A weekly car boot sale, one of less than a handful that is still reliably taking place, has up to 200 cars/sellers. The stadium is just a few minutes walk from the Red LUAS line stop and numerous bus stops. For traders the Car Boot Sale opens at 06:30 for buyers from 08:00. If you are interested in selling, check the details and register on their website.

The Five Lamps Arts Festival is a great and very successful local festival of the wider area around the “Five Lamps” on Amiens Street and North Strand Road. The festival is in its 7th year and events include a music and fire dance, puppet shows, a Georgian choir, jazz music, combinations of theatre and community art performances, interior design exhibitions, walk and talk events, poetry readings and storytelling, dance, visual art and much more.

Many events are free and the complete list of free and non-free events is here: www.fivelampsarts.ie/new/all-events/

Here are some of the free events (the details you will find on the website), I am only listing the headlines here:

Body and Soul:
31 March: A Conversation Salon: meet other curious, open-minded, open-hearted people and have conversations that challenge

Children:
29 March: Professor Plunger – Street Show
29 March: Hänsel und Gretel – Puppet Show

Dance:
01 April: Day of Dance

Exploration:
29 March: Walk with Terry Fagan – Story’s from around Dublin’s famous Red-Light district known as Monto.
30 March: Key monuments on Dublin’s O’Connell Street

Literature:
31 March: Growing up at the Five Lamps – Talk
02 April: Temper-Mental MissElayneous & Andre K’por
02 April: Tree Tales

Music:
30 March: Flute Concert with Julie Maisel

Theater:
03 April: The Merchant of Ennis

And on top of that there are a number of exhibitions.

The annual Family History Day is a full day of lectures for everybody interested in family history. There will be a mix of practical information and case studies suitable for beginners and if you are more experienced in genealogical research.

Admission is free and booking is not required, but come early to get your place. Find all details at

www.dublincity.ie/RecreationandCulture/libraries/library_events/Pages/family_history_2014.aspx

The weekly Honest2goodness food market in Glasnevin has fresh meat, vegetables, fish, baked goods, and wines. It is open from 09:30-16:00. It is behind Lidl in the Industrial Estate just after the Glasnevin Cemetary coming from the City Centre.

Parkrun Ireland is organising free weekly runs in parks. It is a timed run over 5km and participation is completely free, but registration before your first parkrun is required.

The SuperNatural Food Market is taking place every Saturday from 09:30-15:30 in St. Andrews Resource Centre in Pearse Street, Dublin 2.

The Belgard Weekend Market is an indoor market with stalls with handcraft (incl. designer jewellery, aran jumpers and wool, christening robes and shawls, cards and cross stitch), household items, bric and brac, furniture, flowers, make-up, clothes, shoes, showers, upholstery, toys, kitchens, cafe, army memorabilia, collectors items, sweets, handbags books, blinds, party shop, tools and more.

It is open every Saturday and Sunday and is located in the Glen Abbey complex (opposite Jacobs) on Belgard Road.

Jamestown Flea Market + Car Boot Sale takes place every Sat+Sun from 10:00-17:00. You can reach it from Tyrconnell Road and from Kylemore Road and it is within 3 min from Black Horse stop on the red Luas line. There is free parking.

The Merchants Market on East Wall Road is a weekly indoors flea market on Saturdays and Sundays with more than 80 stalls in a big industrial hall. There is everything from furniture and antiques to paintings and mirrors, electronics and hot food to bicycles and buns. It is just a few minutes walk away from the Point Theatre/O2 (walk in the direction of the Port Tunnel).

An indoor market in Coolock with over 40 traders with a wide range of goods and a café on site as well.

A new market (flea/vintage/etc) with two cafés has opened in the same location in Thomas Street where the Ferocious Mingle Market was before their move to Camden Street.

The new market in 72 Thomas Street is called Stable Market and it is open from Thursday until Sunday from 10:00-18:00 every day. It seems there is neither a website nor a Facebook Page yet.

The Temple Bar Markets (Food Market on Meeting House Square, Book Market on Temple Bar Square and the Designer Mart near Cow’s Lane) are taking place every Saturday from 10:00-16:30.

“”Claiming Our Future” is a national broad based non-party political network made up of individuals and organisations across civil society. At our inaugural conference in the RDS in 2010 over 1000 participants identified the values of equality, environmental sustainability, participation, accountability and solidarity that should be at the heart of a new Ireland.Building on the commitment to these core values, Claiming Our Future is planning to develop a ‘Declaration for a New Republic’. The development of this will take place between now and 2016 and will involve as many people as possible.”

The event in Liberty Hall will be an Open Meeting about this declaration. Admission is free.

At the Blackrock Market in the centre of Blackrock, you’ll find 50 stalls selling collectibles, antiques, handmade goods, books, food & there’s free popcorn, ballons & facepainting for the kids.
Open on Saturdays and Bank Holidays: 11:00-17:30, and Sundays: 12:00-17:30.

The “What’s Your Style?” Oxendale Beauty/Style/Fashion event takes place in the RDS on Saturday and Sunday. Admission is free but you have to register on the website here www.oxendalesevents.com/ the event schedule is oxendalesevents.com/event-schedule.jpeg

The Ferocious Mingle Marcade (Market and Arcade) is back in a new location. The Marcade is now in Camden Street next to Daintree Paper and opposite the Centra and off-license there. It takes place every Thurs-Sun and is a flea-market-type permanent market with stalls and “chalets” for traders.

The National Gallery has an extensive programme of free talks, public tours and Art Documentary screenings focusing on highlights of the European and Irish Collection every day of the week. Check their website for details.

