It sounds like something to woo even the most jaded of Ireland's summer festival-goers. With all the requisite ingredients: beautiful setting, a castle (about which more in this Magazine next week), luxury camping, an opera picnic, a comedy tent, yoga, massage, and - of course - the music; the Dysart Festival in Thomastown, Co Kilkenny looks a must.
There's Jools Holland, Katherine Jenkins, John Martyn, Marc Almond, Detroit DJs Stacy Pullen and Kenny Larkin, and more. Dysart Castle is the birthplace of Berkeley, the philosopher who asked "if a tree falls in the woods and no-one is there to hear it, does it make a sound?". Ponder that, while soaking up the tunes.
And if you can't make it to Kilkenny, Summer Soul at Dublin's Conrad hotel is a groovy barbeque that puts PreNup (former Pogue Cáit O'Riordan, plus Hot House Flowers Dave Clarke and Fiachna Ó Braonáin) on stage, and adds DJ Rosko for good measure.
Dysart, August 9th and 10th, www.dysartfestival.com. Summer Soul, August 9th, Tel. 01-6028900. Or buy tickets for either event at www.ticketmaster.ie.
Gemma Tipton