| Bath Literature Festival
| March 1 - 9
|
| Essex Book Festival: Secrets
| March 1 - 31
|
| Guildford International Music Festival
| March 8 - 29
|
| Cheltenham Festival of Literature
| April 4 - 6
|
| Aldeburgh Easter Festival
| April 18 - 20
|
| April /May
|
| Bromsgrove Festival
| April 26 - May 10
|
| Norfolk & Norwich Festival
| April 30 - May 11
|
| May/June
|
| Cheltenham International Jazz Festival
| May 1 - 5
|
| Brighton Festival
| May 3- 25
|
| Jersey International Arts Festival
| May 3 - 10
|
| Sheffield Music in the Round May Festival
| May 9 - 17
|
| Chelmsford Cathedral Festival
| May 10 - 17
|
| Hampstead & Highgate Festival (London)
| May 10 - 24
|
| 25th Newbury Spring Festival
| May 10 - 24
|
| Dulwich Festival (London)
| May 16 - 24
|
| Bath International Music Festival
| May 16 - June 1
|
| Blackpool: Puppet Up!
| May 17 - 18
|
| Leicester Early Music Festival
| May 17 - June 7
|
| Beverley & East Riding Early Music Festival
| May 22 - 26
|
| Dumfries & Galloway Arts Festival
| May 23 - June 1
|
| Salisbury Festival
| May 23 - June 8
|
| Chard Festival of Women in Music
| May 27 - 30
|
| June/July
|
| Music at Boxgrove West Sussex
| June 4- 7
|
| Cheltenham Science Festival
| June 4- 8
|
| Aldeburgh Festival of Music & the Arts
| June 6- 22
|
| Spitalfields Festival (London)
| June 9- 27
|
| Leicester International Music Festival
| June 13 - 22
|
| Proms at St Jude's Hampstead Garden Surburb
| June 13 - 22
|
| Grassington Festival
| June 13 - 28
|
| Chelsea Festival (London)
| June 15 - 26
|
| Beverley & East Riding Folk Festival
| June 20 - 22
|
| Hebden Bridge Arts Festival
| June 20 - July 6
|
| Ashbourne Arts Festival
| June 20 - July 6
|
| Corsham Festival
| June 21 - 28
|
| Ludlow Festival
| June 21 - July 13
|
| City of London Festival (London)
| June 23 - July 10
|
| Ribchester Festival of Music & Art
| June 25 - 29
|
| Isle of Man: Mananan International Festival
| June 26 - July 6
|
| Stafford Festival Shakespear
| June 26 - July 12
|
| Northern Aldborough Festival
| June 27 - July 12
|
| July/August
|
| St Albans 20th International Organ Festival
| July
|
| Lichfield International Arts Festival
| July 1- 13
|
| Winchester Hat Fair
| July 3 - 6
|
| Warwick Festival
| July 3 - 13
|
| York Early Music Festival
| July 4 - 13
|
| Exeter Festival
| July 4 - 20
|
| Chichester Festivities
| July 4 - 22
|
| Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod
| July 8 - 13
|
| Henley Festival
| July 9 - 13
|
| Island Arts Festival, Lagan Valley
| July 9 - 16
|
| Bracknell Music Festival
| July 11 - 13
|
| Chester Summer Music Festival
| July 11 - 26
|
| Gloucester Festival
| July 12 - 26
|
| Cambridge Summer Music Festival
| July 16 - Aug 16
|
| Harrogate International Festival
| July 17 - Aug 2
|
| BBC Proms (London)
| July 18 - Sept 13
|
| Leeds on Water
| July 19 - 20
|
| Fishguard International Music Festival
| July 19 - 26
|
| Ealing Summer Festival (London)
| July 25 - Aug 10
|
| Island Arts Children's Festival
| July 28 - Aug 8
|
| August/September
|
| Bristol Harbour Festival
| Aug 2-3
|
| Lake District Summer Music
| Aug 2 - 13
|
| Edinburgh Festival Fringe
| Aug 3- 25
|
| Ross-On-Wye International Festival
| Aug 7 - 17
|
| Knaresborough Festival
| Aug 8 - 17
|
| Billingham International Folklore Festival
| Aug 9 - 16
|
| Edinburgh International Festival
| Aug 10 - 30
|
| Three Choirs Festival Hereford
| Aug 16 - 22
|
| Leicester: Castle Park Festival
| Aug 17 - 25
|
| Presteigne Festival of Music & the Arts
| Aug 21 - 26
|
| Arundel Festival
| Aug 22 - 31
|
| September/October
|
| Rye Festival
| Sep 6 - 21
|
| Isle of Man: Mananan Opera Festival
| Sep 9- 13
|
| Hexham Abbey Festival
| Sep 12 - 20
|
| Birmingham ArtsFest
| Sep 13 - 14
|
| North Wales International Music Festival
| Sep 20 - 27
|
| October/November/December
|
| Dewsbury Festival of Christian Music
| October
|
| Bristol Poetry Festival
| Oct tbc
|
| Ballymena Arts Festival
| Oct 1- 16
|
| Ilkley Literature Festival
| Oct 3 - 19
|
| Chester Festival of Literature
| Oct 4 - 19
|
| Cheltenham Festival of Literature
| Oct 10 - 19
|
| Little Missenden Festival
| Oct 10 - 19
|
| Stratford upon Avon English Music Festival
| Oct 10 - 19
|
| Canterbury Festival
| Oct 11 - 25
|
| Belfast Festival at Queen's
| Oct 23 - Nov 9
|
| Aldeburgh Britten Festival
| Oct 24 - 26
|
| Isle of Man: Mananan Winter Festival
| Nov 7 - 9
|
| Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival
| Nov 20 - 30
|
| Spitalfields Winter Festival (London)
| Dec 10 - 19
|
Task 9. Check yourself questions:
1. What are British pubs like?
2. What is the peculiarity of Irish pubs?
3. What do most people drink in pubs?
4. Can you order a meal in a pub?
5. What is the difference between pubs and clubs in Britain?
6. What are the main characteristics of English gentlemen’s clubs?
7. What is the role of the theatre in British culture?
8. Which theatre is named after a famous actor?
9. When did the theatre become a place for ladies and gentlemen?
10. What is the name of a famous Opera and Ballet theatre?
10. In what theatres can you see Shakespeare’s plays?
Part II. Republic of Ireland
Unit 1. Land and People
BASIC FACTS:
Task 1. Read the basic facts and compare Ireland to parts of the United Kingdom.
· Ireland has a population of 3,744,700 (1999 estimate), with Dublin, its capital city, having a population of 953, 000.
· The National Flag is a tricolour of green, white and orange.
· The country enjoys a relatively mild climate with average monthly temperatures ranging from 7 degrees Celsius in January to 19 degrees in July. Ireland has an average monthly rainfall of between 2 and 3 inches with average daily hours of sunshine ranging from 2 hours in December to 6 hours in June.
· The country’s total area is 84,412km squared with a total coastline distance of 3,172km.
· Ireland’s highest mountain is Carrantouhill, Co. Kerry at 1,041m.
· Ireland has two official languages, English and Gaelic.
· The free profession of religion is guaranteed to all citizens by the Irish Constitution. The National Day of Ireland is St. Patrick’s Day, celebrated by Irish communities all over the world on the 17th of March.
