A BUSY line-up of sporting, artistic and cultural events this weekend includes the opening of the first Chinese Film Festival.
The event, with screenings in Dublin, Cork and Galway, is being run as part of the Dublin Chinese New Year Festival which opened on February 1st.
The highlight of the film festival will be the world premiere of Blood Oath, starring Gong Li tomorrow week, but there is still plenty to get excited about this weekend.
Chinese films will be shown at the Screen cinema and Irish Film Institute in Dublin and also at the Town Hall Theatre in Galway tomorrow and in Cork, in association with the Confucius Institute, at University College Cork.
This weekend will also host, arguably the most important event of the entire Chinese New Year Festival in Ireland with today’s special carnival.
This year is the Chinese year of the rabbit and the festival organisers, in association with Dublin City Council, will be running events in Wolfe Tone Park, Jervis Street, from noon to 5pm to celebrate, including traditional Chinese acts.
Elsewhere around the country, festivities are set to be somewhat more traditionally Irish.
In Cork, UCC will host its annual Trad Fest.
Events will include free lunchtime concerts, a céilí, music sessions, a battle of the trad bands competition and many other concerts.
In Belfast, Féile an Earraigh will host the Red Hot Chilli Pipers and Capercaillie at 8pm in the Bank Square Marquee on Saturday and Sunday night respectively.
It is also a big weekend for sport across the country as the Allianz National Football League gets under way with games in several counties today and tomorrow.
Ireland’s opening game against Italy in the Six Nations will top the list for many sports fans. It is also Superbowl weekend, the highlight of the American sports calendar, and many local pubs are hosting special Superbowl parties to celebrate.