All About August: Almost wherever you are in the country this bank holiday weekend, there is a festival nearby.

Set dancing kicks off in Canny's Bar in Killanena, Co Clare, as part of the Merriman Summer School, while in Co Sligo, Ballymote heritage weekend offers fun for all the family, and the James Morrison trad festival runs at Riverstown. Also on the music front, the Ballyshannon, traditional and folk music festival runs in Co Donegal, the Guinness Music festival is on in the square in Mitchelstown and in Keadue, Co Roscommon the O'Carolan Harp and Traditional music festival gets underway. In the south, the Festival of the Sea features in Castletownbere, Co Cork, while the regatta runs at Akahista, Co Cork. Among the other festivals are the Siamsa Sraide in Swinford, Co Mayo and Spraoi, in Co Waterford.