Daytimes: Head for The Civic Offices Park, Wood Quay, Dublin for the second Opera in the Open lunchtime concert (below). Verdi's Rigoletto is today's offering at 1 p.m. Admission free.
Nighttimes: Renowned Irish poet Paul Muldoon will read from his work in the Yeats Memorial Building, Hyde Bridge, Sligo at 8.30 p.m. tonight as part of the Sligo Festival. Tel: 071-42693.
Childtimes: The W5 Odyssey Centre in Belfast is a must for all young science and technology fans. See the temporary exhibition on how video games are created (ends August 31st) and check out the summer workshop programme for four to 16 year-olds. Opening hours, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Mon to Sat and noon to 6 p.m. on Sun. Admission: adults £5.50 sterling and children £3.50. Tel: 048-90467700.
My native county: Mayo/Actor, Mick Lally
My three favourite places
1 Derryveeney, Co Mayo where I was born. It's a community of six or seven households along the foothills of the Partry Mountains. There is a fabulous vista from the area and it is quite unknown to tourists because it is hard to find. There's a road along the side of the hill with a whole patchwork of fairly fertile fields which slope down towards the Glensaul River. From the village, you can see Lough Mask and on a clear day across to Ballinrobe and Cong. It was a beautiful place to grow up in and I go back from time to time.
2 Tourmakeady Wood just beside Derryveeney. Recently I had the honour of re-opening the wood because it is part of the People's Millennium Forest Project. Originally, it was a broadleaf wood with oaks, larches and sycamores. Then in the 1950s, it was cut down for its wood and replanted with evergreens. It was still lovely to walk in as there is a river running through it with a waterfall. Recently, it was cut down again and replanted with native species. It is one of the most peaceful places to amble in and get lost in and have imaginative adventures in.
3 The top of Croagh Patrick which is known in Co Mayo as The Reek. If you get up there on a fine summer's evening (if, for a change it's not raining), the view over Clew Bay and the islands is incredible. It's a stiff climb, but it's well worth undertaking and, unlike Derryveeney, it's easy to find.
Sylvia Thompson
Mick Lally is appearing in J.B. Keane's The Chastitute at the Gaiety
Just-in-times: late offers: September is only around the corner and if you haven't had a holiday yet, you could escape to Florida for the same price as a European break. American Holidays will take you to the Sheraton Studio City Hotel in Orlando. It's a themed hotel which will immerse you in the golden age of film. Nearby are Orlando, Disney World (above), International Drive and lots of great shopping. A week costs from €689 per person sharing. Book through local travel agents.
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