July 21st-27th
Giving
The third annual Focus Ireland Triathlon is on today at Golden Falls in Ballymore Eustace, Co Kildare. The event includes a 750m lake swim, 5km run and 20km cycle and aims to raise more than €100,000 for Focus Ireland. www.focusireland.ie.
For kids
What if Hansel and Gretel never got out of the forest? And Little Red Riding Hood was really eaten by the Wolf? These and other perplexing questions will be answered in Fables, Tales and Tattlers, performed by Louis Lovett and Janet Moran each Sunday until August 19th at the Pavilion Theatre in Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin. See www.paviliontheatre.ie.
The GAA Museum in Croke Park in Dublin hosts a summer school with a difference from this Monday until Friday. All-Stars Summer School - Becoming Cú Chulain will allow kids to transform themselves into Cú Chulain. See http://museum.gaa.ie.
Music
What began five years ago as Groove Armada's UK club residency has grown into a festival in its own right and travels to Dublin this weekend for its fifth birthday. Lovebox Dublin takes place in Malahide Castle today with 10 hours of music promised and more than 25 acts taking part. www.lovebox.ie.
Comedy
The Bud Light Revue is a three-day festival kicking off this Friday at the Iveagh Gardens off Harcourt Street, Dublin, and features 50 acts including Tommy Tiernan, PJ Gallagher, Kevin Gildea, Maeve Higgins, Jason Byrne, Colin Murphy and Des Bishop. www.budlightrevue.com.
Sport
Roundstone Regatta takes place today and tomorrow in the Co Galway village. The National Track and Field Championship is on today and tomorrow at Morton Stadium, Santry, Dublin.
Summer events
This year's Macnas Parade is entitled "The 9th Wonder of the World" and takes place in Galway tomorrow. See www.macnas.com. Enjoy a summer's evening (hopefully) at the magnificent Glebe Gardens in Baltimore, Co Cork with the West Cork Choral Singers, tonight at 8pm. Call 028-20232. Sneem Family Festival runs in the Co Kerry town until tomorrow. www.sneemfestival.com.
Boyle Arts Festival kicks off on Friday and runs until August 3rd with a full programme of music, theatre, literature and visual arts. www.boylearts.com.
This weekend, the JFK Dunbrody Festival in New Ross celebrates the town's maritime history. www.jfkdunbrodyfestival.org.
Féile Iorrais begins on Friday in Belmullet, Co Mayo and the nine-day international folk arts festival serves up an eclectic blend of art and music - including a performance among the sand dunes of Carne Golf Links. www.feileiorrais.org.
and finally. . .
The seventh and final Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is released today. Check your local bookstore for special events, all designed to ramp up the fever-pitch anticipation. JK Rowling apparently cried for two days when she finished the final chapter and has promised to kill off two characters.