Festivals & summer schools

MAY: Wicklow Gardens Festival, May-Aug 14 Throughout Co Wicklow, 0404-20070.  www.visitwicklow.ie

Many of these gardens are privately owned, and open to the public only in the summer, with entrance fees going to charity. There's a Bray Garden Walkabout on July 1st with a chance to see eight gardens. See Mir, which is a plantsman's garden in Kilquade; Holly Cottage's garden at Coolboy which is just five years old; and the Dower House at Rossanagh which is more than a century old, but has a new twist.

Beckett Summer School
May 18-21
Dublin city, 01-8683368

Among the lectures is one entitled, "Oh no - not Beckett", given by Seán Oliver, governor of the Free University of Ireland. Other lectures will be given by: Gerry Dukes of UL; Anne Fogarty of UCD; Tomás MacAnna, former director of the Abbey Theatre; and Declan Kiberd of UCD. Actors Luke Sheehan and Simon Ashe-Brown will read from a selection of Beckett's texts.

Listowel Writers' Week
May 31-June 4
Listowel, Co Kerry, 068-21074

www.writersweek.ie

This year's festival will be opened by actor Jeremy Irons. The highlight is a reading by Nobel prizewinner, South-Africa born writer JM Coetzee. Among the other participants are: critic and writer Clive James; novelist Lionel Shriver; Frank McCourt, who made Limerick infamous; Jennifer Johnston, Claire Kilroy, and Man Booker prize winner, John Banville; philosopher John O'Donohue; poets Bernard O'Donoghue and Rita Ann Higgins; and Irish Times journalist Róisín Ingle. The Knight of Glin, Desmond Fitzgerald, will give a lecture on Ireland as portrayed in painting. Workshops include memoir by Nuala O'Faolain; comic non-fiction by Paul Howard, aka Ross O'Carroll Kelly; and crime writing with Paul Carson.

JUNE
Diversions
June-Aug
Temple Bar, Dublin, 01-6772255

www.templebar.ie

Diversions is one of the better things that's happening in this contentious area of central Dublin. On Thursday nights in July and August, there are free black-and-white movies; and on Saturdays, the theme is Oscar-winning movies from 1991-2006, featuring, among others, Titanic, Braveheart and Forrest Gump. There's a circus season, with jugglers The Gandinis, a new piece from Barabbas, acrobatics with Tumble Circus; a trad music season, with sessions from Slide, Emer Maycock, Beoga and Teada; and a blast from the 1980s with breakdancing from Britain's Physical Jerks.

Smithwick's Cat Laughs Festival
June 1-5
Kilkenny city, 056-7763837

www.smithwickscatlaughs.com

This festival has attracted a loyal and expanding core of followers. The line-up for this year includes festival debuts from New York's stand-up scene, comics Doug Stanhope, Pete Correale, Jeff Caldwell, Andrew Kennedy, Toddy Lynn, and Paula Bel. From Canada are Nikki Payne, Tom Stade and Steward Francis. Return visitors include Jimmy Carr, Ardal O'Hanlon, Phil Kay, Rich Hall, Karl Spain, Des Bishop, Deirdre O'Kane, Dara O'Briain, Jason Byrne, Ed Byrne and Colin Murphy.

Goldsmith International Literary Festival
June 2-4
Ballymahon, Co Longford, 043-71448

This year's theme is Passing Rich on Forty Thousand a Year. One of the topics being discussed is: Where Wealth Accumulates and Men Decay: is This a Fair Assessment of the 21st-century Celtic Tiger Economy? Panellists will include Minister for Finance Brian Cowen, Willie Penrose TD, Fr Peter McVerry and financial commentator Constantine Gurdiev.

Docklands Maritime Festival
June 3-5
Dublin Docklands, 01-8183300

www.dublindocklands.ie

Now in its third year, the festival will see the Asgard, Jeanie Johnston and Dunbrody in dock. As well as the tall ships, there'll also be street theatre, music and a craft and food fair. If you're looking for something quirky, on the Saturday, 150,000 plastic ducks will be dropped into the Liffey at the Millennium Bridge. It's all part of an attempt to make it into the Guinness Book of Records for the world's largest plastic duck race.

