Golf, GAA and racing among the highlights of a sporting weekend
The Irish Open
The Irish Open continues this weekend with an expected 27,000 fans descending on Northern Ireland’s Royal Portrush each day.
The tour has enjoyed unprecedented success and has made European Tour history with its first regular sell-out event.
Royal Portrush is staging the Irish Open for the fourth time in the club’s history after last hosting it in 1947.
GAA Leinster Senior Football Championship
This Sunday’s double header at Croke Park sees reigning All-Ireland champions Dublin face Wexford at 4pm while Meath takes on Kildare at 2pm.
The stadium will host the two semi-finals in the GAA Leinster Senior Football Championship with tickets priced at €30.
Fans attending the Leinster showdown can enter Croke Park from 1pm.
[ www.crokepark.ie ]
Irish Derby
The Irish Derby begins tomorrow evening with the big race due off at 7.40pm.
The Curragh Racecourse in Kildare hosts the event this year which is staged on a Saturday rather than the conventional Sunday slot for the first time since 1987.
The event kicks off at 11am with activities throughout the day including the Race Day Preview, Most Stylish Lady competition and the Paddy Power Sprint. Ronan Keating will perform live in concert at 8pm.
[ www.curragh.ie ]
Gay Pride Parade
The 10-day Dublin Gay Pride Festival culminates tomorrow with its most prominent day of festivities, the Gay Pride Parade.
The colourful parade will set off from Parnell Square at 1.30pm and make its way to Merrion Square Park which will transform into the site of the Pride in the Park Party from 3pm onwards.
RTE’s The Voice of Ireland coach Brian Kennedy is headlining the gig.
West Cork Chamber Music Festival
The West Cork Chamber Music Festival takes place in the coastal town of Bantry this weekend hosting a diverse range of masterclasses and concerts for classical music lovers.
Tonight the opening string quartet-concert takes place at Bantry House at 8pm with ticket ranging from €12- €38.
Tomorrow afternoon at 2pm there will be a free concert at the Young Composers Forum at St. Brendan’s Hall with performances from the Gildas Quartet, Benz Quartet and Westland Piano Trio.
The festival’s main evening concert takes place at Bantry House tomorrow at 8pm with tickets priced from €11- €32.
Waterways Ireland triAthlone
Over 2,000 athletes are competing tomorrow in Ireland’s longest running and biggest annual triathlon event, the Waterways Ireland triAthlone.
Some 15,000 spectators are expected to line the streets of Athlone and the banks of the River Shannon to cheer on the competitors.
The triathlon begins with a swim in the River Shannon, followed by a cycle through south County Roscommon and finishes with the town-centre run.