Cork Midsummer Festival launches today for 10 days of theatre, art and family fun. Des O’Driscoll selects a few of the upcoming highlights.

Lorraine Maye is originally from Galway but has lived in Cork with her Kinsale-born husband for four years. She is the director of Cork Midsummer Festival, which takes place from tomorrow to June 25.

Here’s what’s going on this weekend. 

WHAT could be billed as a quirky, high-octane investment at a small bite size lot has just come to market with the proposed sale of Adventure Park and Kartworld, just off the M8 at Cork’s Watergrasshill.

Meet at midnight near a warehouse on the outskirts of the city? It’s an arrangement that inevitably causes a frisson of excitement.

Cork Midsummer Festival runs this weekend and next. Here are some of the early highlights:

The Government is expected to indicate it is willing to relocate more than 2,000 refugees here as part of wider EU efforts to respond to the growing crisis, the Defence Minister said.

The Irish mother organising a massive aid convoy for refugees stranded in Calais has urged those moved by the images of a drowned Syrian child to channel their outrage in a practical way.

The Government is expected to extend the Irish Naval Service humanitarian mission in the Mediterranean today as donations flood in for an aid convoy bound for Calais.

The Dog Days are over to quote Florence and the Machine (who will be at Electric Picnic this year, as will I - of which more next week).

Ellie O’Byrne meets a young man who is pushing the boundaries of disability by fundraising for an exoskeleton which allows wheelchair users to walk again — with and without support.

Women are naturally more cautious than men when it comes to promoting their businesses, says Helen Wycherley, the president of Network Cork.

A taxi driver who was told he could not pass the entrance to the Marquee the night The Prodigy played last summer denied saying “Fuck you, boy” to the garda.

Cork’s Academy Street and its adjacent Huguenot Quarter is coming out of recessionary doldrums — and is becoming a foodie quarter: a slew of new restaurants has arrived, with more to come.

Tommy Barker reports on quay deals for future dock developments.

A plumber on trial for manslaughter arising out of a gas leak at the Trident hotel in Kinsale, Co Cork, had told gardaí he had tested the boiler for possible leaks with a computerised testing device. But the accused later stated he had not done so.

Wheels within wheels — an appropriate new use has been found for part of the giant, old Cork Ford factory — it’s to host whizzing karts, on a brand new indoors track.

A multi-million euro brewing investment has commenced on Cork city’s Marina Park— ironically, in a 50,000 sq ft unit previously used by Beamish and Crawford as a distribution depot.

A growing family prompted purchase and extension of 2,500-ft home, reworked to maximise the light.

WHAT value Cork’s prime docklands sites now?

Jill O’Keeffe, flowersmith at Wild, at the Marina Commercial Park, Cork, with the natural style bouquet she made after foraging for wildflowers, grasses and foliage; below Jill forages in the locality for her source materials.Pictures: Denis Minihane.

Handsomely made over, Tommy Barker finds a stunning home ready for the right urbanite or urbane buyer

A MASSIVE €750 million regeneration project for one of the country’s most iconic industrial sites was unveiled last night with the promise of up to 1,200 construction jobs.

THE Government must take a long-term view and invest in vital infrastructure to help regenerate Cork’s docklands, a respected developer said last night.

GERRY WYCHERLEY is a director of Templeford Ltd and the Marina Commercial Park.

CONSULTANTS have been appointed to design the public spaces in Cork’s docklands region, earmarked for massive regeneration.

THE 168-year-old Cork Summer Show will begin another exciting era when it is held at a new venue in Ballincollig on June 20/21.

NEARLY 1,000 people had to be evacuated after hydrochloric acid leaked from a tank, forming a potentially lethal vapour which spread to adjoining industrial estates.

THE grounds of the Munster Agricultural Society hosted what may have been its last Cork Summer Show over the weekend.

FOUR of the biggest landowners in Cork’s sprawling docklands confirmed last night they have combined to drive forward the region’s multibillion regeneration.

BUNGLING by solicitors was blamed for costing a Cork contractor up to €100,000 in legal damages after they failed to turn up for his hearing.

Development land is making €2m an acre in Cork city docklands. A deal has been agreed after a tender for four acres next to the Marina Commercial Park.

MOBILE phones have already changed the face of modern communications and now location-based services are about to bring major changes to mobile phones.