Time to start planning.

As I'm from Galway, I'm a little biased and would go as far to say that it's the best county in Ireland, particularly when the sun shines. Now that we've had a few days of good weather in a row, we're finally able to talk about summer in Ireland and the fact that it might actually happen this year. It's also perfect timing for the news that Galway is holding a four-day gin festival from June 7 to 10. As all Galway fans will know, the Latin Quarter is always buzzing and so it's an ideal location for this event. The itinerary includes a gin cruise, a gin forage, a gin village, gin tastings, gin trails, gin & food pairings, gin cocktails & competitions and new gin launches. There'll be the old favourites like Hendrick's and Tanqueray but we're sure the local, and very tasty, Galway Gin Company will make an appearance too. The festival coincides with World Gin Day on 9 June, a day that's sure to be very popular given the current gin craze in Ireland. A full list of gins will be announced nearer to the date and let's be honest, it's the perfect excuse to try a new cocktail.

Simply put, if you're a fan of this particular tipple, you'll want to get involved because the city of the tribes is going all out for this gin extravaganza.

Not only are people encouraged to try the various gins on offer in Galway's bars and restaurants, there's also the opportunity to learn about the perfect 'serve' and how specific tonics and garnishes complement gin. A full programme explaining the various events and the times of each will soon be available on the Latin Quarter's website which you can check out here.