Reason 7: You won’t get bored

Good news: 2013 is the year of The Gathering Ireland . What does that mean for you? It means you’ll never be bored. Music, naturally, is a big theme for The Gathering’s autumn festivals with Wexford’s coastal classic, Wexford Festival Opera , celebrating Giuseppe Verdi; Sligo Live will show what Yeats country is made of musically; and University College Cork will be bringing jazz to the Rebel County. The Dublin Marathon could be the challenge you’ve been looking for and Antrim’s Ghosts of the Glens Storytelling Festival will prepare you nicely for Monaghan’s spooky Halloween Bats gathering. Ever been inked? Mix with like-minded folks at the Dublin International Tattoo Convention. In the unlikely situation that none of the above sound like fun, you can find a festival to suit you here.