Summer in Dublin: Rose Festival 2008

St. Anne’s Park, Raheny

Thousands of visitors to the park will enjoyed the horticultural exhibitions, trade and craft stands, guided walks of the Rose Garden and Miniature Rose Garden and the Annual "Choose Your Rose" competition for children of all ages.

Tel: +353 1 222 2222

 Dublin Film Festival (early March) Movies in various genres are screened at all the major cinemas around town. Tickets should be booked in advance. For further information ‘phone T 01 679 2937

 St Patrick’s Day Festival (the week leading up to the 17th March) Once a religious event marked by a few dreary processions, St Patrick’s Day is now a full-on, week-long festival. In 2003, 300,000 Dubliners and visitors filled the streets of the city to enjoy green beer, a professional parade, street performers, a music festival, fireworks and copious amounts of Guinness. For further information ‘phone T 01 676 3

Handel’s Messiah (exact date varies) The very first performance of the Messiah took place on Fishamble Street in Dublin in 1792. This historic event is commemorated each year with a performance in Neal’s Music Hall. For further information ‘phone T 01 677 2255.

Convergence Festival (last week in April) A celebration of green issues in Temple Bar, centred around international Earth Day. For further information ‘phone T 01 677 2255.

  Diversions (May-August) A wide variety of events takes place in Meeting House Square, Temple Bar, throughout the summer, ranging from music and dance performances to film screenings and kids stuff on Sunday afternoons. For further information ‘phone T 01 677 2255

Evening Herald Women’s Mini-Marathon (date varies) A 16-km charity event that attracts lots of silly entries and general good fun. For further information ‘phone T 01 496 0861.

Bloomsday (12th-16th June) Bloomsday celebrates the day (16th June 1904) on which Joyce’s novel Ulysses is set. Now expanded into a five-day festival, it incorporates Joyce-related readings, performances, dressing-up and dramatized walks around the city following the route of the novel’s main character, Leopold Bloom. For further information ‘phone T 01 878 8547.

Gay Pride (late June weekend) A parade and other events to celebrate the city’s gay and lesbian population.

Dublin Jazz Festival (first week in July) Plenty of live jazz performances take place in Temple Bar and other locations. For further information ‘phone T 01 670 3885.

Anna Livia Opera Festival (mid July) Opera performances are held at the Olympia Theatre, Bank of Ireland Arts Centre and other locations. For further information ‘phone T 01 661 7544 or consult http://www.operaannalivia.com

Gay and Lesbian Film Festival (late July/early August) This four-day annual festival has been running for more than a decade and features movie screenings, parties, lectures and an awards ceremony. For further information ‘phone T 01 473 0599 or consult http://www.gcn.ie/dlgff

Kerrygold Horse Show (early August) A five-day showjumping event at the Royal Dublin Showground. The highlight is the Kerrygold Nations Cup in which teams compete for the Aga Khan Trophy. For further information ‘phone T 01 668 0866.

Liffey Swim (late August/early September) Four hundred or so contestants swim the 1½ miles from Rory O’More Bridge to the Custom House Quay, trying to avoid all manner of hazards, not least the state of the water they are swimming in. Spectators line the bridges and the Boardwalk to watch.

Dublin Theatre Festival (late September-early October) This is one of the city’s biggest annual events, with a fringe festival running at the same time. High-quality international productions are supplemented by lots of experimental theatre performances. For further information ‘phone T01 877 8434 or consult http://www.dublintheatrefestival.com

Dublin Marathon (late Oct) 26 miles (42 km) and thousands of runners. For further information ‘phone T 01 670 7918 or consult http://www.dublincitymarathon.ie

Samhain (31st Oct) Dublin’s Hallowe’en festival features a parade, street theatre, fireworks, dance and music. For further information ‘phone T01 855 7154 or consult http://www.visitdublin.com

Christmas Racing Festival (26th-29th Dec) Four days of steeplechasing events at Leopardstown Racecourse .