Five things to do in West Cork this weekend

ANOTHER weekend approaches, and so we bring you another list of five things to do in West Cork this weekend.

The weather has well and truly turned as last weekend's flooding in parts of West Cork damaging homes and businesses – pick up a copy of this week's Star to read more – but this weekend's weather forecast is looking positive, or at the very least, dry.

With that in mind, take a look through our list of events taking place in the area this weekend – you'll find the launch of a popular festival, live music, audition opportunities and a lot more.

Here are five things to do in West Cork this weekend.

Enjoy a Scare at Samhain in Leap

THE village of Leap has developed a reputation as Ireland’s Halloween village thanks to the fantastic Leap Scarecrow Festival and now a special Samhain experience gets underway in the village on Saturday, October 12th.

A Scare at Samhain is an afternoon experience that brings to life the mysteries and magic of as part of the Leap Scarecrow Festival a unique exploration of Ireland’s oldest traditions and supernatural tales.

Set in the beautiful woodland of Bláth na Gréine, the tour offers an immersion into the ancient custom of An Maschallacht, a West Cork tradition thousands of years older than modern Halloween. Long before trick-or-treating became a global phenomenon, this region of West Cork held its own rich and eerie customs, passed down through the generations. Participants will be guided through these long-lost traditions, experiencing the raw folklore that shaped the way we understand Samhain today.

Gormú’s storytellers will breathe life into legends of the púca, the cailleach, the gan ceann and other mystical creatures from Ireland’s mythological past, while Clíodhna, the Queen of the Mná Sí also appears in Glandore as part of the Samhain experience.

The journey will conclude with hot chocolate and traditional bairín breac at historic Myross Wood House.

The event kicks off on Saturday October 12th, with afternoon tours right continuing through Samhain until November 2nd beginning at Leap Community Garden and finishing at Cecas Myross Wood House. Tickets cost from €16 and can be purchased at www.gormu.com

Learn a lot at the Allihies Autumn School

Allihies is set to host its inaugural Autumn School from October 11th to October 13th featuring talks by a diverse line-up of speakers on the future of rural Ireland over the next 50 years, with a special focus on the Beara Peninsula.

Topics will include the marine and fishing, farming, biodiversity and sustainable living and heritage. Hosted by the Allihies Coastal Education Hub, which is part of the Allihies Copper Mine Museum, Tadhg O’Sullivan, chair of the museum hopes that it will be an annual event.

‘It’s long been in our plans to do something like this and now we have the resources and the people to get it up and running. We have some very good speakers, and we hope it will be interesting, thought provoking, and enlightening and that those attending will go away with some new ideas.’

Speakers who will be leading sessions include Dr Susan Steele, executive director of the European Fisheries Control Agency; Eoghan Daltun, who has promoted on the Beara peninsula and is the author of A Wild Atlantic Rainforest; Dr Brendan Dunford, co-founder of the Burren-Beo Trust; Dr Kevin Flannery, a marine biologist and director of Ocean World Dingle; Dr Patrick Meere of the school of biological, earth and environmental sciences at UCC; Denis Walsh, an environmental scientist, and Tadhg O’Sullivan of the Allihies Copper Mine Museum.

Full programme available here.

Lunch, tea and coffee is included in each day, plus live music. Tickets €150 – available here.

A festive song in the air at the Maritime

A DAY filled with music and performance is in store at the Maritime Hotel in Bantry on Saturday, October 12th as part of the West Cork Feelgood Festival.

‘Live, Life, and Sing’ is a day of singing workshops and performances presented by Bantry Community Choir featuring a variety of community choirs singing from all around West Cork.

This free event is supported by Cork Mental Health Services, MusicAlive, West Cork Development Partnership, The Big Bash, and the Oliver Cogan estate. Bantry Community Choir have been collaborating with West Cork Feel Good Festival for more than a decade and meet every Thursday from 7.30pm to 9.30pm at the Fellowship Hall. No prior singing/musical experience necessary to attend.

The showcase event at the Maritime take place in the Garnish Suite on Saturday and runs from 10am to 4pm. It will also include poster displays and videos about the participating choirs and how singing can improve your physical and mental health and connect you with your local community.

Audition for a Christmas experience in Rosscarbery

A casting call has gone out for performers at a new Christmas experience at Smugglers Cove in West Cork.

Jingle Bell Junction will open its doors on December 1st, offering an interactive, theatrical, 80-100 minute indoor experience for visitors.

Auditions will take place on Saturday, October 12th at the Celtic Ross Hotel from 2pm to 5pm and are open to anyone interested in performing as Santa, Mrs Claus, or one of the cheerful elves.

The auditions are open to anyone aged 16 and over who is available to work evenings and weekends from early November. The only requirement is that they prepare a Christmas-themed monologue or a festive song to showcase their talent.