The Piper’s Garden is an outdoor performance venue at the Séamus Ennis Arts Centre in Naul, Co Dublin. This weekend it is hosting two live music events featuring Aoife Scott, the award-winning folk artist with traditional roots, today, Friday, August 13, followed by singer-songwriter Mick Flannery on Saturday, August 14. Later in the month, Lisa Canny (pictured), singer, composer and multi-instrumentalist, performs on Friday August 27, and Dom Martin’s Savages, the popular blues and rock band, on Saturday August 28; www.tseac.ie.

Good news for gourmets who want to explore The Wicklow Escape, Ballinclea, Donard, Co Wicklow. It is now offering its outdoor dining experience at The Fiery restaurant to non-residents. Bookings are open for Wednesdays and Fridays with 6:30pm and 7:45pm time slots available. Guests can expect a four-course menu designed by Danni Barry, with complementary wine pairings. Also joining Barry is the kitchen is chef Niamh Barry (pictured above), who has honed her skills at a number of fine dining establishments including The Lady Helen Restaurant at Mount Juliet Estate and Ashford Castle. Niamh has also staged in Eipic, working alongside Danni there, and the Fat Duck Restaurant, as well as running her own small business Abbert Lifestyle Store and Grocery throughout Covid. She has previously competed in the Euro-Toques Young Chef of The Year Competitions too; www.thewicklowescape.com.

Accessing culture from an early age is beneficial to children. Experts have revealed that participation in culture helps develop thinking skills, build self-esteem, and improves resilience as well as broadening horizons and encouraging curiosity. With these benefits in mind Cork City recently launched a “Playful Culture Trail” featuring 30 child-friendly places to explore – this new trail is part of an ongoing commitment by Cork City Council to make Cork a more “Playful City”. Fun things to do include hopping on a bus to explore labyrinths at St Fin Barre’s Cathedral, designing costumes for superheroes at Crawford Art Gallery, finding out their Bog Age at the Cork Butter Museum, tracing tombstones at St Peter’s Church, making daisy chains at Nano Nagle Place, enjoying the playground at the Old Cork Waterworks, and lots more. purecork.ie/playtrail

If you missed the performance of Cosi Fan Tutte at Wood Quay Amphitheatre, Dublin 8, the second installment will be next Thursday August 19, at 1pm, with a performance of Don Pasquale by Gaetano Donizetti. These events are part of the “Opera in the Open” initiatives by Dublin City Council. If you are unfamiliar with the plot, the wealthy old bachelor, Don Pasquale, has decided to take a wife so that he can produce an heir and then disinherit his nephew, Ernesto, rather than see him marry a woman he finds “unsuitable”. Ernesto has refused to enter into an arranged marriage and is devastated to think of a life without his beloved Norina, a beautiful local widowed woman. Cast members including Kelli Ann Masterson (Norina), Simon Morgan (Malatesta), Richard Shaffrey (Ernesto), Brendan Collins (Pasquale), Riain Cash (Notary/Narrator); www.dublin.ie.

Opera fans should also book tickets for Dublin HandelFest which opens with the Irish Baroque Orchestra’s concert performance of Handel’s melodic music from Acis and Galatea, directed from the harpsichord by Peter Whelan and featuring soloists Julia Doyle (pictured), Dean Power, Edward Grint and Andrew Gavin. The concert is broadcast live from St. Patrick’s Hall, Dublin Castle on Friday, August 20 at 7.30pm, tickets cost €15; www.dublinhandelfest.com.

Something to book for next weekend is the Boyne Valley tasting evening at The Station House Hotel in Kilmessan, Co Meath, on August 21. These popular tasting evenings take place in the hotel’s award-winning Signal Restaurant, which reflects the character and charm of this classic country house. The seven course tasting menu represents the ethos of the hotel and the restaurant, and will include dishes made from locally sourced suppliers like the Wooden Pig meats, Drummond House garlic and asparagus, Bee Wise Honey, Swainstown Farm, to name a few. A “Wine, Dine and Stay” package is from €200 per person, and enjoy the finest seasonal produce and ingredients from the bounty of fantastic producers in the Boyne Valley; www.stationhousehotel.ie.

As we enjoy the last few weeks of summer and outdoor dining and tablescaping, Fearghal Kavanagh, Head of Creative and Visual Merchandising at Kilkenny Design believes in choosing a colour scheme and sticking to it. “Don’t over-do patterns. Choose coloured or patterned linens and dress with simple dishes for balance.” He also believes in investing in quality pieces and using the “good stuff”. He says, “Classic crystal barware always looks impressive on a table.” Do check Kilkenny Design’s range of homewares to elevate table settings, from Galway Crystal barware and Paul Moloney serving dishes (pictured) to McNutt linen napkins and Mindy Brownes lanterns; www.kilkennyshop.com.

For something different how about a fun guided tour around the K Club estate on one oof its new fleet of Segways and e-scooters? The hour-long tour takes in both sides of the River Liffey that runs through the estate, where you’ll discover a private island nestled among the trees and explore its hidden fairy trail. The K Club guides will provide safety helmets and a (non!) crash course on how to navigate your Segway or e-scooter, so both children and kidults can be proficient in next to no time. Segway and e-scooter tours are available for €45 per adult or €35 per child over twelve, with accommodation options available from €270 per night. www.kclub.ie

One for horticulturalists is The Twin Trees Heywood Festival, which takes place from August 19 – 22 in the beautiful setting of Ballinakill Village & Heywood Gardens, Co Laois. The event is a celebration of the history and heritage of the former Charter village, and the exquisite Lutyens designed formal garden, at Heywood Demesne; www.twintrees.ie.

It’s National Heritage Week from August 14 – 22, so time to plan some day trips. Ballyhoura Country, situated on the crossroads of Cork, Limerick and Tipperary, in the heart of the Golden Vale, has an interesting schedule of free events. The region has a rich connection to the past (including links to president John F Kennedy), and the week will celebrate the region’s history, culture, heritage and biodiversity, with something for everyone. For example, Lough Gur – a horseshoe-shaped lake bounded on three sides by hills, is home to Gearóid Iarla, who was banished to the bottom of the lake by the goddess Áine, returning once every seven years to try to break the curse. There’s free entry to the Lough Gur Visitor centre exhibition on August 14 and 15, where you can find out about the area’s rich folklore and wealth of archaeology. Don’t leave without visiting Grange Stone Circle – Ireland’s largest stone circle built around 2100 BC; www.visitballyhoura.com.

House Dublin reopens next Wednesday, August 18, when chef Neil Mulholland along with General Manager Andrew Fisher and hosts Carol Byrne and Michael Sharpe look forward to welcoming guests to the re-imagined space. Taking inspiration from the colours of Miami, the lushly planted outdoor dining area will seat up to 100 under a retractable glass roof, where breakfast, lunch and dinner will be served. Online bookings are being accepted at www.HouseDublin.ie.

And?

Have you always wanted a professional portrait photograph? The Westbury Dublin is offering complimentary professional headshots for women next Tuesday, August 17 with photographer Emily Quinn. The sessions will run between 9.30am and 5.30pm on Tuesday and are part of an initiative for this year’s International Women’s Day in March when The Doyle Collection hotels in London, Washington DC, Dublin and Cork launched an initiative to support women in business. Portrait photographs will be available simultaneously at The Marylebone in London and The Westbury Dublin on August 17 and at The River Lee on August 18. Those interested can book via Eventbrite.ie.