AN EXHIBITION of paintings and photographs by Italian artist, GabrielIa Speziale, is on display in St. Mary's Abbey, that wonderful island of medieval Dublin off Capel Street, Dublin 7 - this is part of the Dublin Cultural Renaissance 2000 initiative... The Tyrone Guthrie Centre at Annaghmakerrig, Co. Monaghan, is offering 27 special bursaries to artists born or resident in Ireland to enable them to spend two weeks in the centre, plus the use of a studio, if necessary - this column can highly recommend the centre, from personal experience: phone 047-54003 for details... An Arts and Sculpture Weekend of talks, workshops and events is taking place from Friday in Annascaul, Co. Kerry - phone 066-57419/066-21218... The Out of the West Festival of Irish Words and Music is running in Brighton from today until Sunday, with featured writers including Matthew Sweeney and Ciaran Carson...

The 22nd International Epilepsy Congress in the RDS has an arts dimension, with papers on Friday July 4th on the condition's relationship with literature and painting, Dostoyevsky, Edward Lear, Spanish Art, religious art and artists in general - phone 01-6614257 for information. .. The Sean O Riordan poetry prize for work in Irish by poets with no collection to their credit is worth £500 - contact the Arts Fest office at Cork RTC for details... The last Stirfry Comedy Club is happening at the City Arts Centre on Friday July 4th, featuring Dermot Carmody, Tommy Tiernan, Deirdre O'Kane and others...