There’s gallops on the strand, music in the air and heavenly gardens on display. And that’s just among some of the activities in West Cork this weekend.

Visitor accommodation is at a premium as a West Cork town gears up for the arrival of some 1,500 musicians and hundreds more friends, guests and fans of the popular South of Ireland Band Championships.

PETER HARRISON, the backer who has sunk a reported £22m into Britain's America's Cup Challenge, was last night wearing his widest smile of the week after his Farr 52 Chernikeeff 2 won the showcase IRM High Performance Class's 24.2 mile coastal race.

By Andi Robertson, DOUBLE Olympic Medallist Ben Ainslie made a key difference to the fortunes of David MacLean's Welsh flagged IC 45 Babbalaas in the showcase IRM High Performance Class at Ford Cork Week yesterday as light winds continued to affect racing.