The Cork Midsummer Festival runs from the 21st of June to the 1st of July, and I have to tip my hat to the organisers for bringing together some top class music!

The stand out events from my perspective are the Bowerbirds, curated by Adrian Crowley, which feature the best of folk including …

Friday 29 June: Andy Irvine / Sam Amidon / Adrian Crowley / Serafina Steer

Saturday 30 June: Aidan Moffat & Bill Wells / Martin Carthy / Malcolm Middleton presents Human Don’t Be Angry / Serafina Steer

Anyone that saw Aidan Moffat in the Grand Social last March will know how special he can be live! He was in great form on the night, and had the crowd engrossed with his own particular world vision. Sam Amidon has long been a Workhorse favorite, and is another great live performer.

There’s also names such as David Kitt (performing Small Moments), Dylan Tighe and Gavin Bryars (performing his ‘Sinking of the Titanic’).

It doesn’t just involve music though, and has theatre, dance and visual arts also.

Now, if only Cork people weren’t all so annoying (joke, honest).