Éigse Carlow Arts Festival
June 10-18
Carlow, 059-9140491

www.eigsecarlow.ie

Known for its visual arts programme, this year, the festival presents Utopias, curated by Cliodhna Shaffrey. The invited artists include: Suki Chan, Paul Doran, Mark Garry and Karl Burke, Paul Gregg, Vivienne Griffin, Tallervo Kalleinen, Oliver Kochta-Kalleinen, Nevan Lahart, Peter Lloyd Lewis, Eilis McDonald, Mark McGreevy. There is also a craft showcase and fair. There's street theatre from The Primitives, and roving performances from Circo Rum Ba Ba and the unfortunately named Diced Carrots.

Dublin Writers' Festival
June 14-18
Dublin city, 01-8819613

www.dublinwritersfestival.com

Some 40 writers will be participating this year. Critic John Carey will give the keynote lecture, What Good are the Arts? Pakistani-born Ziauddin Sardar, writer, broadcaster and cultural critic, will speak on Writing Connections; Bridging the Divide Between Islam and Europe. Irish writers Roddy Doyle and Anne Enright will discuss the changes in Dublin as recorded in Doyle's fiction. There will be readings from Seamus Heaney, crime writer Alex Barclay, and Canadian-born novelist Nancy Huston.

Immrama Lismore Festival of Travel Writing
June 16-18
Lismore, Co Waterford, 058-54975

www.lismoreimmrama.com

Lectures by two well-known journalists, one print and one broadcast. Award-winning foreign correspondent and writer Robert Fisk will be talking about his life's work of reporting on the Middle East on the Saturday. RTÉ's Charlie Bird will be star of a literary breakfast on the Sunday, talking about his coverage of the tsunami.

Cork Midsummer Festival
June 20-July 1
Cork city, 021-4275874

www.corkfestival.com

Promised is a "breathtaking outdoor extravaganza", Corcadorca's adaption of The Tempest. British circus company NoFit State will present the Irish premiere of ImMortal2. There is also a first visit from South Korean pianist, Young-Chon; and the British Tallis Scholars, who specialise in Renaissance sacred music, and will perform at St Finbarr's Cathedral. Other venues include hairdressing salons, the train station, and private homes.

Byrne Perry Summer School
June 23-25
Gorey, Co Wexford, 055-21248

www.byrneperry.ie

Easter 1916 is the theme, and Garret FitzGerald will give the Gordon Wilson Memorial lecture. Other speakers include: Minister for Finance Brian Cowen, Aengus Ó Snodaigh, Sinn Féin TD, Robert Schmuhl of the University of Notre Dame, Liz McManus TD; Diarmaid Ferriter of St Patrick's College; and Marie Coleman, QUB.

McGlinchey Summer School
June 23-25
Inishowen, Co Donegal, 074-9376110

www.mcglinchey.ie

Inishowen at Work, Then and Now: Trades, Skills and Traditional Crafts is what the school is focusing on this year. The Patrick Kavanagh Memorial Address, Working and Living in McGlinchey's Time, is by Nollaig MacCongáil of NUIG. Liam Ó Cuinneagáin of Údarás na Gaeltachta will speak on Cultural Tourism, the Glencolumcille Experience. The open forum, chaired by William McCarter, is Will Inishowen Work?

JULY
West Cork Literary Festival
July 2-7
Bantry, Co Cork, 027-55645

www.westcorkliteraryfestival.ie

This year's festival is being launched by film producer David Puttnam(The Killing Fields, The Mission and Midnight Express). There will be a talk by film censor John Kelleher. Helen Garnons-Williams from London's Weidenfeld & Nicholson will discuss publishing from an editor's viewpoint. Literary agent at AM Heath, Euan Thorneycroft, will talk on how to sell crime fiction. There will be readings from John Banville and a talk by photographer John Minihan. Writing workshops include: the novel, by Impac shortlisted novelist, Ronan Bennett; women and writing, the short story, with Gerard Donovan; and young adult poetry with poet Leanne O'Sullivan.

Synge Summer School
July 2-8
Rathdrum, Co Wicklow, 0404-46597

www.wicklow.ie/syngesummerschool

The theme is Synge and his Influences. Anthony Roche of UCD will speak on Synge and his Influence on Beckett, Friel and McDonagh. Christine Hunt Mahony of the Catholic University of America in Washington, will speak on Western world or Eastern World; Who Owns Synge's Plays Today? Drama workshops are led by Patrick Mason, and Seamus Heaney reads.

Bard Summer School
July 6-9
Clare Island, Co Mayo, 01-4904879

www.bard.ie

This year, the school will explore Fionn MacChumhaill's Myths of Wisdom and Rituals of Initiation. The school will look at how Irish myth is similar and different to other myths, and will be asking the questions: what story/myth do I live by? what story/myth do I want to live by? Guest speaker will be Dáithí Ó hÓgáin of UCD.

