - a mobile one that on closer inspection looks just like a bus. The idea is to give people an alternative view of Kilkenny on a 50-minute bus ride that starts at the Parade and finishes up at the new Cat Laughs pub. Conductors providing the commentary will be any of Rich Hall, Dom Irrera, Owen O'Neill or Phil Kay. There'll be four bus rides a day, starting at 1 p.m. and finishing at 7 p.m. The ticket costs £10 and includes a beer voucher.

Away from the main event, there's a Cartoon Festival taking place at different venues around the town. A highly impressive bunch of cartoonists will be exhibiting their work, with Gary Trudeau, creator of the world-famous Doonesbury cartoons, topping the bill. Also in attendance are the Guardian's Steve Bell, roving freelance Martin Rowson (the Scotsman and Sunday Tribune), the Daily Mail's Mac, Graeme Keyes (Phoenix magazine and the Evening Herald), The Irish Times's Martyn Turner, veteran UK caricaturist and illustrator Ralph Steadman, Tom Mathews (Hot Press and The Irish Times) and the team behind Viz magazine.

Taking up residence in the Hotel Kilkenny this year are the freeform American improv team of Colin Mochrie (from Whose Line Is It Anyway), Kathy Kinney (from the Drew Carey show), Sean Masterson, Julie Larson and Bob Koherr. There's also an Irish improv team in town made up of Ian Coppinger, Eddie Bannon, Brendan Dempsey, Paul Tylak and Joe Rooney. After finishing their respective gigs each night, the two teams come together for an Ireland v US improv battle each night. Bring your own flag.

The Murphys Cat Laughs festival runs from June 3rd to 9th. For further information, and to book tickets for the shows, ring the Cat Laughs box office on 056-63837. There's an accommodation hotline on 056-64387, and you can find out about travel arrangements to/from Kilkenny from Ianrod Eireann on 01-8366222 or Bus Eireann on 01-8366111. Any further enquiries should be directed to the Festival Office on 056-63207.