ACTOR Dermot Crowley fell in love with Eyeries and bought a house there shortly after the filming of Falling for a Dancer so who better than him to open this year's Eyeries Family Festival.

The festival has a lot going on. Who, after all, wouldn't be fascinated to see live sheep dog trials? It's mesmerising enough on the telly, but to see the traditional farming practice in Batty's Field is rare indeed.

Johnny O'Shea of Glanmore Lake, Lauragh,  on the northern side of the Beara Peninsula, has been working with sheepdogs all his life and competing in sheep dog trials since 1985.

When the Eyeries Family Festival started in 2011, he thought it would be great to have sheep dog trials in Eyeries and he has been bringing competitors and spectators together ever since.

They will come from all over: Dingle, Macroom, Whitegate and Youghal, as well as Kilkenny and Tipperary too.

There will be at least 25 dogs in competition and John Cremin from Blackwater in Kerry will be the judge on the day. The points awarded during this event makes it part of the qualifying process for the Irish National Trials.

Anyone who has seen the movie Babe, or happens to be one of the 1.2 million people who follow Sean the Sheepman on Instagram, will know it is a competition to find the dog that can best carry out a number of tasks with a small group of sheep within a set time.

But if that doesn't interest you, why not attend a walk through the village with architect Mark Gallagher to discover the stories behind the buildings, streets and spaces which have shaped one of Ireland’s most colourful and iconic villages.

On Saturday night, at the school, Pakie O’Callaghan will be offering a celebration of the stories of Eamon Kelly, who was perhaps Ireland's greatest storyteller.

Also on Saturday night The Peninsula Players will perform Speed Dating, a short, humorous play depicting some of the nuances of speed dating.

On Sunday, the legendary street market will fill the village with things for all of the family to enjoy. This year, the organisers have added a Fun Fest Zone, featuring The Ascorbe Circus workshop, ballooning and even a miniature highland bull.

Throughout the weekend, from Friday July 17th to Sunday July 19th, the programme will include well-being sessions, dog shows and sports activities, nature walks and the Windows of Eyeries art trail.

'We’ve got music, drumming and dancing,' said Connie. 'DJ Cian, Phoenix and Deuces Wild will take to the outdoor stage and the Festival Marquee will bring disco back to Eyeries with a special guest Bongo Steve on Friday night.'

Eyeries Family Festival is generously supported by local business sponsors and by everyone who attends throughout the festival weekend.

'We are very grateful for that,' said Connie. 'We also want to thank in advance all of the volunteers who make this annual festival happen. It's a joy to see our community come out to celebrate our unique way of life on Beara.'