Freakish pumpkins smuggled for Cavan festival

HALLOWEEN:FREAKISHLY OVER-SIZED pumpkins have been smuggled into Virginia, Co Cavan all this week ahead of the town's annual squash fest.

The contraband gourds, some of which weigh in excess of a tonne, will be defaced and eaten over the next three days in a frenzy of pre-Halloween excess.

Apart from the giant pumpkin competition, the event plays host to a street carnival, a fireworks display and a number of musical acts, headlined by Meteor award winner Imelda May.

There is also a children’s disco and fancy dress party in the town’s Riverfront Hotel this afternoon, and an artisan craft/food market on the Church of Ireland grounds tomorrow.

Alternatively, Dublin’s Marlay Park hosts a spooky pre-Halloween “fright night” tomorrow, with a haunted forest trail and a fireworks display at Marlay House.

Despite the ghoulish theme, organisers are keen to point out the event is family-oriented.

Visitors, especially little ones, are advised to come in Halloween garb.

The haunted woods at the park will be open from 5pm to 9pm so visitors can enjoy those at their own pace.

Food junkies may like to sample this weekend’s Savour Kilkenny food festival.

The three-day festival which runs until Monday offers a range of culinary events.

These include open-air food markets to wine tastings and cooking demonstrations.

A “celebrity cook-off” takes place this afternoon between Bobby Kerr of Dragons’ Den, former rugby international Willie Duggan and RTÉ’s John Murray and Evanne Ní Chuilinn.

Sligo town stages its annual Sligo Live music festival this weekend.

The four-day festival will see more than 100 events taking place in and around the town.

These including a French/ continental market in the Stephen Street car park.