Festival frenzy

COME summer time, there’s never a shortage of things to do around Ireland. Sometimes the best of festivals tended to go unnoticed but these days it’s easy to pick them on www.discoverireland.ie

The Mary of Dungloe Festival is perhaps one of the better known and this runs from July 24 to August 2. The organisers squeeze every last drop of energy from the participants in what is best described as a Fr Ted-esque beauty pageant.

For a festival with a more intimate feel, head for Charleville Castle in Tullamore for a boutique music and arts festival from July 31 to August 2.