Fun weekend of music and tall ships

There’s no shortage of entertainment on offer around the country this weekend, from music festivals and street parties to garden shows and tall ships.

Up to 500,000 people are expected to attend the Tall Ships festival in Waterford which runs until Sunday. More than 50 ships docked on the city’s quays last night for the official opening of the three-day event.

The programme of free events includes street performance, comedy, helicopter rides, parades and nightly firework displays as well as a fringe festival and an artisan crafts and food village.

The festival culminates in a “Parade of Sail” along the Waterford and Wexford estuary on Sunday.

After the massive success of their album Science and Faith, Dublin band The Script will headline their first gig at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on Saturday night. Tickets for the 50,000-capacity concert sold out earlier in the month.

Tens of thousands of teenagers, some with their parents, are expected to converge on The O2 in Dublin for the stage musical of the US TV smash hit Glee. Four matinee and evening performances on Saturday and Sunday have been put for Irish fans of the show.

Meanwhile the Live at the Marquee shows continue in Cork this evening with Bell X1 taking to the stage at 8pm. Jedward will also perform at the venue tomorrow evening and on Sunday.

Limerick’s Market Quarter will resound with music and a carnival atmosphere as the city’s newest downtown area hosts a free Mardi Gras street party tomorrow from 6pm. Dublin jump jive jazz/swing band The Roaring Forties perform on the main stage on Chapel Street at 8pm.

Elsewhere on the music front, the west Cork seven-day chamber music festival concludes in Bantry tomorrow with a concert finale at Bantry House which includes music from France’s Quatuor Diotima .

The week-long West Cork literary Festival begins in the town the following day, and includes a “writing memoir” workshop with author Hugo Hamilton.

Hundreds are expected to attend this weekend’s Mallow garden show in Cork which includes a French market, a renewable energy exhibition and a hobby and allotment farm.

The annual Mass and blessing of the graves will take place at Dardistown Cemetery in Dublin on Sunday, and is expected to draw up to 40,000 patrons. Gardaí are warning motorists to expect delays in and around the area from 2.30pm.

The Archdiocese of Armagh is hosting a three-day festival of prayer called Spiritfest this weekend to mark the countdown to next year's 50th International Eucharistic Congress. The festival will include variety of workshops on different forms of prayer as well as a special family day on Sunday.

It’s not quite the weather for barbecues and sunscreen but forecasters say it will remain dry and with some sunny spells for most of the weekend.

Met Éireann said tomorrow would be a mild, humid day with highest temperatures of 16 to 19 degrees. Sunday will be similarly mild and humid day with patchy light rain, drizzle and fog in parts.