our living heritageLandscapes don't come much more inspirational than the Burren, and since 2002 the non-profit organisation Burrenbeo has been an invaluable source of information on the region. Initially a website and multimedia facility, the group opened the Burrenbeo resource centre and cafe in Kinvara, Co Galway, in 2005, hosting lectures, film screenings and music sessions; the cafe serves local and organic produce.
For Heritage Week, which runs from August 25th to September 2nd, Burrenbeo will be hosting children's environmental workshops with the naturalist, author and artist Gordon D'Arcy, and there will be weekend walks with Burrenbeo's Dr Brendan Dunford. See www.burrenbeo.com. Davin O'Dwyer
postcards from the ledgeYou know those people who take great care of their DVD collections, allowing no smudges or scratches to besmirch the discs' shiny surfaces, always ensuring the right disc is in the right box?
We should be grateful that they're the kind of people you'll find at the Irish Film Archive, taking great care of our film heritage. With more than 20,000 cans of film and 2,000 photographic prints and posters dating back to 1897, the archive is both the primary resource on Irish film and a unique perspective on 20th-century Ireland.
To raise awareness of its work, the archive has produced a trio of limited-edition sets of postcards, featuring stills from three of the most important films in its collection: Once Upon a Tram (1959), a look at one of the final journeys of the Howth tram; Rocky Road to Dublin (1968), Peter Lennon's controversial documentary set against a backdrop of 1960s Dublin (which features an early appearance by the Irish Times journalist John Moran, centre right), and some rare images taken on the set of The Quiet Man (1952).
"We chose these particular films not only for their visual appeal but also for their strong connection to the archive, having recently restored the first two films," says Kasandra O'Connell, the archive's head.
The sets cost €7.50 each from the bookshop at the Irish Film Institute, 6 Eustace Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2. Proceeds help preserve the collection. Call 01-6795727 or see www.irishfilm.ie. Davin O'Dwyer
bog gothic blowoutWhat with butcher boys and dead schools, Pat McCabe's novels have made the borderlands in general, and Co Monaghan in particular, sound more than a little odd - the home of bog Gothic, as the author put it. Next weekend you can judge for yourself when McCabe teams up with the film-maker Kevin Allen to stage the Flat Lake Festival. Among the events are mind-body awareness workshops with Allen's actor brother (and father of pop-star Lily) Keith, readings of Dylan Thomas by the actor Rhys Ifans, rehearsed readings of Pinter, Beckett and Conor McPherson by Stephen Rea, among others, debates with Neil Jordan, a reading by Dylan Moran from his novel-in-progress The Little Inventions and "singing lessons from a platform of freshly cut hay" by Shane MacGowan. McCabe's surreal Radio Butty will also set up shop for the weekend, broadcasting "old-time radio variety music in the future". And you can bid for a Damien Hirst painting, although you'll have to work out which one is his from 30 works done in his style by other artists. Only one bidder will get the real Hirst. "There was a long tradition in Clones of arts," says McCabe. "The Fleadh Ceoil took place here in 1964. There was a brass-band tradition here, and the Ulster Beat and the R&B and folk booms of the 1960s. This is an attempt to re-create that spirit." You can join them at Hilton Park, near Clones, next Saturday and Sunday. www.theflatlakefestival.com. Larry Ryan
kinder cars
The BMW 3 Series Kinderfahrzeug, as it is known, has a lot to recommend it to the first-time buyer enjoying the fruits of the Celtic Tiger. It oozes the attention to detail that is the hallmark of the German marque, boasts stylish looks to turn heads on the school run and, in the age of peak oil and carbon footprints, comes with a choice of two innovative engines: electric and . Another consideration is the price: €365 for the mains-powered model or €225 for the Flintstones-style alternative, which also guarantees a solid workout while on the move. The adjustable seats, designed to cater for drivers aged from three to five years old, might rule out a lot of more mature customers, but, as they say in the branding business, nothing builds loyalty like getting them young. Available from BMW dealers. Davin O'Dwyer
cutting the ribbonWhen LM Ruban, in the Westbury Mall, Dublin 2, closed earlier this year, anyone in search of fancy ribbons, trimmings, buttons and tassels was left wondering where they'd go from now on. Wonder no longer: a young Dubliner named Alexa O'Byrne has stepped in to fill the void with A Rubanesque. A textile graduate of the National College of Art & Design, O'Byrne knows her fabrics. In fact, she used to decorate the windows at LM Ruban and occasionally worked in the shop, becoming friendly with its owners, Teresa Murphy and Lisa Donnelly. When that mother-and-daughter team decided to close up, O'Byrne grabbed the chance to carry on their good work. Her shop is a delightfully cluttered room in a Georgian building opposite Brown Sugar hair salon, with racks of delicate ribbons, rows of unusual buttons for upholstery or clothing, big bunches of colourful feathers and curtain tiebacks by the dozen. A Rubanesque, 27 South William Street, Dublin 2, 01-6729243. Eoin Lyons
fashion ringleadersCircus, a store that opened not long ago in the Powerscourt Centre, in Dublin 2, reflects the increasing confidence of young Irish fashion designers, stylists and boutique owners. It specialises in exclusive, cutting-edge designs and carefully selected vintage items from around the world. The Circus masters - Damien Gahan, Fiona Mullen, Aisling Farinella and Ciara O'Donovan - have brought together their two previously separate labels: Proxy began on South William Street, where it offered high-fashion labels; Armoire began life elsewhere in the Powerscourt Centre, selling one-off vintage pieces ranging from 1920s flappers to 1980s rave wear. Circus is a happy and stylish marriage of the two. Larry Ryan
okay with the croquetYou might imagine croquet to be a genteel, dainty activity indulged in by gracious figures to whom winning mattered not a whit. You'd be wrong. My limited exposure to the game revealed it to be a sport where ruthlessness and daring are encouraged, and no apologies are made for wiping out the opposition. It's quite exciting, really.
You can catch some of the world's best players - including, from left, Linda Pullman, Yvonne Marrinan, Victoria Browne, Irene Holloway and Leo Dungan of Ireland - in action at the WCF Women's World Golf Croquet Championship, which is being staged in Dublin early next month (September 3rd-9th). Players from Australia, Egypt, England, New Zealand, Palestine, South Africa, Scotland and the US are taking part in the event, which is being staged at Carrickmines Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club and Herbert Park Croquet Club.
They're a multitalented group, both on and off the field, with a particle physicist, an air steward, a probation officer and a specialist in banking analytical applications among the competitors. The games are open to spectators; the semi-finals and finals take place at Carrickmines on Saturday and Sunday, September 8th and 9th. The Egyptians are hot favourites to retain the crown they claimed in Cairo two years ago. Marie-Claire Digby