The Design Hub in Dublin Castle is holding free family workshops on Saturday at 10.30am for children aged 5-8, and at noon for those aged 9-13. They will focus on electricity and circuits, and children will learn how to create battery operated fans. There will also be a workshop for adults at 2pm on design in technology.designhub@irishdesign2015.ie for bookings.
The Festival of Writing and Ideas at Borris House in Carlow on Saturday and Sunday has dozens of Irish and international speakers, including historians, novelists, film-makers, war correspondents and artists. Highlights of the weekend include authors Ian McEwan and Anne Enright, comedian Tommy Tiernan and Pink Floyd's David Gilmour. Prices for events vary, with day tickets for Sunday available at €44. festivalofwritingandideas.com
The Howth Midsummer Literary Festival in Lutyens Library in Howth Castle will hold literary conversation events for €20 on Saturday and Sunday, headlined by Pulitzer Prize winner Michael Cunningham and Booker Prize winners John Banville and Roddy Doyle. There are workshops, storytelling events and a book clinic for children looking for something new to read, at Burrow National School in Sutton; cost €3/€5. howthliteraryfestival.com
Killarney Beerfest takes place this weekend at the INEC on Muckross Road, with craft brewers taking part in tastings, master classes and competitions. There are also an artisan food village and live entertainment. killarneybeerfestival.com
Mythfest in Trinity College Dublin is a festival of Irish and international mythology running until Sunday. There will be outdoor performances, art installations by local artists and designers, night events and a ticketed headline production of The Unquiet Hour inspired by WB Yeats each day at 7pm in Front Square. Tickets €5-€15. mythfest.ie
The Irish Aerial Dance Festival in Letterkenny, Co Donegal will start in An Grianán Theatre on Saturday and continue until June 20th with workshops, classes and performances in aerial dance and circus for all abilities, from beginner to advanced. Throughout the festival there will be classes in all forms of aerial dance, including trapeze and aerial wheel performance. Ticket cost from €100 for a full day to €600 for a two-week pass. irishaerialdancefest.com
The Queen's University Belfast annual boat races take place on Saturday. Races start from McConnell Weir on the river Lagan at 10.30am and continue until late afternoon. Spectators can view the racing from Belfast Rowing Club where there will be music, food and children's entertainment all day.
