Hundreds of visitors are expected in Carlow for the 50th International Pan Celtic Festival.
The annual Easter gathering sees Celts celebrate their heritage, culture and language through five days of music, song, dance, storytelling, poetry, sport, craft and art.
As well as participants from across Ireland, visitors are expected from Wales, Scotland, Brittany, Cornwall and the Isle of Man.
A programme of 200 events, mostly free of charge, has been planned, including exhibitions, a festival parade and live performances from the Kilfenora Céilí Band and the Garda Band.
Among the highlights is the Pan Celtic International Song Contest when six newly composed songs, each in its own celtic language, will compete in a final on Thursday.
There will be several other inter-celtic competitions including traditional and folk singing, traditional dance, harp and fiddle, piping and drumming as well as the festival's choral competitions.
To mark the 50th anniversary of Pan Celtic, a bilingual lecture entitled "Endangered Minority Languages" will be delivered by Dr Alexandra Philibin on Thursday.
