The Irish in Britain, including those of Irish descent, make up a significant part of the UK population. Here, you will find news, entertainment, events, sports and features from the local Irish Post newspaper.

CONTORTIONISM, acrobatics, music and dance are filling the streets of  Galway as thousands flock to the city for its famous Arts Festival.

The 27th Galway Arts Festival celebrates artistic innovation from around the world with a programme of theatre, spectacle, dance, visual arts, music, literature and comedy and contortions.

The week-long festival began on Monday and boasts a packed line-up — including world premieres of a multimedia dance performance involving artists from Iceland and Ireland and a new Irish play by Mark Doherty called Trad.

The 2004 Festival has also teamed up with the China/Ireland Cultural Exchange to bring the Beijing Dance Academy and The China Conservatory of Music.

Music lovers will also enjoy a comprehensive array of events including Beausoleil, Telefon Tel Aviv, Erin  McKeown, Burrito Deluxe, David Byrne, Bill Wyman and Irish stars such as Mozaik, Bob Geldof, Lunasa, Four Men and a Dog, Scullion, The Undertones and Galway’s own The Saw Doctors.

On the visual arts front, Austrian avant-garde sculptor Erwin Wurm makes his Irish debut at Galway Arts Festival with photographs of human sculptures.

The Galway Arts Centre will have exhibition of new work by Galway artist Sharon O’Malley, while leading Irish painters Sean McSweeney, Brian Bourke, Graham Knuttel and Jay Murphy are also exhibiting during the festival.

Galway will also play host to some of the funniest men in Ireland. Barry Murphy presents his Comedy Circus, while Dermot Carmody, Kevin McAleer, Eddie Bannon, Ian Coppinger, Brendan Dempsey, David O’Doherty and Des Bishop will also be performing.