Druids, hurlers and harpers compete for holiday crowds

TODAY sees the end of the week long Galway Races, the traditional harbinger of autumn. But summer is still in spate around the country this weekend, with the traditional Irish pursuits of hurling, harping and even druidism being celebrated in a plethora of festivals and other events.

The summer school season remains in full swing and this week is the turn of the Achill School, said by its organisers to be the "oldest in the EU". It gets under way on Monday for 10 days of music and talk on the broad theme of the Great Famine. Matt Molloy of the Chieftains performs the opening on Monday morning.

For those who prefer music uninterrupted by conversation, Van Morrison heads a long list of entertainers appearing at tomorrow's Millstreet Music Fair at the town of the same name in Cork. The Corrs are among the many support acts and Bus Eireann is laying on buses from Dublin for the event. These leave Bus Aras at 8 a.m., returning an hour after the concert ends.

At the other end of the country, thousands are expected to attend the annual West Belfast Festival, Feile an Phobail, which began yesterday and runs through the week. The programme includes concerts, plays, films, photographic exhibitions, and political debates and the event got under way last night in Andersonstown with the premiere of a play about the murder of Michael Collins.

Also in the north, Enniskillen's St Angelo airport is hosting an air show tomorrow with the flying star of the hit film Memphis Belle - a B17 flying fortress bomber - as the main attraction.

The northwest hosts both the Ballyshannon Folk Festival in Co Donegal and the O'Carolan Harp Festival in Keadue, Co Roscommon.

Waterford, meanwhile could be the noisiest part of the country during the weekend as the city is hosting its annual Spraoi. The three day festival revolves mainly around drumming, and there are guest percussionists from Japan and Kenya, among other places.

Water sports enthusiasts will be drawn to Co Cork for the 200th Kinsale Regatta, the oldest event of its kind in the State.

Lough Erne, Co Fermanagh, plays host to hundreds of sea scouts from today for a week long jamboree. Still in the water, the fourth annual sponsored swim in aid of the Chernobyl Children's Project takes place off the Beara peninsula, between Bere Island and Castletownbere.

A drier, altogether airier, event, takes place in Kilkenny on Monday, when the Order of Druids in trend celebrates the festival of Lughnasadh - the "Celtic fire festival of first fruits".

The magical line up in Croke Park tomorrow will be Galway, Limerick, Antrim and Wexford for the All Ireland semi finals.

Other important GAA matches include this evening's Leinster Minor Football Final replay between Dublin and Laois at Tullamore. Tomorrow also sees the Under 21 football semi final between Cavan and Meath in Roscommon and the replay of the Ulster Minor Football Final between Donegal and Derry at Omagh. Both are evening throw ins.

Cycling's Junior Tour of Ireland gets under way with a stage from Limerick to Tralee tomorrow, and on to Killorglin on Monday.