Outdoor cinema tempts fate . . .

SMALL PRINT:YOU HAVE TO HAND IT to those who battle against the Irish summer, offering weather-dependent fare and keeping their fingers crossed. The latest optimistic enterprise is by the folk at the Dundrum Town Centre in Dublin who are holding a series of film screenings under cloud cover. The Cinema In The Open runs until August 17th with two free screenings at 5pm and 7pm every Wednesday.

Today, it's time for Michael Bay's collage of explosions and robots, with the first instalment of Transformersshowing at 5pm, and the slightly classier Singin' In The Rainat 7pm. The title of the latter screening is just tempting fate, really, but in case precipitation occurs, waterproof ponchos are on hand to keep you and your popcorn dry.

The restaurants that surround Pembroke Square in the shopping centre where the screenings take place will also offer cinema takeaway menus so you can order from your seat if you’re looking for something slightly more diverse than Minstrels and Coke to munch during the film.

If you want to guarantee staying dry but still fancy a movie in the open air, check out the Movie Junction at Fota Retail Park, Carrigtwohill in Cork, currently showing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2in drive-in movie style. It's €16 per car, and once you tune your car radio into the correct frequency you can sit back and watch the wizard do his thing at dusk.

And if you’ve left the popcorn at home, they’ll deliver pizza directly to your car door. dundrum.ie; moviejunction.ie