There are lots of great events taking place all around the country this May Bank Holiday weekend, from music to mussels and choral singing to comic classics, check out www.discoverireland.ie #thisisLIVING for endless great reasons to make a brilliant break of it this May Bank Holiday weekend!

Get hooked on Wexford
Landlubbers take to the high seas and splash out at the Maritime Matters Festival in spectacular Hook Head in Co. Wexford. The entire peninsula will be awash with fishing lessons, seafood cookery demos, power kiting on Duncannon Beach and ‘coasteering ‘at Slade Harbour.

Find your Rhythm in Kilkenny
Find your own unique rhythm in Ireland this May Bank Holiday. The Smithwick's Kilkenny Roots Festival in the heart of medieval Ireland boasts top home-grown and international acts including US duo Calexico, English singer songwriters The Rails and Canadian folk quartet The Barr Brothers.

Rev it up to Louth
Rev it up to Louth for Vantastival, a family friendly music festival in beautiful Bellurgan Park in Dundalk with Delorentos and Temper-Mental Misselayneous headlining. There will also be a medley of arts, crafts, kids' activities and gourmet food stalls. And no, you don't need a camper van to join in!

 

Rollick in Roscommon
Calling all Bo Peeps and Boy Blues! Come enjoy the baaaa-nk holiday at the Roscommon Lamb Festival with sheepdog trials, craft displays, live music and most importantly lots of opportunity to entertain your own pet lambs!

Launch you Summer in Listowel
Join the invasion at the WWII Military Festival in Listowel, Co. Kerry with a live recreation of a wartime encampment. More than 100 re-enactors will be in character for the entire weekend with military flyovers, the excitement of ‘liberation day' and a good old fashioned barn dance in the Listowel Arms Hotel - dress code 1940s!

Go heel to toe in Mayo
Step it out at Feile Chois Cuain in lovely Louisburgh, Co. Mayo - a toe tapping trad fest featuring music, song and dance. Enjoy sean-nós and set dancing, ceili masterclasses and plenty of impromptu sessions.

Celebrate summer in Dingle
Herald the summer in style at Feile na Bealtaine the Dingle Peninsula's music and arts festival with more than 100 events taking place in this stunning part of Ireland on the Wild Atlantic Way. Join in street theatre, live music, poetry recitals and art exhibitions. And listen out for a new strand this year the 'spoken word' series.

Make a break for The Burren
Get under the skin of the fascinating Burren region at the Burren in Bloom Festival which takes place during the month of May in Co. Clare. Soak up the mesmerising sight of this unique limestone landscape as it blooms under its annual carpet of flowers with organised walks, wide-ranging talks touching on the fate of Ireland's wolves, the Burren's bees, holy wells and the dawn chorus.

 

Go on go on go on to Kilfenora!
Celebrate one of Ireland's best loved TV series and most famous priest with several cups of Mrs Doyle's tea at the annual Father Ted Festival in Kilfenora, Co. Clare.Take a trip to the Parochial House, a Lovely Girls Competition and, of course the Golden Cleric Awards. Go on go on go on!

Chorus in Cork
Raise the roof at the Cork International Choral Festival where some of the finest amateur Irish and international choirs will battle it out for honours. Hear acts such as Rajaton, a six-voice a cappella ensemble from Finland, hit the high notes and enjoy informal pop-up performances throughout the city by the Lee.

Set a collision course for the capital
Have extraordinary experiences during the Live Collision International Festival in Dublin with art, live performance, digital interactions, dialogues, and exhibitions at various venues.

Rustle up some mussels in Galway
Show us yer mussels at the Connemara Mussel Festival (May 1st - 3rd) in Tullycross, near Renvyle in Co. Galway. A feast of fishy fun, it's a fiesta for both tongue and tum, a celebration of mussel and a showcase of all sorts of other locally produced fare. With a packed programme featuring everything from bee keeping to foraging and wine tasting.

 

Step it out!
Stretch your legs this May Bank Holiday and with a variety of great outdoor events including the Cuckoo Walking Festival in Tarbert Co. Kerry, the Loop Head Walking Biking and Heritage Festival in Co. Clare, and the An Post Tour of Sligo (2nd - 3rd May) a cycling event which includes a Family Fun Day on the Saturday. What better excuse for a spin!

Celebrate the Lusitania centenary in Cork
Set down anchor in Co. Cork over the May Bank holiday where four maritime communities - Kinsale, The Old Head, Cobh and Courtmacsherry - host special events to mark the centenary of the sinking of the RMS Lusitania by a German U-boat off the coast during the First World War with the loss of 1,201 lives. A number of re-enactments of the tragedy will take place making for spectacular scenesincluding a twilight Flotilla.

So come on, get out and celebrate the start of summer with a great short break somewhere around Ireland. With so much going on, and all the information you need on www.discoverireland.ie #thisisLIVING, May nothing stop your fun this Bank Holiday weekend!