What's On in Ireland

April 28, 2010 to May 2, 2010.
An annual feast for those who love choral music, this festival brings highly rated choirs from all over the world to Cork each year.

The central event is a competition for adult choirs, but there are many other competitions, gala concerts and social events on the programme also. Standards are extremely high – it’s well worth making a special effort to get to at least one event.

April 30, 2010 to May 2, 2010.
One of the foremost events in the Irish motor racing calendar, with competitors coming from Ireland north and south as well as overseas.

It’s not been without controversy though, and there are those locally who’d rather see it end. That’s unlikely however, and those who love motor racing can, as always, expect hotly contested events and exciting driving.

April 30, 2010 to May 8, 2010.
This hotly contested annual final of a competition for amateur drama societies and clubs provides a very varied feast of theatre.

Standards are very high, the better productions are very close to professional in their staging and many Irish stars of stage and screen cut their teeth in Athlone.

April 30, 2010 to May 3, 2010.
This is a small friendly jazz festival held in the lovely West Cork village of Ballydehob and is one that you should get along to even if you are not a huge jazz fan.

The headline act for 2009 was the Joe Davidian Trio, who headed up a very strong line up. Expect more of the same in 2010.

April 30, 2010 to May 2, 2010.
This oddly named traditional music festival is held in Ardara, a truly lovely part of Donegal, and it’s small scale makes it a friendly event to attend.

It’s all fairly low key, with trad sessions in the local pubs and music workshops making up the bulk of the events.

May 2, 2010;
This annual event is held at Portlaoise Rugby Club and as well as putting prospective strongest men through their grunting paces includes a truck show and a load of other fair-style attractions.
A great family day out in aid of an excellent cause, Downs Syndrome Ireland.

May 7, 2010 to May 10, 2010.
Colourful street spectacles, live music, and extreme events are at the heart of this festival whose events take place mostly on the streets of Tullamore.

It’s very much a community affair with kids especially involved and enjoying the chances it gives them to dress up and get active.

May 12, 2010 to May 14, 2010.
The biggest event in Northern Irelands equestrian calendar, with the cream of show jumpers as well a show horses and young stock in attendance.

There is plenty for the non-horsey set to enjoy too, with livestock competitions, a large trade show, a food pavilion with cookery demonstrations and lots of fun activities for kids.

June 2, 2010 to June 6, 2010.
Listowel has been running its annual Writers Week since 1970 and it is an event that continues to attract the cream of Irish and overseas writers as speakers and workshop facilitators.

The less well known come in number too, not just to meet, exchange views, listen to readings and attend workshops but for the legendary Listowel ‘craic’.

June 3, 2010 to June 7, 2010.
This annual event is a fixture on the comedy circuit and brings not just the cream of Irish comedians to Kilkenny but some of the best and funniest comedians in the world.

They like it because its a non-competitive event at which shows are not televised, so they get to try out new or less main stream shows. The audiences just keep on growing, so it’s obviously a winning formula all round.