Festival of World Cultures returns with a wonderful array of musical events from the 26th to the 29th of August.

Over the last five years, Festival of World Cultures has carved a special groove on the global world music circuit and become Ireland's foremost intercultural event.

Featuring artists from 50 countries, the Festival of World Cultures have lined-up another colourful and exciting array of musical events in a number of outdoor and indoor venues around Dun Laoighre.

Some of the exciting free outdoor events happening over the weekend include Barcelona flamenco meets hip-hop collective, Ojos de Brujo spinning their musical alchemy in a highly anticipated debut Irish performance at the Newtownsmith Stage on Saturday, the 27^th.

On the same stage on Sunday, the 28^th, political funksters Fun 'Da' Mental will be colliding with the South African gospel choir The Mighty Zulu Nation to create some serious musical magic.

The Festival line-up for indoor events is just as exciting. On Friday the 26^th, innovative traditional group, Kila will perform a fascinating collaboration with Japanese-Ainu Tonkori player, Oki at Monkstown Parish and Singapore's world-famous opera company Chinese Theatre Circle perform a premiere of an English language Chinese Opera, Intrigues in the Qing Imperial Court at the Pavilion Theatre.

On Saturday, the Queen of Indian pop and a Bollywood celebrity, Usha Uthup headlines the Festival's first ever Bollywood night with Mumbai's Pratap Dancers at the Pavilion Theatre and one of Africa's top rap groups, Daara J play Coastline at the Purty Kitchen.

On Sunday, one of Ireland's most talented sean nòs singers, Iarla Ò Linoàird takes to the stage at the Pavilion Theatre and Mercan Dede will be mixing Eastern Sufi music with contemporary ambient sounds in Coastline at the Purty Kitchen.

This is only the tip of athe iceburg with a wonderful weekend musical extravaganza featuring the infectious Brazilian manguebeats of DJ Dolores, the Tuvan throat singer Sainkho Namtchlyak and a host of revered Irish musicians including Declan O'Rourke and Emmet Tinley.

A weekend of great exotic and infectious sounds, the Festival of World Cultures takes place in Dun Laoighre from the 26^th to the 28^th.