We’re facing into another weekend, but what have you got planned? Instead of sitting at home perfecting your groove on the couch, why not get out and about and embrace the festivals, exhibitions and activities our country has to offer? We’ve picked five of our favourites from across the country, so you have no excuse not to get up and go! ________________________________
Dublin The Horse in Perspective – Hugh Lane Gallery Arts & Music Programme
Running until Sunday, this exhibition is part of the Chinese New Year celebrations in the capital. Embrace The Year of the Horse by viewing some beautiful expressions of the horse in visual art. Degas’ ‘Thoroughbred Horse Walking’, Barry Flanagan’s ‘Horse, Mirrored: Sheep Boys: Cow Girls’, the influence of Eadweard Muybridge’s horses on Bacon and the horses painted by Jack Yeats are but some of the masterpieces to be seen in the city’s gallery. This coincides with the exhibition of the Huan Ying Chinese Ireland National Photo & Video Competition. With over 600 submissions by Chinese people capturing various themes including Irish landscape, Irish tourist attractions and Chinese people enjoying themselves in Ireland. The winning photographs and a special collection of the entries will be exhibited in the Education Gallery at The Hugh Lane during the festival. 
Cork Cork Spring Poetry Festival
This celebration of the written word is now in full swing but there is still plenty of time to get involved this weekend. Tonight, enjoy Dermot Bolger and John W. Sexton at Cork Arts Theatre for a reading and discussion. Dermot Bolger’s ninth collection of poems, The Venice Suite: A Voyage Through Loss, was published in 2012 and his New and Selected Poems will appear in late 2014. He is also a playwright, anthologist and founded Raven Arts Press. John W. Sexton is the author of five collections of poetry, the most recent being The Offspring of the Moon (Salmon Poetry). His poem The Green Owl won the Listowel Poetry Prize 2007. Also in 2007 he was awarded a Patrick and Katherine Kavanagh Fellowship in Poetry. 
Clare Concertina Cruinniú 2014
Head to the home of traditional Irish music this weekend for the Concertina Cruinniú 2014. The festival, which takes place in Miltown Malbay, combines lectures, master classes, workshops and concerts. The weekend will feature leading concertina players, Master Tutor Noel Hill and a panel of experienced musicians and tutors, with classes for all grades from beginners to intermediate to advanced. Expect lectures, workshops and organised music sessions throughout the weekend, as well as plenty of craic!
Galway Muscailt Arts Festival at NUIG
Mùscailt, meaning to celebrate and inspire is the title of the celebrated spring arts festival hosted by the National University of Ireland, Galway. The 14th Múscailt Arts Festival at NUI Galway invites all students, staff, alumni and the public to enjoy a week of art, music and performance on campus. Múscailt has something for everyone in terms of music, sculpture and photography, theatre. 
Mayo Quiet Man Cottage Museum
Take a trip down movie memory lane by visiting The Quiet Man Cottage Museum, housed in a replica of the White O’Morn cottage seen in John Forde’s famous film. Located in Cong village, County Mayo, the idyllic backdrop for many of The Quiet Man scenes. This is the perfect place to spend a lazy Sunday! 
