Wet it was, wistful it may have been, but wonderful it was not. For anyone who spent the summer of 1997 in Ireland, the memories are more about morning coffees snatched in those few moments of watery sunshine on an outdoor terrace, sketchy days climbing up into misty mountains and snapshot adventures at the seaside where the dual-purpose parasol came into its own.

Well, roll on summer 1998 with promises of agile cyclists speeding over the Wicklow Gap in mid July, the spectacular sailing vessels that are the Tall Ships berthed in Dublin Port for four days in August, the 21st birthday celebrations at the Galway Arts Festival and the 1798 commemorations popping up all over the country.

Le Tour de France en Irlande

The third biggest sporting event in the world starts in Dublin next July. For three days between July 11th-13th, the current cycling greats will breathe Irish air as they speed through the city streets and mountainous roads. So far, the defined route involves the seven- to nine-kilometre prologue stage in Dublin on the first day.

The second day's route will leave Dublin and head south for Wicklow, travelling across the mountains to end in the Phoenix Park. The third day will begin in Enniscorthy, Co Wexford, and end in Cork city.

Cyclists and their personal entourage apart, the presence of the Tour de France here will mean up to 3,500 accredited personnel, 13 helicopters, four fixed-wing aircraft and 1,000 media folk. Unless you are out of the country at the time, it's something you just can't miss.

Cutty Sark Tall Ships

Dublin Port will be transformed into one big street carnival between August 22nd and 25th next year when the Cutty Sark Tall Ships sail into Dublin on the last leg of this flamboyant international race. Up to 90 spectacular sailing vessels with a combined crew of 5,000 from more than 30 countries will be in Dublin for the event. The towering floodlit masts will provide an awe-inspiring backdrop to festivities which will include street theatre and parades, fireworks and water displays between the East Link Bridge and the Talbot Memorial Bridge.

The 1998 Cutty Sark Tall Ships race begins in Falmouth, England, and will visit Lisbon in Portugal and Vigo in Spain before arriving in Dublin. Smaller boats will bring visitors on board the Tall Ships while they are berthed on the Liffey.

21st Galway Arts Festival

Cognisant of the World Cup in France, the Tour de France in Ireland and the 1798 commemorations, the Galway Arts Festival's manager Fergal McGrath concedes that there will be a French flavour to next year's festival which will be held on July 12th-26th.

"We're looking at some serious shows from South America and South East Asia as well as Europe for next year, so the links between Galway and the southern hemisphere will also be greater next year." Another possibility is to bring back some of the memorable acts from the previous two decades in celebration of the 21st anniversary of this much loved arts festival.

"We couldn't have anything too formulaic. Our audiences wouldn't accept that. They expect new acts and more - and that's what we'll be giving them," McGrath says.

Kilkenny Arts Week

The annual arts festival in the Marble City has been promising to become bigger and better for a few years now, and not content to rest on its well appreciated laurels. So, next year for its 25th anniversary, the Arts Week committee plans to develop a strong theme across the different genres of literature, visual art, music and film, to go "more international" with its visual arts exhibitions and to expand the new music programme.

Other possibilities include the commissioning of a piece of music to celebrate the anniversary and more workshops for adults and children. Kilkenny Arts Week will run from August 15th-23rd.

Wexford '98

Co Wexford is centre-stage of a year-long commemoration of The United Irish Rising of 1798. Summer highlights include Boolavogue 1998 Weekend, an early summer festival incorporating the important 1998 locations at Boolavogue, the Harrow and Oulart (May 22nd-24th); Portable Art '98, an exhibition of contemporary Irish art on the themes of '98 in the Watch House Gallery, Enniscorthy (May 10th-July 18th), an exhibition of '98 memorabilia and artefacts in Wexford town; Insurrection '98, a historical documentary drama directed by Ben Barnes in Dun Mhuire (August 19th-29th) and numerous local pageants and commemorations.

An international academic conference entitled "1798, A Bicentenary Perspective" takes place in the Ulster Museum, Belfast and Dublin Castle between May 20th-24th.

Various 1798 commemorative events also take place in Co Mayo, including the Killala Festival (August 22nd-29th) and the 1798 Humbert Commemoration in Enniscoe, Lahardane and Crossmolina (August 23rd).

Golden Shears

Up to 50,000 people - and 5,000 sheep - are expected in Gorey, Co Wexford, between June 5th-7th next year for the Golden Shears World Sheep Shearing Championships. World-class shearers from countries proficient in these matters such as Australia, New Zealand and Argentina will be demonstrating their skills in the fields surrounding the Gorey Rugby Club. A massive country fair with sheep dog trials and innumerable trade stands will make this the largest gathering of rural folk next year.

And what's more...

The Smurfit European Open Golf Tournament will be held again next year in the verdant grounds of the K Club in Co Kildare. The precise dates are yet to be confirmed but it is expected to be in August. . . Semple Stadium will host another Day Trip to Tipp - again probably in August. . . The Rolling Stones are due to begin a world tour this autumn which may include a date in Ireland next year. . . And Dancing At Lughnasa - currently filming on locations around Ireland with Meryl Streep, Michael Gambon, Brid Brennan, Kathy Burke, Rhys Ifans and others - is likely to come to our cinemas in the summer of '98.