Hot weekend of festivals, music and high octane performances forecast

MUSIC AND mayhem are on the agenda this weekend with the Body Soul Festival taking place in Co Westmeath and the Street Performance…

MUSIC AND mayhem are on the agenda this weekend with the Body Soul Festival taking place in Co Westmeath and the Street Performance World Championships and Dublin Pride in the capital.

A number of musical legends are performing around the country over the next few days including country star Kenny Rogers, who will be celebrating over 50 years in the music business with concerts in Dublin and Cork.

Soul star Al Green and former Doobie Brothers main man Michael McDonald will be at the Marquee in Cork today.

Elsewhere, chart topper Pink is live at the RDS this evening and at Thomond Park tomorrow.

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Theres plenty on offer at the inaugural Body & Soul Festival at Ballinlough Castle in Athboy, Co Westmeath, which promises laid-back grooves and more. Among the acts performing are Four Tet, Jape, R.S.A.G. and Tunng. Motorists are advised to expect delays approaching Ballinlough.

The Dublin Pride Festival 2010 gets underway later this afternoon and runs until next Sunday. Walking tours of Gay Dublin, film screenings, quizzes and more will be on over the weekend.

Traffic restrictions will be in place around Merrion Square in Dublin over the weekend where the Street Performance World Championships are taking place.

The event, which is expected to attract over 150,000 people, includes contortionists, piano jugglers, magicians, breakdancers and other entertainers.

The inaugural Dalkey Book Festival kicks off today and runs until Sunday. Maeve Binchy, Joseph OConnor, Declan Hughes, John Connolly and Conor McPherson are among the writers taking part in the event.

The 2010 Éigse Carlow Arts Festival also continues over the weekend.

Met Éireann forecasts that with high pressure remaining close to Ireland, the weather will continue to stay settled and largely dry over the weekend and on into next week.

Charlie Taylor

Charlie Taylor

Charlie Taylor is a former Irish Times business journalist