What’s on around Ireland this weekend

Belfast Nashville Songwriters Festival

Celebrating its 10th anniversary, this year’s Belfast Nashville Songwriters festival will take place over 10 days in different venues around the city. The festival kicks off this evening with a performance from Donovan at 8.45pm in the Holiday Inn on Ormeau Avenue. Other festival performers include Gareth Dunlop, Bap Kennedy Band, Jim Lauderdale and Chip Taylor. The festival will be filmed and made into a one-hour television and radio special to be aired in the US.

Tickets range from €4-€15 and some events are free.

[ belfastnashville.com/  ]

Tedfest8 2014

"So we'll all meet every year at the end of February on a small island in the Atlantic." Father Ted fans from around the world congregated yesterday afternoon on Inishmore in the Aran Islands for this year's TedFest. Now in its eighth year, the festival attracts crowds of tourists dressed as priests, nuns, bishops, housekeepers, Elvis impersonators, milkmen and hairy babies. Festival organisers advise visitors to "head out of Galway and go slightly north until you see the English boats with the nuclear symbol on the side... for people without their own boat, these people will help you get there". The festival runs till Sunday March 2nd.

Tickets: €150 - includes entry to all Tedfest venues and events

[ tedfest.org/  ]

Dine in Dublin

Now in its 10th season, the Dine in Dublin food festival opened on February 24th and runs till Sunday March 2nd. The event celebrates the fantastic food on offer from the over forty restaurants participating, featuring a broad selection of well-known chefs. As part of the festival restaurants around the city are offering special deals including €10 off at Brasserie Sixty6, 10 per cent off at San Lorenzo’s and a free glass of Cava at Zaragoza.

[ dineindublin.ie/  ]

The Attacca Quartet Irish tour

These talented chamber musicians began their Irish tour on Thursday and will play at Christ Church Cathedral in Waterford at 7.30pm this evening. On Saturday evening they'll hold a recital at Triskel Christchurch in Cork followed by a performance at St Iberius church in Wexford on Sunday afternoon. The Attacca quartet was formed at the Julliard School in 2003 and made its professional debut in 2007. The programme for their Irish tour includes music from Bartok, Dvorak, Haydn and Stravinsky.

Tickets: €14 - €15

[ attaccaquartet.com  ]

Carnaval

On Sunday, Sweeney’s Bar on Dame Street in Dublin will be transformed into an ‘eclectic emporium’ of Latin Festivities for its first ever Carnaval event. The celebration of Latin, jazz and afro-funk music includes performances from The Books Brass Band, The Cuban All Stars, the New Latin percussionists and Manden express. Doors open at 8pm and admission is free.

[ www.sweeneysdublin.ie ]