Rocky Mayhem Festival - Kilfinane, Limerick
One of Ireland's more unusual rock festival's will kick off this Saturday. The Rocky Mahem Festival is a non-profit festival organised by locals and includes performances by Damien Dempsey, Riptide Movement and Cast of Cheers. Comedian Brendan Grace will also be on stage.
Now in its third year, the festival offers camping or local accommodation for revellers. Local professionals will put their day jobs on hold to take part in the festivities. Expect to see a butcher, a builder, a nun and a graphic designer take part in the mayhem, which farmers work as security. Tickets cost €20.
Rockymayhem.ie
Baltimore Pirate Festival - Baltimore, Cork
The Cork town of Baltimore will be brought back in time from today (Friday) as part of the area's Pirate Festival. There will be interactive re-enactments of the Sack of Baltimore, as well as music and storytelling.
A tour of the area’s harbour via pirate boat will show people the route taken by Algerian pirates when Baltimore was invaded in 1631, when 107 inhabitants were taken as slaves. The festivities will run until Sunday. Ticket prices vary.
Baltimore.ie
Dublin Pride Festival - Dublin
This year's Dublin Pride festival celebrates a series of significant milestones for Ireland's LGBT movement. It is the 40th anniversary of Irish Gay Movement's founding, the 30th anniversary of Dublin Pride and the 20th anniversary of the decriminalisation of homosexuality in Ireland.
The festival will include a variety of conferences, plays and social events running over the next week. The festival’s highlight is the pride parade, which will take place next Saturday, kicking off at the Garden of Remembrance at about 12pm. Full ticket information is available on the pride website.
Dublinpride.ie
Body and Soul Festival - Ballinlough, Westmeath
This relaxed festival will include performances by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Solange Knowles, Wallis Bird and James Murphy. Foodies will also be in their element with the selection of treats to satisfy anyone’s tastes.
Festival organisers themselves admit that they are more about “atmospheric engineering” rather than main attractions and hype. The three-day festival starts today (Friday). It will conclude with a simple lakeside closing ceremony to celebrate the summer solstice. Ticket information available online.
bodyandsoul.ie
Sea Sessions - Bundoran, Donegal
Now in its sixth year, Ireland’s biggest surfing and music festival returns to Bundoran and is expected to attract big numbers of competitors and spectators. Sea Sessions.
The weekend will include performances from Bastille, Fat Freddy's Drop and Xavier Rudd. Revellers have a big choice of accommodation, with holiday homes, hostels, hotels and campsites on offer. The beach theme continues with volleyball, beach soccer and tag rugby sessions on the cards as well. Tickets are available from entertainment.ie and the festival website.
seasessions.com
JFK50: The Homecoming - New Ross, Co Wexford
Fifty years on from John F. Kennedy’s visit to his ancestral home, New Ross celebrates and remembers the significant event. On Saturday, a series of events will mark the occasion, including a homecoming parade and a visit from Enda Kenny to launch the New Ross Quayside development and unveiling of the Emigrant Trail.
An Taoiseach will also officially Kennedy Homestead and Visitor Centre. Broadcasters Anne Doyle and George Hook, author Colm Tóibín and singer Judy Collins will also be in attendance.
JFK50ireland.com