Apr 21-27Friday 27th is the Irish Youth Foundation's Denim Day. Last year's Denim Day raised €100,000, which was distributed to youth projects around Ireland.
It's a great cause, especially if it means you get to see your boss in stone-washed denims. To get involved see www.denimday.ie.
The Grand Parade area of Cork city will be transformed today for the opening day of the Cork World Book Fest, with book sellers, a marquee and outdoor food stalls. All events are free and highlights include John Banville, playwright Lemn Sissay, Portuguese writer Rui Zink, and RTÉ's Richard Downes and Clodagh McKenna. The festival runs until the 23rd. www.corkcitylibraries.ie
The Peacock hosts Edward Bond's graphic play Saved, directed by Jimmy Fay. Set in a dreary south London council estate in the 1960s, it is the story of a group of young people hardened by a life without hope or opportunity. Previews Friday 27th and runs until May 26th. Not for the faint-hearted.
The Jack & Jill Foundationbrings home respite care to severely developmentally delayed children from birth to four years of age. This Friday 27th, they host their 10th Anniversary Black Tie Ballat the Four Seasons Hotel, Dublin. Tickets cost €200. Contact 045-894538 or www.jackandjill.ie
The Irish Institute of Hellenic Studies, which promotes links between Ireland and Greece, hosts a day-school on the subject of the Ancient Garden in the classics department of UCD, running from 10am until 4pm today. The talks are aimed at non-academic types and garden-lovers. Contact 01-7168476.
Gagarin Wayby Gregory Burke tells the story of two factory workers stuck on a vast production line in Dunfermline, Fife. Island Theatre Company presents their version of the play at Belltable, Limerick from Wednesday April 25th until May 5th and at Andrews Lane, Dublin from May 21st to 26th. Contact 061-410433.
Did you know there is a world champion whistler? Me neither. His name is David Morrisand he joins the RTÉ Concert orchestra tomorrow (22nd) at 3:30pm in the National Concert Hall for Music for Fun - Here Comes the Summer. Seasonal melodies including Flight of the Bumble Bee, The Wasps Overture, Waltz of the Flowers and Buglers' Holiday. Contact 01-4170000 or www.nch.ie.
The Barretstown annual Golf Classictakes place on Friday 27th at the PGA National Ireland, Palmerstown House, Kildare. The cost is €1,000 per team of four. Call 045-863169 or www.barretstown.org
Tall Tales Theatre Company tour nationwide with Peta Murray's comedy Wallflowering, the story of Cliff and Peg, one-time prize-winning ballroom dancers who find themselves out of step with one another and the world around them. The tour commences Monday 23rd and runs until May 27th. See www.talltales.ie.
One of the highlights of the national hunt racing season, the Punchestown Irish National Hunt Festivaloffers prize money of more than €2 million over four days of racing from Tuesday 24th until Friday 27th. See www.punchestown.com.
The Cricket World Cup semi-finals take place this week (Tuesday and Wednesday) in Jamaica and St Lucia, while the greatest marathon runners in the world take part in tomorrow's London Marathon, including Haile Gebrselassie and world-record holder Paul Tergat.