Today John Hewitt Summer School: Beyond the Planter and the Gael is the challenging theme of the 10th summer school in St MacNissi's College at Garron Tower overlooking the spectacular Antrim coastline. Tel: 08 01266 650097. Galway Races: Hot on the heels of the city's arts festival, the punters can enjoy five days of racing at Ballybrit. Women's Studies Summer School: The Centre for Women's Studies at Trinity College Dublin is hosting the first summer school dedicated exclusively to women. Topics covered over the next four days are politics, health care, work and close relationships. Cost: £30 per day. Boyle Arts Festival: Five more days of classical music recitals, poetry readings and art exhibitions in this Co Roscommon town. Children's Theatre: Alice In Wonderland by the Seven Ages Theatre company opens at the Granary Theatre, Cork city for a two-week run. Booking on tel: 021 344275.
Des Carthy Traditional Music Summer School: Head for Virginia House, Tallaght, Dublin for a recital by flautist, Paul McGrattan and fiddle player, Paul O'Shaughnessy. Classes continue throughout the week. Tel: 01 6704018. Mary From Dungloe Festival: Non-stop ceoil agus craic at the La Gaelach on Thursday in Letterkenny, Co Donegal. Marys on walkabout on Friday morning. Little Mary competition, Saturday at 3 p.m.
Tomorrow Belfast Opera House: The Wizard Of Oz begins a two-week run. Tel: 08 01232 241919.
Wednesday River Walk: Join An Oige members in a riverside ramble along the Liffey starting from the War Memorial Park, Islandbridge, Dublin at 7 p.m.
Thursday Castletownshend Festival of Classical Music: Oozing with historic and literary associations, St Barrahane's Church is the venue for tonight's concert by organist, Colm Carey and Jonathan Freeman-Attwood on trumpet, in this west Cork town. Admission £6. Spirit of Ireland Festival: Irish dancers, uilleann piper, Michael McGoldrick and soprano soloist, Meav Ni Mhaolchatha in the opening performance at the National Concert Hall at 6.30 p.m. Tickets: £12, £10 and £8.
Friday Waterford Spraoi: With percussion from Africa, brass from India, folk (music, that is) from north America, and home talent to beat the band, Waterford city hosts one of Ireland's largest street based festival over the next three days. O'Carolan Harp Festival: The village of Keadue, Co Roscommon is the mecca for harpists from home and abroad until Sunday, August 10th. Don't miss the concert by internationally renowned harpists, Laurie Riley and Michael McBean (above) tomorrow at 9.30 p.m.
Ballyshannon Folk and Traditional Festival: Four Men and A Dog, Na Casadaigh, Arcady, Cooney and Begley and Sean Keane will be drawing crowds to the festival marquee on the banks of the River Erne in this Co Donegal town over the next three days.
Youghal International Busking Festival: They come from far and wide with their instruments strapped to their backs for four days of competitions in this Co Cork town.
Gorey Summer Fair: Ten days of music on the streets, children's workshops, puppet shows and classical music recitals in this Co Wexford town. Three Leaf Festival: The three Co Waterford villages of Kill, Bonmahon and Ballylaneen are en fete over the weekend.
Caherciveen Celtic Music Weekend: A fireworks display by Theatre of Fire provides a sizzling start to this new Co Kerry festival.
Kinsale Regatta: Check out the festival on the water tomorrow in this beautiful Co Cork town.
Saturday Yeats International Summer School: Sligo town and county and their lyrical landscape provide insight and inspiration to students at this ultra-popular summer school. Tel: 071 42693. Millstreet Music Fair: Sinead Lohan and the Afro-Celt Sound System get the mood going tonight before tomorrow's concert with Jackson Browne, Jools Holland and his Rhythm and Blues Orchestra, Suzanne Vega, Steve Earle, Richard Thompson, Tom Robinson and many others. Castleward Music and Fireworks display: The front lawn of one of Northern Ireland's finest country homes is the magnificent venue for this visual and musical extravaganza tonight.
Sunday Glencolmcille Archaeology Summer School: UCD Professor of Archaeology, Michael Herity, leads field trips to some of Donegal's early Christian monuments. Feile and Phobail: Eight days and nights of music, drama, film, sport and children's events at this West Belfast community festival.
