A feast of festival fun nationwide

From Bloomsday for Joycean lovers to al fresco dining in Dublin, from the fun side of the arts in Carlow to the annual Summer Show in Cork, this weekend promises a feast of festivals nationwide.

Bloomsday was first celebrated in Dublin by a ragtag group of artists who followed in the footsteps of the characters of Joyce’s epic Ulysses, drinking and reading as they went. True to that spirit, the day now stretches to a week and includes a number of walking tours.

There will also be a special celebration to mark the 100th anniversary of the publication of Dubliners, with a tour starting from the James Joyce Centre on North Great George’s St and ending at Trinity.