From gourmet pop-ups to gardening inspiration, grooving with some Strictly stars and visiting some great castles … it’s all happening this weekend …
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Go on A Normandy Food Tour in Dublin, Waterford and Wexford
There’s no need to hop on a ferry to enjoy the culinary delights of Normandy this bank holiday. Some Normandy food experts will be serving up some sweet and savoury delights in Dublin on June 3, Waterford on June 4, and New Ross Town, Wexford, on June 5.
Look out for their distinctive Normandy food trucks and the producers which include Grignot’Malin (for traditional French crêpes), Caravanille (for fresh brioches topped with Normandy delicacies), and La Dégusterie (for cheese). There will also be tastings of patisserie (including Madeleines and Caramel De Pommes Dieppois apple spread) as well as cookery demonstrations during which chefs will prepare Escalope à la Normande, Teurgoule rice pudding along with some brioche. The Normandy Food Tour is a free-to-attend event. For more details visit www.en.normandie-tourisme.www
Get some garden inspiration at Bord Bia Bloom Festival, Dublin
Hot on the heels of RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2023, Bord Bia Bloom takes place at the Phoenix Park this weekend, where there will be a mix of Show gardens, designed by both established and emerging garden designers. Check out Woodie’s show garden “As I Live and Breathe” designed by gardening expert Brian Burke – an achievable design which has been planted with flowering perennials and grasses like Salvia, Calamagrostis, and Agapanthus and multi stem birch trees. Bord Gáis Energy Theatre has a musical-themed garden inspired by the new production of the West End and Broadway hit Charlie and The Chocolate Factory – The Musical. Designed by Tom Leavy, it brings to life the world of Willy Wonka and features a pathway to a chocolate river, sculpture, colourful textiles as well as exotic and edible plants.
I’ll also be popping in to see The Kildare Gallery, showing for the eighth time at Bord Bia. It is incorporating sculptures with immersive floral displays, while in the visitor’s centre at Bloom, there is an inspiring Botanical Floral Art Exhibition. Of course, there will be lots of other entertainment too – including cookery demonstrations by Rory O’Connell , Catherine Fulvio, JP McMahon and Shane Smith.
Also launching at the festival is The Bloom Box, from Folláin, €20, which is perfect for summer picnics and barbecues. The box contains some new products – a Tomato and Chilli Jam, a Morello Cherry and Raspberry Jam, as well as some caramelised red onion relish and some passion fruit curd.
Ciara McQuillan says “The Food Village at Bloom is a haven for hungry and thirsty attendees with a vast selection of different cuisines to suit every taste. Exhibitors worth checking out include All Bar Chicken, Bahay, Bob’s Pizza, Builín Blasta, Salty Buoy, Kinara, Hell’s BBQ, Pitt Bros, Little Dumpling and taco’s from Los Chicanos. For sweet treat check out Ciao Cannoli, Gino’s Gelato, Munchies Waffles and of course, that market staple, fresh Crepes. Go hungry.”
Tickets for Bord Bia Bloom are on sale via the website and cost from €25 per person – with every adult ticket purchased, two children under 16 go free; www.bordbiabloom.com
Take an interiors tour of Birr Castle, Co Offaly
A long weekend is the ideal time to explore this gorgeous estate. Birr has been the home of the Parsons’ family since 1620. Each summer the 7th Earl of Rosse, William Brendan Parsons and Alison Lady Rosse, open their home to the public. There is a 60-minute guided tour, €20, which starts with welcome videos in the Science Galleries followed by a visit to the castle and its beautiful reception rooms. The admission ticket also allows guests to explore the 120 acres of parklands, with its nature trails, the Great Telescope, and the famous Carroll Oak which has been standing tall for over 500 years. www.birrcastle.com
Enjoy some opera at Blackwater Valley Opera Festival, Co Wexford
Featuring 21 events at twelve venues over eight days (until June 5) including many free outdoor performances and discounted ticket events, this classical music and opera festival is accessible to all. The four free BVOF Open Air Lunchtime Recitals in Youghal, Fermoy, Lismore and Dungarvan will be performed by various members of the 24-strong festival chorus, and each performance will be different, offering classical and operatic repertoire in a less formal way. Tickets are free, but must be pre-booked to guarantee a seat.
For gourmets, there’s some exquisite fine dining options at Lismore Castle and in Dromore Yard, where chef Eunice Power is offering The MacBeth Menu – a pre-opera formal dining menu at Lismore Castle. Eamo & Ró are also offering a choice of three gourmet picnic tables at Dromore Yard. Guests can also bring their own picnic – do book a spot in one of the romantic, semi-restored outhouses. To find out more visit www.blackwatervalleyopera.ie.
Book This Show in Dublin
Baz Luhrmann’s Strictly Ballroom The Musical is a fabulous, feel-good evening full of sequins, singing and salsa, which will have your toes tapping long after you leave the theatre. This production stars Strictly Come Dancing champion Kevin Clifton, Coronation Street actress Faye Brooks and is directed by (the fab-u-lous) Craig Revel Horwood. On until June 3, tickets are from €20. Also a must-see is the exciting production of the iconic musical West Side Story, which will play in Dublin for a two-week run from June 12 to 24. www.bordgaisenergytheatre.ie
Enjoy K-Fest, Co Kerry
K-Fest takes place in the picturesque town of Killorglin, Co Kerry, and has become known as one of Ireland’s most important festivals for celebrating the work of emerging artists and musicians. This year’s programme incorporates over 60 events, including workshops, music performances and craft markets, with numerous pop-up galleries, art installations and exhibitions taking place in disused buildings, empty shop-fronts and non-traditional arts spaces. The majority of events are free to attend.
Attendees can see screen prints created by Clare Blackwell, a Limerick-born artist and printmaker who has been commissioned to design this year’s festival poster. Clara Planelles whose most recent film, First Date, was screened this year at the Irish Film London Festival will also be exhibiting. Do look out for the “Peggy’s Angels of Hope” project will feature enormous 8ft angel sculptures, transformed into works of art by local community organisations and businesses.
Among the music acts attending are Cherym, a three-piece pop-rock band from Derry. They’ll be joined by the alt-rock and minimal post-punk-influenced band Grave Goods, Dublin artist Cruel Sister, Cork singer Alicia Olaniran and Limerick singer-songwriter Abe Soare. The Dublin punk duo Vulpynes, Limerick band His Father’s Voice, punk producer Meryl Streek, and Galway band Adore will also be playing. For further information visit www.kfest.ie
