Everything under the sun for feverish festivals

There were harpists and heritage enthusiasts. There was everything from button accordions and beach parties to boxers and bikers. There were strong men, singers, dancers, drinkers and general revellers. And above all - literally - there was sun! We predicted festival fever would heat up in cool Cavan, and for the gloriously sunny past few days that were June Bank Holiday Weekend 2009, it certainly did. Killinkere, Killeshandra and Kilnaleck each had festivals over the longh weekend - and the three "K"s basked in the rays, in a perfectly timed heatwave that saw temperatures soar to dizzying heights of up to 26 degrees. Killinkere was host to the hugely successful Jamboree Festival, Kilnaleck was animated to the traditional Irish sounds of the County Fleadh and Killeshandra put the spotlight on heritage with the Festival of the Lakes. The three events were resounding successes, enjoyed by thousands of patrons, whose cast off the rain-jackets and wellies they had on standby, instead grabbing a pair of shades and a tube of factor 15 as they headed to the festivals" events in sweltering heat. Driving out to the feverish festivals, elbows out the car window, and flaking out on the grass with an icecream... Memories of the past weekend will be hazy, but only because of the sunshine. • See weather forecast on page 18, and festival coverage on page 39 and the back page.