The Guide: The events to see, the shows to book and the ones to catch before they end

Event of the Week

Another Love Story

Friday, August 18th until Sunday, August 20th, Killyon Manor, County Meath, 3pm; €230/€215; anotherlovestory.ie

The ninth edition of this charmer of a bespoke music/arts/mindful festival is, the promoters say, “intentionally realised at a scale which fosters a true sense of community”. What we have, then, is an intimate festival that gives you space to breathe whilst experiencing carefully curated music. This year’s (mostly Irish) performers include Lisa Hannigan, Chequerboard, The Cope, Thumper, Sorcha Richardson, Moondiver, God Knows, Neil Dexter, New Jackson, Theon Cross, Negro Impacto and Perlee. Also on the festival line-up is conversation (including chats with photographer Rich Gilligan and authors Colin Barrett and Lisa McInerney) and – what’s this on the event website? – “fun and frolics”.

Gigs

Martin Carthy

Saturday, August 12th and Sunday, August 13th, The Cobblestone, Dublin; 8pm; €20; foggynotions.ie

There are very few folk singers of the vintage of Martin Carthy, one of the most influential figures in British traditional music. Now 82, he is a contemporary of Bob Dylan and Paul Simon and, like them, shows little sign of retreating into the background. These are eyeball-to-eyeball gigs that will see him cast his memory back to the 1960s, when he played London’s famed Troubadour folk club. In other words: respect the singer and the songs by, if you don’t mind, keeping the noise down.

Indigo Girls

Thursday, August 17th, NCH, Dublin; 8pm; €40; nch.ie

You can safely bet that the younger element of the Barbie movie fan base had never heard of Indigo Girls before their 1989 song, Closer to Fine, was heard a few times during the film. Such is the curious trajectory that some artists experience but for the politically active United States duo (Amy Ray and Emily Saliers), the exposure to a much younger audience has provided them with a career boost they didn’t see coming. Good on ‘em.

The Human League

Thursday, August 17th, Leopardstown racecourse, Dublin; 7pm; €30; leopardstown.com

Sheffield’s The Human League were in Dublin less than two months ago (as support to Lionel Richie in St Anne’s Park) but return as headliners as part of the series of Bulmers Live shows to show people how to cast off inhibitions and throw shapes not seen since the Aurora Borealis hit the skies. Most bets are off, then, as the trio of Phil Oakey, Joanne Catherall and Susan Ann Sulley deliver some of the best ever electropop of the past 40-plus years.

Alt-folk duo The Breath will be performing. Photograph: York Tillyer

Keep Her Lit

Friday, August 18th until Sunday, August 20th, Inistioge, County Kilkenny, various times/prices/venues; keepherlitfestival.ie

It’s the second time around for this compact folk/trad music festival, which returns to the historic village of Inistioge. Across the weekend, the likes of Lisa Hannigan, indie-folk duo Les Salamandas, folk trio Sola and alt-folk duo The Breath (featuring BBC Radio 2′s Folk Singer of the Year winner, Ríoghnach Connolly and ex-Cinematic Orchestra’s guitarist Stuart McCallum) will be performing. Non-music additions include storytelling with Seanchaí Jim Maher, set dance workshops and the debut of the Keep Her Lit Céilí, hosted by County Clare fiddle player and dance instructor, Louise O’Connor.

[ The Music Quiz: What is the only U2 song covered by George Michael? ]

Festival

Féile Na Gréine

Friday, August 18th until Sunday, August 20th, Limerick (city); various venues/times; feilelk.ie

The celebration of art and community is at the heart of Limerick city’s barrier-expanding Féile Na Gréine, its volunteer and DIY sensibilities providing a necessary platform for emerging and experimental music across. Highlights are numerous and while it would be unfair to direct you towards any specific acts, we can’t not recommend the following: Robocobra Quartet, Arborist, R. Kitt, Natalia Beylis and Eimear Reddy, Mankyy x Hazey Haze, Katie Kim and Cinder Well. All details on many other performers, venues, times of shows and admission prices are available on the festival website.

Stage

Mother of All the Behans

Tuesday, August 15th until Monday, August 26th, 3Olympia Theatre, Dublin; 7.30pm; €45/€40/€30/€21.50; ticketmaster.ie

The story of Kathleen Behan first came to light in 1984, when the memoir, Mother of All the Behans, was published (and written by her son, Brian, brother of Brendan). First staged in 1987 at The Abbey/Peacock, with Rosaleen Linehan as Kathleen, and adapted/directed by Peter Sheridan (with additional material by Linehan), its latest iteration features Irish singer Imelda May making her theatrical stage debut. No pressure, so.

Visual Art

Here Comes Love

Until Saturday, August 26th, Kerlin Gallery, Dublin; adm free; kerlingallery.com

A collaborative exhibition featuring the work of seven artists, Here Comes Love gathers together themes of sexuality, beauty, familial, intimacy and the divine feminine. The artists include 2019 Turner Prize joint winner Tai Shani; Dublin-based US painters Lee Welch and Vanessa Jones; Austrian sculptor Sarah Pichlkostner; Glasgow-based Sam Keogh; Dublin-born, France-based Justin Fitzpatrick; and Jennifer Mehigan. The combined show highlights the artists’ complementary creative skills as well as highlighting work not usually seen in one gallery.

Literature

Spike Island Literary Festival

Friday August 18th until Sunday, August 20th, Spike Island, Cobh, County Cork; €26; spikeislandcork.ie

Where else to hold a literary festival with a theme of crime than on a prison island? The return of this much-praised event features premier crime writers Catherine Ryan Howard, Arlene Hunt, Amu Cronin, Amanda Cassidy, Sam Blake and Michelle Dunne. Music (John Spillane), storytelling (Cónal Creedon) and guided tours add to the, er, captivating atmosphere.

Still Running

Caoi de Barra

While Irish trio Wyvern Lingo are on hiatus, one of its members, Caoi de Barra, set out on a tour of Ireland to promote her new single, Treehouse. The final three dates are today, Saturday, August 12th (The Music Loom, Killybegs, County Donegal), Thursday, August 17th (The Harbour Bar, Bray, County Wicklow), and Friday, August 18th (The Fumbally, Dublin).

Book it this week

Clonakilty International Guitar Festival, De Barras, Clonakilty, County Cork, Friday, September 15th until Sunday, September 24th; debarra.ie

Snoop Dogg, RDS Simmonscourt, Dublin, September 24th; ticketmaster.ie

Lankum, National Opera House, Wexford, Thursday, December 21st; lankumdublin.com

Noah Kahan, 3 Arena, Dublin, February 8th; ticketmaster.ie