Blas Summer School of Irish Traditional Music and Dance
July 10-21
Limerick city, 061-202917

www.blas.ie

This is a residential summer school, with field trips, céilí and sessions, now in its 10th year, and held by the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance. Tutors this year include fiddlers John Carty and Máire Breatnach, percussionist Tommy Hayes, dancers Anne Burke and Michael Ryan, piper Peter Browne, pianists Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin and Geraldine Cotter, guitarists Steve Cooney and Garry Ó Briain, singer Iarla Ó Lionáird, and flute players Harry Bradley and Niall Keegan.

Earagail Arts Festival
July 10-23
Throughout Co Donegal, 074-9168800

www.eaf.ie

This year Earagail is run a series of "mini festivals", where a single art form is concentrated on in one place. The programme includes an exhibition of the work of painter William Orpen; circus from NoFit State; and performances by folk singer June Tabor and Eddi Reader.

Galway Film Fleadh
July 11-16
Galway, 091-751655

www.galwayfilmfleadh.com

This year the Fleadh is focusing on Italian film. Among the other films will be The Trial of Darryl Hunt; Avenge But One of My Two Eyes; A Soap, winner of the Silver Bear at Berlin this year; Obaba; East of Paradise; Running Stumbled; and We Shall Overcome. Screenwriter and director Robert Towne will facilitate the screenwriting workshop. The Fleadh is looking for entries for its second €5,000 Stella Artois Pitching Award, open to screenwriters to submit a one-page story idea for screen (deadline June 2nd). Five entries will go forward to be pitched publicly by the screenwriter on Sunday, July 16th.

Kinsale Arts Week
July 15-23
Kinsale, Co Cork, 086-8227588

www.kinsaleartsweek.com

It kicks off with a concert by Mary Black in Kinsale's Charles Fort, where The Frames also play during the festival. There's a one-day seminar on art, architecture and design. Video artists Anne Cleary and Denis Connolly will show specially commissioned installations. Mountaineer Frank Nugent will talk about the Irish polar expedition. There's also an artists' trail, with free minibus tours, and classical music recitals.

MacGill Summer School
July 16-21
Glenties, Co Donegal, 074-9551103

www.macgillsummerschool.com

This year's theme is The Soul of Ireland; Issues of Society, Culture and Identity. Topics for discussion include: coping with affluence, immigration, integration and cultural identity; the death throes of the Irish language; Gaelic games and cultural identity; the soul of Ireland in traditional music; reconciling orange and green; and the Irish imagination in the arts.

Project 06
July 16-29
Galway city, 091-569777

www.project06.com

Project, spoiler, or bone-fide festival? Possibly all of these, Galway's alternative arts festival, initiated by Pádraic Breathnach, Ollie Jennings and Michael Diskin, runs neck and neck/clashes with the Galway Arts Festival. Their idea is: give an arts festival back to the people of Galway, as their perception is that local artists have been sidelined from the ever-growing Galway Arts Festival, and local audiences are priced out for tickets. It'll be interesting to see how it all pans out. We're promised 80 events, with one of the highlights being a parade on the theme Morning, Noon and Night on July 22nd.

Galway Arts Festival
July 17-30
Galway city, 091-509700

www.galwayartsfestival.ie

Ireland's biggest arts festival has new artistic director, Paul Fahy. Among the highlights are an expanded visual arts programme, with a major exhibition from Hughie O'Donoghue. There'll be an Irish premiere of Product by Mark Ravenhill. Playwright Vincent Woods's version of Alfred Jarry's Ubu Roi/King Ubu will have its premiere. The parade, starring the ever-inventive Macnas, is on July 23rd. The festival's full programme will be announced on June 7th.

Boyle Arts Festival
July 21-28
Boyle, Co Roscommon, 071-9663085

www.boylearts.com

The visual arts programme includes artists from the Royal Ulster Academy. Brother and sister Finghin and Dearbhla Collins play a Mozart piano duet; soprano Mairead Buckley sings with pianist Anthony Byrne; and jazz musician Ronan Guilfoyle plays a piece commissioned for the festival.

International Hopkins Summer School
July 22-28
Monasterevin, Co Kildare

www.gerardmanleyhopkins.org/festival

The Spirit of Hopkins is the theme, with participants from Austria, Canada, Croatia, Iceland, Italy, Norway, Poland, Spain and the US. There will be readings from poets Thomas Tidholm (Sweden), Metullus Jean (Haiti), Mervyn Morris (Caribbean) and José Maria Lopera (Spain). There will be lectures, a classical music concert in Moore Abbey, and exhibitions by John Behan and Brian Bourke.

