Time for one last festival cuppa before you hit the road?
After a three-year protest of positivity, Festival Fit grinds to a halt – but Wanderly Wagon will be rolling on . . .
Running the last pair of underpants up the Picnic flagpole
As the last of the mud flakes from the boots, Festival Fit reflects on EP14
Electric Picnic – the end of an era
Mark Graham winds up his three-year odyssey with one final fling at Electric Picnic 2014
Picnic essentials and non-essentials – a GHD has no place at EP, but don’t forget the baby wipes
And remember to keep your sense of wellbeing well irrigated
Still cool as Puck
It’s not the most glamorous of gatherings, but Puck Fair in Killorglin has pedigree. And when it comes to partying, there’s life in the old goat yet
Honouring the wellied wet warriors of Castlepalooza
After years of being torn between two hooleys, Mark Graham stumps for Castlepalooza over Indiependence
Support your local festival slingers
In the stampede of summer sessions, authenticity can get a kicking
How to have a swell time even when you’re slightly swollen
Mark Grahan samples the City Spectacular, does some island-hopping and goes socialising Shligo Shtyle
It’s always survival of the fittest on the festival trail
Light Colour Sound, Groove and Daytripper - tripping through another trilogy
Westport Festival: Sinéad on top form – and swan paddle boats
The Co Mayo bash wasn’t exactly the wild west, but it was nice nonetheless
Moose and juicy at Body & Soul
Hunting for Caribou in the forests of Ballinlough Castle, we encountered any number of wild beasts
Bare necessities: Back to nature at the BARE in the Woods festival
Do we like hanging out at this one-day fest in Portarlington? Is the Pope catholic?
Hanging out with the body suspension crew
It’s nice to hook up with a swinging scene at Waterford City Tattoo Convention – you’ve just gotta suspend disbelief
Straight outta Castletown...and take the second left
After an intense weekend of wit, wisdom and wet whistles, Mark Graham opts to take a gangster nap
A Viking invasion in Wicklow and a Nazi blitz in Wexford
It was swords and axes at Wicklow Arts Festival, and machine-guns at the Military festival in Duncannon, but the most lethal weapon of the weekend was little Kevin’s stick
Eating humble pie in Ballymaloe
We were sniffy at first, but the community aroma of Kerrygold Ballymaloe Literary Festival of Food & Wine is too tempting to resist
No need for a voice coach for these true-skool Irish crews
For Irish collectives The Animators and This Side Up, the accent is on rapping in your own voice, and not trying to sound like you’re straight outta Compton
Festival Fit: Feck art – let’s line-dance!
We didn’t find much high culture at Inniskeen Countryfest 2014 in Co Monaghan– but we did make new friends in low places
Lights Colour Sound - there’s a new festival kid in town
Kilkenny has just added another hooley to the summer mix
Spring has sprung – and Forbidden Electric Fruit Picnic Palooza fever has broken out
Electric Picnic, Indiependence, Castlepalooza, Longitude, Forbidden Fruit, Sea Sessions – let the battle of the festival line-ups begin
Festival Fit: Driving St Patrick out of the big city
Backwards parades , invisible parades, lovely tractor contests – for some real Paddy’s Day craic, head out to the country
Festival Fit: follow the laughter lines to Corofin and Tedfest
Séamus Begley sends ’em home laughing at Corofin Trad Festival, while rogue clerics send the tourists running for cover at Tedfest on Inis Mór
Festival Fit: Ah, the walk’ll do you good
As the walking season kicks off, it’s time to get on Shank’s mare and step out on some foot-bound festivals
Festival Fit: Where chess, backgammon and Powergrid have the monopoly
It’s lashing outside in West Cork – time to get cosy and roll the dice at the Clonakilty Board Games Festival
Festival Fit: Majestic scenery, cute hoors, Gaelic football, dance and song . . .
Mark Graham discovers all life on display in West Kerry
Festival Fit: Where chess, backgammon and Powergrid have the monopoly
It’s lashing outside in West Cork – time to get cosy and roll the dice at the Clonakilty Board Games Festival
Festival Fit: Goat-milking and bush-worshipping in Co Offaly
The Milking of the Goat festival is more ‘Father Ted’ than ‘Wicker Man’, thank god
Festival Fit: Breaking Trad
Nothing like a little Neo-Acoustic Celtic Post-Rock to get trad fans jumping around in Temple Bar like a Flatley in heat
Keeping resolutions and breaking bands on the festival trail
Young Scientists have the technology to positively charge Mark Graham’s failing batteries
Another full festival calendar brewing – hey ho, let’s go!
Mark Graham looks back as Festival Fit limbers up to get back on the road
Festival Fit: Druid, where’s my cauldron?
Féile Draíochta in Dublin was more like a seminar than a pagan bacchanal. And Ennis Festival of Light should carry a health warning: may be beneficial to your health.
Packing ’em in at Cork Film Festival
Woe betide any movie director who gets into Dylan Moran’s black books
Crunching numbers on the festival trail
While shoe-gazing at Kilkenomics, Mark Graham notices that economists have the better brogues
Crosswords & Puzzles
Crosswords & puzzles to keep you challenged and entertained
Common Ground
How does a post-Brexit world shape the identity and relationship of these islands
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