What’s on around Ireland this Easter weekend?

Galway Food Festival

The fourth annual Galway food festival take place this weekend with open-air markets, food trails, tastings and workshops involving more than 100 restaurants and food producers across the city and county. On Saturday afternoon Kai Cafe & Restaurant will host a bread and butter making morning for children while Tom Sheridan will run a kid’s pizza masterclass. The Glenlo Abbey Hotel will host a gourmet banquet with a six course tasting menu on Saturday evening and on Sunday the Connemara Coast hotel will host an Easter egg hunt. Events run until Easter Monday.

Tickets for events are available by contacting restaurant hosts through www.galwayfoodfestival.com

RTÉ Road to the Rising

People of all ages are invited to experience Irish life as it was 100 years ago as O'Connell Street in Dublin transforms into an Edwardian thoroughfare on Easter Monday. The Tented Village will demonstrate the popular fashions a century ago, with hot towel shaving and hairstyle demonstrations taking place. The Abbey Theatre will host a series of lectures with historians, writers and performers coming together to imagine a country on the cusp of revolution. There will also be a screening of the TV series Insurrection, a drama made by Telefís Éireann for the 50th anniversary of the Rising, between 12-5pm in Liberty Hall. RTÉ Radio 1 will also broadcast a series of programmes through the day dedicated to the centenary celebrations.

All events are free but tickets are required for some and booking is recommended.

[ www.rte.ie ]

Phase One Electronic Music and Arts Festival

Now in its third year, the Phase One festival features a combination of electronic music gigs, visual art, animation, film, master classes and workshops at the Dock contemporary arts centre in Carrick-On-Shannon, Co Leitrim. Saturday's line-up includes performances from Horse Meat Disco, Fish Go Deeo, Diarmuid Mc. Sunday features Donal Dineen, Jape, Nanu, Hauer and many more. An exhibition of sculpture, installations and interactive digital media from artists David Bickley, Jimmy Eadie, Alicia Ní Loideáin and Shane Finan opens at 1pm on Saturday with a curators talk.

Tickets are €30 for the day or €55 for a weekend pass.

[ phaseonefestival.com ]

Dublin Walking Festival

The weekend of walking around the Dublin and Wicklow hills will include hikes to the Wicklow Way, Bohernabreenam, Massys Woods and a full moon walk overlooking Dublin’s twinkling lights and the Irish coastline. The festival invites participants of all ages and experience and promises to use trails that will suit all abilities including family friendly routes for young children. Participants will also stop off at pubs for food and some rest, with visits to Johnnie Fox’s and the Merry Ploughboy on the schedule.

Ticket prices range from €5 for children to €40 for the landscape photography course and walk. An adult weekend pass costs €50.

[ www.hilltoptreks.ie/walking-holidays/dublin-walking-festival ]

Racing home for Easter

Mallow’s Easter racing festival kicks off on Saturday at the Cork Racecourse in Mallow with horse races and free entertainment running through the bank holiday weekend. The races kick off at 2pm on Saturday, although Sunday is expected to be the busiest day of the weekend with the Best Dressed competition taking place with a €1500 gift card as first prize for the most stylish lady of the day. An Easter egg hunt, face-painting and a mobile farm will be on site to keep the kids entertained. The Point 2 Point races final will take place on Easter Monday.

Adult tickets are €15, students/OAPs are €10 and children under 14 go free.

[ www.racinghomeforeaster.com ]

Easter at Farmleigh

Farmleigh house estate in Phoenix Park, Dublin is holding a programme of free Easter events on Sunday and Monday. The Farmleigh Food & Crafts farmyard market will be held on both days from 10am-5pm, with music in the bandstand from 2-4pm. There will be a number of puppet shows during the afternoon and storytelling for children in the old kitchen. The plant fair will run all day both afternoons in the Paddocks and there will be Easter art workshops and Easter egg hunt, quiz and challenge around the grounds.

All events are free but spaces are limited and tickets will be distributed on a first come first serve basis.

[ www.farmleigh.ie/events/Title,33424,en.html ]