John Hewitt International Summer School
July 24-28
Armagh city, 048-37521821

www.johnhewitt.org

The theme this year is Finding the Nation; New Entities and New Identities. Former taoiseach Garret FitzGerald will talk on Forging an Identity. Marianne Elliott will discuss Oh no! Not the Irish Christians Again! The Problem with Religion in Irish History. Claire Mitchell of QUB speaks on Can Loyalist Identity Adapt to Change in the 'New' Northern Ireland? and Aoife Monks from Birbeck College in London talks on Comely Maidens and Celtic Tigers. There will be readings by novelists Bernard MacLaverty, Pat McCabe, Joe O'Connor and Glenn Patterson, and poets Vona Groarke and Paul Durcan.

Yeats Summer School
July 29-Aug 11
Sligo, 07191-42693

www.yeats-sligo.com

The mystery continues as to how one man's work can generate such an enduring annual examination. The most intriguing-sounding paper is Some Hibernian Commentator has Somewhere Said Something: the Precision of the Celt, by Seamus Deane. David Holdeman speaks on Yeats's XYZ Notebook, Modernism and Personal Poetry, Frank Shovlin on Yeats, Joyce and Ideas of Good and Evil; and Michael McAteer on Instead of a Theatre, at the Hawk's Well and the European Avant-garde.

AUGUST
Spraoi
Aug 4-6
Waterford city, 051-841808

www.spraoi.com

Street theatre and music is the focus of this festival, where everything is outdoors and free. Appearing in Ireland for the first time are the Royal Drummers of Burundi. There will be a parade on the closing night.

Kilkenny Arts Festival
Aug 11-20
Kilkenny city, 056-7763663

www.kilkennyarts.ie

Under the artistic direction of a festival committee for the second year running, the highlights are New York chamber music ensemble, Argento, featuring Irish clarinet player, Carol McGonnell, who will play in St Canice's Cathedral. More music from the Irish Drum Project with an interactive traditional music concert with flute, percussion, guitar and dancer featuring Robbie Harris and Emer Maycock. Classical Music from White Raven, a cappella group.

Parnell Summer School
Aug 13-18
Avondale, Co Wicklow, 01-2852113

www.parnellsociety.com

The theme is Forgotten Hero; Michael Davitt and Irish Democracy. Some of the topics being discussed will be: republicanism; the labour movement; the future of Irish agriculture; the press and politics; and Ireland and the wider world. Speakers include: John Horgan, Trevor Sargent TD, Carla King, Brendan Deacy and Alan O'Day.

Humbert-Davitt Summer School
Aug 17-20
Ballina, Killala, Lacken and Kilcummin, Co Mayo, 087-2418461

The 20th anniversary of the school also celebrates Davitt's centenary. Along with the John Healy memorial lecture, topics include: Ireland Transformed, 1987-2006, Michael Davitt's Legacy; the Peace Cul-de-sac and Europe, Breaking the Log-jam.

Merriman Summer School
Aug 19-26
Lisdoonvarna, Co Clare, 086-3820671

www.merriman.ie

To commemorate the centenary of the death of the founder of the GAA, the theme of this year's school is Michael Cusack and his Time. The lectures and seminars will include topics on the roles played by the Gaelic Union, the Gaelic Journal and the GAA in the project of de-Anglicisation. Other discussions will beon citizenship and contemporary Irish society.

Greaves Summer School
Aug 25-27
Dublin, 087-2308330

The 90th Anniversary of the 1916 Rising is the theme this year. Sighle Bhreathnach-Lynch, curator of Irish paintings at the National Gallery of Ireland, will speak on Representations of 1916. Ruan O'Donnell of the University of Limerick will speak on The 1916 Proclamation in Context. Academic and writer Angus Mitchell will discuss the effects of 1916 on empire; and Brian Murphy and Manus O'Riordan will both discuss the social and political ideology of 1916.

Festival of World Cultures
Aug 25-27
Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin, 01-2301035

www.festivalofworldcultures.com

There's a lot of numbers attached to this festival. it has 160 events, 40 venues, and artists from 50 countries. There's music, craft fairs, food, circus, theatre, dance, club nights, markets, exhibitions and workshops. Among the countries represented are Tibet, Cuba, Mexico, Korean, Mali and Poland. Festival venues include the Maritime Museum, churches and the People's Park.