Something for the weekend: What's on

MACNAS’S ANNUAL visit to Dublin will be a highlight of the weekend as the Dublin Absolut Fringe moves into its second week, but other options available include a quirky approach to portrait painting and a karaoke stage in Temple Bar.

With an ambitious Liffey-based art instillation cancelled due to planning issues, this year’s event is perhaps lacking the wider visibility that would have brought. However, as ever, the first week of the theatre festival has offered a mix of ideas and quality, across more than 40 shows.

Hits so far have included Stefanie Preissner’s one-woman show Solpadeine is My Boyfriend, and Flatpack: The Opera, based on the Ikea phenomenon, which takes place in the somewhat ghostly CHQ shopping centre at the IFSC.

On Sunday, Galway’s Macnas brings The Cockroach and the Inventor to the Civic Amphitheatre off Wood Quay. The show, featuring a “troupe of clown scientists and engineers”, is free, although tickets are limited.

Gain Horse Feeds Irish St Leger

This evening sees one of the highlights of Ireland’s sporting calendar when the Group One Gain Horse Feeds Irish St Leger flat horse race is run at the Curragh.

All-Ireland Camogie Final

Camogie fans converge on the GAA headquarters tomorrow to see Down take on Meath in the junior final at midday.

Galway play Derry in the intermediate final at 2pm and Wexford will line out against Cork in the senior final at 4pm. Stiles open at 11am.

While last weekend’s drawn matches at Croke Park fuelled much talk and debate this week, there’ll be more top-class hurling to whet the appetite for the upcoming replays with two U21 All-Ireland finals being hosted at Semple Stadium tomorrow evening. Roscommon take on Kildare at 5pm, followed by Clare v Kilkenny at 7pm.

An Post race series

A joint initiative between An Post and the Irish Sports Council, the 2012 An Post Cycle Series, is aimed at encouraging people to get back on their bikes and out into their communities.

Today’s event in Cork includes four road events for cycling enthusiasts of all levels, including a 10km family fun cycle. At the other end of the scale is the 160km Rebel Challenge.

Details at corkrebeltour.ie.

The Great Beach Clean

While Ireland’s beaches may not have seen many sunbathers in recent years, An Taisce is calling on civic-minded people to head to the beach to participate in a different type of activity – this weekend’s Big Beach Clean.

Details at antaisce.ie.

Desmond Greaves Summer School

The 24th Desmond Greaves Summer School, advertised as a weekend of political thought and discussion, takes place at the Ireland Institute in Dublin over the weekend.

Topics include the relevance of republicanism after 90 years of the Irish State, a debate on national sovereignty and interdependence, and an economy for the common good.

Guest speakers include Bernadette McAliskey, Terence McDonough and Desmond Fennell. Details at greavesschool.com.