1)Glucksman Craft and Design Fair
Early Christmas shopping is in order at the Cork fair which promotes high quality craftwork from established and emerging designers.
Established in 2008, the festival, which opened yesterday [FRIDAY]continues today and tomorrow.
This year is also the first time a “Glucksman graduate award winner” will be announced, as well as a dedicated area showcasing up and coming graduate designers and their products. Further information is available at www.glucksman.org/craftfair14.
2)Kilkenomics Economics Festival
Perhaps best known for its Cat Laughs festival, Kilkenny is getting a little more serious this weekend. Sort of.
It is the fifth year of Kilkenomics, the festival that pitches itself as bringing “together some of the world’s leading economists, financial analysts and media commentators”, mixed in with some well known stand-up comedians; a self-styled “Davos with jokes”. Events take place at various venues with further information at www.kilkenomics.com.
3) Sneem International Storytelling and Folklore Festival
November, apparently, is the traditional time for storytelling and that is exactly what the Sneem festival aims to deliver.
Now in its third year, the event offers a weekend of concerts, informal performances, workshops, walks and lectures on storytelling and folklore for all ages.
Events take place across a range of locations in the village until tomorrow with more information available at www.sneemstorytellingfestival.com.
4)Cashel Arts Festival
The ten day arts festival begins on Sunday with a combination of theatre, literature, craft and food fair, music, comedy and street entertainment.
The festival prides itself on community participation, embracing a number of events including performances by the Cashel Festival Choir and the creation of a community arts cafe.
Further information is available at www.cashelartsfest.com
5) Dublin Beatles Festival
Now in its second year, the Dublin Beatles Festival following a successful run in 2013 which attracted Beatles fans from as far afield as Japan, Kazakhstan and the US.
Beginning yesterday, the three day festival is packed with live performances, films, theatre and a chance to pick up merchandise and memorabilia.
Performances will include Irish acts Vyvienne Long, Biggles Flys Again, The Statics, Jonathan Ward, Beatles for Sale, The Rockets, Enda Reilly, The Newspaper Taxi Men and Keith Grogan.
Information at www.dublinbeatlesfestival.com
6) Wild & Slow
This culinary spectacular has been a year-long event that culminates with the Wild Food Harvest Festival in the BrookLodge Hotel & Macreddin Village today and tomorrow.
It will include rows of wooden stalls lining the streets with a huge variety of homemade foods, celebrating the best of what Ireland has to offer in the culinary world. And it's all on the back of months of educational build up in schools and communities. Not to be missed for foodies everywhere. Information at www.wildandslow.com.
7) Ireland v South Africa
Last here, but no doubt first on many people’s minds this weekend will be the Ireland - South Africa match in the Aviva on Saturday. This time last year they were getting over a defeat with the Wallabies, who gave them a hiding in spite of the having been reportedly on the lash the night before.
With lessons learnt from last year, Ireland will be brushing up on its Afrikaans and hoping for a perfect game.
