Event of the week
Paddy Power Comedy Festival
Thursday, July 25th, until Sunday, July 28th, Iveagh Gardens, Dublin, 4.40pm/7.30pm/9.30pm, €38/€33/€20, ppcomedyfestival.com
The website has a sequence of dad jokes (“Earth, Venus and Mars were going to organise a party. Unfortunately, nobody knew how to planet,” and so on), but the line-up for this year’s Paddy Power Comedy Festival features comedians who are far above dishing out such material. As usual, Irish names are well represented (Tommy Tiernan, Deirdre O’Kane, Dara O’Briain, Jason Byrne, Justine Stafford, Michael Fry), but mark your dance card for international names such as the New York comics Ashley Gavin and Sydnee Washington. Alongside the wealth of gigs and giggles in the Iveagh Gardens, Whelan’s, nearby on Wexford Street, will host comedy clubs on Friday, July 26th, and Saturday, July 27th.
Gigs
Joy in the Park
Sunday, July 21st, Fitzgerald’s Park, Cork, adm free, 12pm-6pm, joyinthepark.com
Returning for its third iteration, Cork’s Joy in the Park does exactly what it says it will. In partnership with Cork Mental Health Foundation, the community-based festival delivers its dual-purpose message of celebrating “life while highlighting the importance of minding our mental health and wellbeing”. The music line-up includes Aslan, Paddy Casey, Ger Wolfe, Molly O’Mahony, Polly Barrett and a DJ set from Sultans of Ping’s Morty (Where’s Me Vinyl?). Families are well represented by the Circus Factory, Circus Disco, and Kinderama.
Belfast TradFest
Sunday, July 21st, until Sunday, July 28th, various venues, times and prices, belfasttradfestival.com
Concerts, workshops, talks, session trails, lectures, céilithe, masterclasses and whatever you’re having yourself are the constituent parts of the sixth Belfast TradFest. High-profile acts appearing include Cherish the Ladies, Lúnasa, Moya Brennan, Zoë Conway & John McIntyre, and Seamie O’Dowd. Other treats include Pride Céilí, Belfast Harp Festival and Padraig Rynne’s talk on the creative revolution within Irish concertina. If all of that doesn’t grab you by the braces, there’s the brilliantly named Flutopia concert hosted by Belfast flute master Davy Maguire (Black Box, Monday, July 22nd).
Jess Glynne
Heineken Big Top, Fisheries Field, Galway, 7pm, €59.50, giaf.ie
It might have seemed like a fait accompli for Jess Glynne to have a career in the music industry – the Londoner’s mother is a former A&R scout for Atlantic Records, and before the release in 2015 of her debut album, I Cry When I Laugh, Glynne worked for a music management company. Realising that she would far prefer to be an artist rather than work for one, she set about establishing herself not only as a songwriter but also as a solo artist. Cue collaborations with the likes of Rudimental, Clean Bandit, Little Mix and Tinie Tempah, and a reputation for top-class soul/dance/pop. The support act at this gig, which is part of Galway International Arts Festival, is the Irish singer-songwriter Abi Coulibaly.
Teddy Thompson
Thursday, July 25th, Monroe’s Live, Galway, 8pm, €25, giaf.ie
Teddy Thompson has long since shrugged off his often onerous status as the offspring of well-known parents (in his case the UK folk-music royalty Richard and Linda Thompson). Latterly, the songwriter and singer has released albums that attest to his distinctiveness, including two in the past year – the covers collections My Love of Country and (with Jenni Muldaur) Once More. Expect quality C&W infused with Thompson’s sterling folk pedigree. The gig is part of the Galway International Arts Festival.
Film
Remembering Sinéad
Friday, July 26th, Merrion Square Park, Dublin, 7pm, €11.35, happenings.ie
On the first anniversary of Sinéad O’Connor’s death, an open-air screening of the acclaimed 2022 film Nothing Compares (the winner of last year’s best-documentary Ifta), takes place under what we hope will be a clear sky. There will be a prescreening discussion (hosted by broadcaster Donal Dineen) with its director, Kathryn Ferguson, as well as yet-to-be-confirmed music performances. A donation from the evening’s proceeds will go to the Aisling Project charity.
Visual art
When the Body Says Yes
From Friday, July 26th until Sunday, October 20th, Baroque Chapel, Imma, Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Dublin, adm free (no booking required), imma.ie
Originally commissioned by the Mondriaan Fund for the Biennale Arte 2022, Dutch artist, filmmaker, somatic sex coach and educator Melanie Bonajo presents a video installation that investigates the significance of intimacy within a world that is increasingly distanced and clinical. On Thursday, July 25th, the day before the exhibition officially opens, Imma Talks presents a conversation with Bonajo and Polish artist Pawel Dudus (5.30pm, adm free, booking required).
Classical
Waterford Chamber Music Festival
Friday-Sunday, July 26th-28th, Mount Congreve Gardens, Waterford, waterfordchambermusic.com
Saturday caters for the younger community (the morning’s Young Artists’ Concert features pianists Louise Byrne and Alexandra Keane, and the afternoon sees pianist/violinist and music teacher Sophie Lee preside over the festival’s interactive Children’s Composition Workshop). Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings will feature works by JS Bach, Schubert, Mozart, Brahms, Debussy, Saint-Saëns, Kodaly and Gabriel Fauré (celebrating his centenary year). All concerts take place in Mount Congreve’s acclaimed Large Drawing Room. Full details are on the festival website.
Still running
Reunion
Until Saturday, July 27th, Black Box Theatre, Galway, 7pm, €39.50/€25, giaf.ie
Over a full day, family members experience an unsettling series of events where truths are divulged, old wounds are reopened and principles are threatened. Mark O’Rowe’s latest play (which he also directs) comes to the end of its run at the Galway International Arts Festival. Grab a seat while you can.
Book it this week
Ballycotton Comedy Festival, Ballycotton, Co Cork, September 26th-29th, seachurch.ie
Common Threads, The Burren, Co Clare, October 11th/12th, ticketmaster.ie
James Vincent McMorrow, nationwide tour, November 28th-December 7th, singularartists.ie
Anastasia, 3Olympia Theatre, Dublin, April 22nd, ticketmaster.ie
