CREATIVITY will be flowing at the Clonmel Junction Arts Festival in Co Tipperary from 2 July to 8 July. The festival has taken place annually for the past 18 years and brings live music, comedy, theatre, visual art and much more to the table. Many events are free of charge to the public, including performance workshops from 2 July to 4 July, a CBI book clinic on 6 July and the Camida Street party on 3 July to 5 July. Some events will require ticket purchase, such as the Blindboy Podcast Live on 5 July, which costs €25. For more information and ticket sales visit www.junctionfestival.com.

DIVE into Ireland’s national maritime festival, Seafest, from 29 June to 1 July in the Galway Harbour. The events relate to all things marine and seek to raise awareness of the value of the sea. Events include boat tours, seafood cooking demonstrations, talks from wildlife photographer Doug Allan and much more. The festival aims to educate, inspire and invigorate. There will also be a kids zone, so the whole family will be entertained. The SeaFest app is available to download on Apple and Android. For further information, visit www.seafest.ie.

TROT along to the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby, which takes place at the Curragh Racecourse, Co Kildare, from 29 June to 1 July, for a vast array of racing, entertainment and fashion. The first race is set to begin at 6pm on 29 June. The Irish Derby has €1.5m in prize funds, which makes it the richest race run in Ireland. The garden plaza will present Kildare’s leading restaurants, while the most stylish lady competition on Saturday will showcase the height of fashion. Check out www.curragh.ie for more information on the events.

PRIDE parade takes place in Dublin on 30 June, running from Stephen’s Green to Smithfield. There will be music and speeches from 12 noon, and the parade will commence at 2pm sharp. The first Dublin Pride Parade took place in 1983 and has been growing in size each year. Last year’s parade had over 30,000 participants including Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, who gave a speech after the march. Whether you are LGBTQ+ or just an active supporter, it’s sure to be a good day out for all involved. See www.dublinpride.ie for further information.

SET SAIL to see the Volvo Round Ireland Yacht Race 2018 at Wicklow Sailing Club. The Volvo Round Ireland Festival will take place from 28 June to 6 July. Events include a family fun day on 30 June and the sailor’s prize-giving party on 6 July. The race takes place every two years and has 64 entrants from all over the world. The competition begins and ends in Wicklow and lasts for approximately 704 nautical miles around Ireland. The entrant who gets the most points across the three races from 2016 to 2020 will win a brand-new Volvo V40. The boats set off on 30 June. Visit www.roundireland.ie for further details.