The Reunion) is at 7.30pm at Portarlington Library. A young boy on the run with his mother tries to stay one step ahead of his pursuers. (Eden) Together: A Film Festival In A Day Cork City Library, June 23, 12.30pm-5.30pm This free two-hour screening will see five short films about the important people, communities and history of Cork. It’s presented by Tara and PJ Lynch, founders of Together.org.ie. There’s no entrance fee for the film screening, but you must register in advance. Doors open 12.30pm, films begin at 1pm. Together: a Film Festival In A Day will be at the Cork City Library on June 23rd. (Together.org.ie) The Gathering Cork Opera House, June 24, 11.30am-4.30pm The Gathering is the largest free festival in Cork and includes live gigs, comedy, theatre, visual arts, digital art, crafts and music. The full line-up and programme is available on the website. Headphones, chairs, and cash are provided. Most events are free; some have nominal charges. There’s a bar available with a wide range of beers, ciders, wines and other drinks for sale. There’s also information about nearby accommodation in Cork’s city centre. The Gathering is at the Cork Opera House. (The Gathering) Vintage Cork Weekend Vintage at the Fair in Cobh, June 24-25 The Vintage at the Fair is running from Friday June 24th and Saturday June 25th. There’s a packed list of exhibitions and traders in the historic buildings. The official opening takes place on June 24th. It’s free and open from 2pm to 6pm. The Vintage at the Fair takes place at the grounds of Cobh Heritage Centre and in various historic buildings around Cobh. (Vintage at the Fair) Dancing at the Vortex Dancing at the Vortex, June 24, 8.30pm A new musical festival curated by Dundalk-based composer Patrick O’Shaughnessy promises plenty of thrills. The programme is set to combine Irish music with a selection of other musical genres. It’s staged by Stellar Sound and the Dublin-based Irish Music Rights Organisation. There are several venues, including the Lough Rynn Hotel in Donnycarney. Dancing at the Vortex will be in the Lough Rynn Hotel in Donnycarney. (Dancing at the Vortex) Cork Pride Derryvolgie Arts Centre, June 27, 7-9.30pm Cork Pride’s 2018 programme is packed with activities and events. This is a great opportunity for people from across Cork, including the LGBTQ community, to meet up and celebrate. You can get involved in activities such as The Bunbury at the Old Bushmills Distillery. The Bunbury is a cabaret singing competition featuring singers and bands from Cork. It’s hosted by Cork Pride and the old Bushmills Distillery. The Bunbury is at the Old Bushmills Distillery on June 27th. (Cork Pride) Cultured Queer Film Festival City Hall Theatre, June 27-28 This weekend is all about the queer community in Cork. On June 27th, there’s a Gay Bash, Queer Film Festival and Queer Pride Day celebrations at the City Hall. The following night, there’s a showcase of contemporary Irish drag artists at the Grand Social on Grand Parade. Headliners are Anjuna, Mystic Rose, Miss Dolly and Panti Jax. It’s a very busy week in Cork! The drag competition is at the Grand Social. (Cultured Queer Film Festival) Vintage Cork Festival Gonville Hotel, Cork, June 29-30 Get yourself some very good quality clothes and accessories for Christmas. This is a great chance to save on big brand name brands such as Hugo Boss, Gucci, and Giorgio Armani. There’s plenty of fantastic entertainment too. There’s a concert by the incredible Ryle’n Rae. They’re known for their huge sets and massive productions. That’s just the start of a busy festival. There’s a fashion show, a dog show, a vintage fashion extravaganza and live music too. So take part in a fashion show, a dog show, and a vintage fashion extravaganza. This was a very good weekend for music in the city centre. It’s very different to what we’re used to at the beginning of June. There’s an obvious contrast in the quality of music but for that reason, they’re all pretty brilliant. The quality of music this weekend is pretty brilliant. (Oliver Clarke) Nuit Blanche Artists’ Spaces at the Cork Opera House, June 30-July 1 You’re going to find something for you at Nuit Blanche, which runs from June 30th to July 1st. There are 160 installations spread around ten different venues. It’s the first time in the city centre for this festival. This isn’t your usual festival. I’ve seen some of the work there and it’s very high quality. It’s a more artistic way of enjoying the city. Cork has three of the things that make up a great festival. Beautiful architecture, great food, and beautiful people. This is an event not to miss. It’s free, it’s open from 6pm on June 30th and from 10am on July 1st, and it runs until 7pm each day. A little bit of extra-terrestrial magic on Saturday night at the Cork Opera House. (Oliver Clarke) Fantastika Liam Leahy Arts Centre, July 1-2 The weekend festival is a very good alternative to the usual music at the Grand Social. The lineup is really strong. There are a lot of indie and punk artists featured and it’s a great opportunity to see some of the best in music. One good thing is the atmosphere. It’s a bit different from the usual concert at the Grand Social. This is an important weekend for Fantastika. If you’re a fan of underground music, I would seriously recommend you check it out. There’s a lot of great music at Fantastika. (Sean Scully) A weekend away in a fantastic location The Bandon House Hotel in beautiful Bandon, Co. Cork, is set in a stunning coastal village. You can’t get much better than this. It’s a four-star, four-star rated luxury hotel that has its own swimming pool, gym, jacuzzi and sauna. It’s only a short drive from Cork city. The Bandon House Hotel is located in Bandon, Cork. (Villas of Distinction) You can’t get much better than this. (Villas of Distinction) Bandon House Hotel has been family run for four generations. It’s owned by the fourth generation and managed by the fifth generation. I know they must be pretty proud of that. It’s a great name to bring family history. As with all Villas of Distinction properties, they go through a strict selection procedure to make sure that there’s a very good mix of people who are coming there and how they live. The guests are very happy here. I’ve been to Bandon House a few times over the years. It has its own swimming pool, gym, jacuzzi and sauna. It’s right next door to Bandon Beach, which is really good. There’s an Italian restaurant downstairs. It’s called Bella Luna and it was highly recommended to me by people in Cork city. The food is really good. The chef does an amazing job. They’re very big on home-made pasta. You should go to the dining room at Bandon House Hotel at some point for a great meal. (Villas of Distinction) If you think of Bandon as being part of the west of Ireland, then you get a completely different impression of the place. It’s a quiet little town that isn’t really used to tourists, except for the Irish and the Irish abroad. It’s great to see it being so successful. There’s nothing else like it. It’s a great place for a weekend away. If you think of Bandon as being part of the west of Ireland, then you get a completely different impression of the place. It’s a quiet little town that isn’t really used to tourists, except for the Irish and the Irish abroad. (Villas of Distinction) The Bandon House Hotel is a four-star hotel with its own swimming pool, gym and jacuzzi. (Villas of Distinction) It’s a little bit off the beaten track. You’ll get a lovely view from the hotel but you won’t be in danger of