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WALK through the beautiful scenery of the southeast at the Carlow Autumn Walking Festival, taking place from Friday 4 to Sunday 6 October. There will be walks across the weekend to cater for all levels, from very experienced hill walkers out to enjoy an invigorating mountain trek to novices seeking some peace and tranquillity along more leisurely routes. The aim is to make the outdoors accessible to everyone with knowledgeable local guides from Tullow Mountaineering Club and Blackstairs Ramblers. Some of the highlights of the various routes include the majestic Blackstairs Mountains, the River Barrow and the charming villages of Myshall and Rathanna. For a full itinerary and to register for the walks, see www.carlowtourism.com/walkingfestival.
REMEMBER one of Ireland’s best-known poets Michael Hartnett at the Éigse Michael Hartnett Literary and Arts Festival, taking place from Thursday 3 to Saturday 5 October at various locations around Hartnett’s hometown of Newcastlewest, Co Limerick. Éigse sees a gathering of the country’s greatest poets and musicians to honour Hartnett, who died in 1999. The list of poets attending the festival includes Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill, Paddy Bushe, Paula Meehan, Theo Dorgan and James Harpur among others. The music line-up will be headlined by Colm Mac An Iomaire, founding violinist of The Frames. For more information and a full itinerary, see www.eigsemichaelhartnett.ie.
VISIT some of the food and drink producers of Waterford every Wednesday until 6 November on the Bus Bia. This food trail will bring you to meet the people who make so much of the food and drink around Waterford, from beer to gin, blaas, cheese and ice cream. Hop on a bus in either Waterford city or Dungarvan. The bus will bring you to three producers around Waterford and you will enjoy a morning full of food, drink and learning. At the end, you will enjoy a lovely lunch in the company of your touring group. Tickets cost €65. For more information, see www.foodthewaterfordway.com.
MEET Ireland’s original female micro brewer, Adrienne Heslin, on Saturday 5 October. Adrienne will tell her story in Tig Bhric & West Kerry Brewery in Ballyferriter, where she became Ireland’s first female microbrewer. With it, Tig Bhric & West Kerry Brewery became the first microbrewery and brew pub in Kerry. The story of how this west Kerry pub incorporated a microbrewery will be told at the event. A trip through the garden to the brewhouse followed by a sampling of beers and a question and answer session for beer enthusiasts will take place after. Admission costs €15. For more information, see www.westkerrybrewery.ie.
ATTEND a Taste of Downings Fair at Donegal Boardwalk Resort in Carrigart, on Sunday 6 October from 12pm to 4pm. This is a free event and is part of the Donegal Connect Festival. It will showcase everything that Downings, Carrigart and the surrounding areas have to offer. There will be cookery demonstrations, food and drink sampling, as well as an exhibition of paintings, photography and other artwork from local artists. Many renowned local businesses, included McNutt of Donegal, will have stalls at the event where people can get a feel for their products and services. For more information, see www.donegalboardwalkresort.ie.
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