
Weekend fun in Cork: five fun things to do across the Rebel County
Cars and Coffee event in aid of Slí Eile at Burton Park, Mallow on Saturday June 28
All roads lead to Mallow this weekend for petrol heads as Cars and Coffee North Cork will hold a morning of coffee, baked goods and live music.
Vintage, classic and modern cars will be on show at the event, organised to raise funds for mental health charity Slí Eile.
For more information on the event, call 089 233 2492.
West Cork Chamber Music Festival, Bantry, June 27 – July 6
Bantry's renowned West Cork Chamber Music Festival celebrates its 30th anniversary this year with a line-up of stunning string quartets.
Five international quartets are set to be the star acts of the festival.
These include the Doric Quartet from the UK, the Ardeo Quartet comprised of musicians from Japan, France and South Korea, Ukraine's Tchalik Quartet, the Marmen Quartet and the Chiaroscuro Quartet.
Throughout the week-long event, there will be free, family-friendly concerts on the islands of Whiddy, Sherkin, Bere and Heir, as well as at unusual venues across the region.
The full festival programme can be viewed here.
Jake Carter with special guest Aimee Twomey at the Briery Gap in Macroom, Sunday June 29
The Briery Gap will host the final leg of Jake Carter's Point of View tour with local woman Aimee Twomey taking to the stage as a special guest on the night.
The concert promises to be a great night, which will delight country fans.
Jake Carter will bring a star quality to Macroom, while Aimee Twomey will have the backing of her hometown.
Marketing manager at the Briery Gap Doireann Fitzgerald said supporting emerging talent is the venue's 'goal'.
'In our goal of supporting national and also emerging talent, we have Macroom's own Aimee Twomey as support act on the night,' Ms Fitzgerald said.
'Aimee will be performing a mix of covers as well as some of her own writing.'
Tickets for the concert are €22 each and are available at brierygap.ie.
Ballinagree Vintage and Family Fun Day on Sunday, June 29
Locals and visitors are invited to a day of live music and competitive and non-competitive races, including the crowd favourite dog show, at Ballinagree.
The day will also offer mini digger challenges, a penalty shootout, the dreaded 'hold tough' contest and an egg throwing competition.
A raffle will take place on the day with proceeds raised to go to local charities.
Organisers have recommended that people come armed with a picnic blanket and wear their biggest smiles to soak up the great community spirit promised on the day.
Dara O'Briain at Live at the Marquee on Sunday, June 29
One of Ireland's most loved comedians Dara O'Briain will bring his Re:Creation tour to the Marquee on Sunday night.
The Wicklow man is back on the touring scene after a hugely successful 2023 tour titled So, Where Were We? – which sold out 173 shows across 20 countries.
The advert for the show says 'Dara is back doing his favourite thing: telling stories and creating madness'.
Tickets for the event can be purchased from Ticketmaster for €45 each.
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RTÉ News
23-07-2025
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Preparations under way for Ablefest 2025 in Co Meath
Preparations are well under way for what is set to be Ireland's first and largest music and arts festival for people with additional needs, which will take place in Co Meath this weekend. The organisers of Ablefest have said the non-profit event aims to highlight the importance of inclusivity and accessibility, and attendees class it as their Electric Picnic. This year's line-up will see the likes of Jake Carter, Johnny Brady, Brian Mullen, Catch 22, Matt Leavy, tribute act Irish Elvis, and Bingo Loco take to the stage at Fairyhouse Racecourse on Saturday. Festival-goers will also be able to enjoy a "myriad of creative fun" at an array of art and activity stations. Special toilets will be provided by AccessoLoo on the day for wheelchair users needing hoists while there will also be staffed sensory pods on site. Co-founded in 2018 by Shay Casserley and Kevin Farrell, who both have children with additional needs, this year's festival is set to be the biggest one yet. It is also the first year that Ablefest will take place at Fairyhouse Racecourse to accommodate a larger number of attendees, and the first year that Meath County Council is partnering with the event. Ablefest has donated thousands of euros to charities in recent years and organisers are now looking into using the proceeds from the event to sponsor respite care for families. Collaborations have also been formed with other festivals such as TradFest in Dublin and the St Patrick's Day Festival in Killarney. Co-founder and festival director, Mr Farrell said that he and Mr Casserley set up the festival as there was nothing like it already established in Ireland. He said: "We are very excited to collaborate with Meath County Council for Ablefest 2025, which is shaping up to be our biggest and best yet. "Ablefest is the first and largest accessible festival in Ireland, where 1.2 million people have a disability, and I am proud to welcome people from all over the country to Fairyhouse for a fantastic event." Meanwhile, Chief Executive of Meath County Council, Kieran Kehoe said: "Meath County Council is delighted to partner with this year's Ablefest event, once again showcasing Meath as an inclusive county for people of all abilities. "The excellent line-up and supportive festival environment will ensure Ablefest 2025 will undoubtedly be a great day out for all on Saturday," Mr Kehoe added. Tickets for Ablefest 2025 are still available to purchase online with organisers stating that all money raised is used to cover the cost of the event itself, or else is donated to charity.


RTÉ News
04-07-2025
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Behind the music - Lotte Betts-Dean
The West Cork Chamber Music Festival celebrates its 30th anniversary between 27 June and 6 July in Bantry with a programme including a performance from Australian mezzo soprano Lotte Betts Dean. We asked her the BIG questions . . . Tell us three things about yourself . . . I am addicted to coffee, Manchego cheese, Haribo tangtastics, sneakers and nail extensions. My favourite person in the world is my two-year-old nephew Hugo, closely followed by his mother, my younger sister Kiki. I was born in Berlin and was raised bilingual, for which I am extremely grateful. How would you describe your music? Varied!! I perform all kinds of classical music, from baroque to opera to song to new music, as well as non-classical things like pop covers, jazz and folk. I love doing all sorts and am never bored. Who are your musical inspirations? Sinéad O'Connor, Anne-Sofie von Otter, Caroline Polachek, Charli XCX, Cocteau Twins, Chet Baker, Dame Janet Baker, and my father, composer and violist Brett Dean. What was the first gig you ever went to? It would have been an orchestral concert by the Berlin Philharmonic, of which my father was a member, when I was a toddler! I do remember my first opera, which was a particularly grizzly production of Boris Godunov at Salzburg Festival when I was seven years old. I loved it. What was the first record you ever bought? The first album was Britney's debut album (#freeBritney forever) and the first single (remember those?!) was Whitney Houston's My Love is Your Love, a song I still adore. What's your favourite song right now? I've been falling asleep to Kali Malone's solo experimental pipe organ album The Sacrificial Code for a month. It is a godsend. Favourite lyric of all time? Don't have a favourite, but a lot of Joni Mitchell's lyrics floor me every time I hear them. The flow, the casualness, the unexpected shocking profundity. If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be? This is SUCH a cruel question!!! Can I ask for one piece of music? Bach's Weihnachtsoratorium. My website, via my management company Askonas Holt, or on socials: @dottelettsbean on Instagram / @lottebettsdean on x.