The newest Science Gallery exhibition has the theme “Fail Better” and it will run from 07 Feb – 27 Apr. The title comes from Samuel Beckett’s “Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.” and the exhibition looks at beautiful and instructive failures. The purpose is to open up a debate on the essential role of failure in human creativity, in technology, science, design, business and sport.

20 unique exhibits, from a pair of explorer boots that caused Ranulph Fiennes to fail in an Everest attempt, via Christopher Reeve’s (Superman) original wheelchair, to a full-scale reconstruction of the the world’s worst or maddest invention: a big table that is meant to assist childbirth using centrifugal force.

I visited the exhibition and I definitely recommend it. Age-wise, I would think that it is suitable for children from Age 12/13 as long as the parents are prepared to read a good bit of explanatory text and then “translate” it for their children. There is no overly complicated stuff, but most of the exhibits are not self-explanatory. But there is a strong reason for bringing your kids: We have in general a negative attitude to Failure. This exhibition will help you to change that!

Admission is free and opening hours are Tues-Fri 12:00-20:00 and Sat+Sun 12:00-18:00.

Join zoologist Catherine McGuinness to hear some weird and wonderful stories about the animals on display, like the eel that choked on a frog, and other fun facts. The tour takes place twice (12:00-13:00 and 14:00-15:00) and is suitable for adults and children from Age 6. Admission is free and booking is not required.

The weekly Ha’penny Flea Market is an indoor market in the Grand Social Pub, which offers vintage Men and Women’s clothing, contemporary crafts, books, DVDs, vinyl records, vintage and handmade jewellery, vintage hair styles, art, photography and much more. Grand Social’s Bar and Gourmet Coffee options are available.

The Lady&trans* Fest 2014 takes place from Fri 28 to Sun 30 March and there will be performances (music, theater, films, spoken word, and discussions) and workshops for all genders.

The festival is a “qu eer/feminist D.I.Y. weekender festival” with the goal to “help create a safer space for que ers and rebels” and to “help foster an environment of inclusivity, and awareness of intersectionality”.

All events over the weekend are free.

Venues are Seomra Spraoi (10 Belvedere Court), The Outhouse (105 Capel Street).

Check out all events and workshops on the website below.

The next Let’s Talk & Walk event is called “Terenure to Templeogue Road – And all because a river”. The tour will be led by historian Pat Liddy.

“The Dodder has played a pivotal role in the origin of various villages in South Dublin. This walk will take in Terenure Village before meandering through Bushy Park and exploring, among other things, the role of the Dodder River in the area’s history.”

Meeting point is outside of the Bank of Ireland, 1 Rathfarnham Road, Terenure Crossroads, Dublin 6W.

Admission is free and no booking is required.

The Animated Film “Las aventuras de Tadeo Jones / The Adventures of Tadeo Jones” will be screened in the Instituto Cervantes (in Spanish with English subtitles). The film is suitable for children.

Admission is free.

Archive at Lunchtime screenings take place Saturdays (Double Bill), Mondays and Wednesdays. The programme is changing weekly now (instead of monthly as in the past). To find out what film(s) will be screened go to www.ifi.ie/whatson/now-showing-coming-soon/ and look for “Archive at Lunchtime” on the right. Admission is free.

“These Are a Few of My Favourite Things” is the title of a Walking Tour that Emily Gallagher will run every Saturday. It will be an Alternative Arts and Culture Trail and she will bring you to “Dublin’s Best Cafes, Bars, Markets, Unusual Stores, Galleries, Theatres, Arts Spaces, and more! And hear some tales you’ve never heard before!”

Meeting point is at the Spire. The tours are free but donations are welcome and booking is required via egaldog@gmail.com or 085-2725095

Drop-in event for Ages 6+ to learn how to think like an archaeologist and try to solve the puzzle of some mystery objects. The event takes place in the Learning Resource Room, first floor. Admission is free and no booking required.

On 28th June 1922 artillery shells rained down on the Four Courts, which had been occupied by the IRA for over two months in opposition to the Treaty and marking the commencement of the Civil War.

At this public talk about the “The Siege of the Four Courts”, Liz Gillis, author of the Fall of Dublin, will tell the story of the attack on the Four Courts.

“During the battle some key buildings around the Smithfield area such as St. Michan’s Church and the Jameson Distillery were occupied by snipers from the Free State army. The fighting around Dublin went on for one week with considerable loss of life. Liz has written the definitive account of the battle for Dublin and this promises to be a fascinating talk. Copies of Liz’s book ‘The Fall of Dublin’ will be available for sale at the meeting.”

The Poor Boys wil perform in the “Live from the Window” slot. Admission is free.

Cornucopia Café & Restaurant host live music three evenings a week (Thurs, Fri and Sat). The restaurant is a Wholefood & Vegetarian Restaurant and is open until 22:15.
+ Every second Thursday N.C Lawlor, a songwriter, session player and troubadour plays a mix of country, bluegrass & blues from 19:30-21:30.
+ Every Friday (19:30-21:30) Junshi Murakami plays Irish Harp.
+ Every Saturday (19:30-21:30) Nollaig Mann plays a collection of popular and jazz classics.

Cuban drummer Frank Durand joins Leopoldo Osio (keys) and Cormac O’Brien (upright bass) for a jazz gig. Frank is an internationally in-demand jazz and session drummer and this is a great opportunity to see him live alongside some of Dublin’s finest musicians. Here you can watch him: www.youtube.com/watch?v=gelK1cgK_B0

Admission is free and a donation of EUR 5 is recommended. (Doors at 20:00, Gig starts at 20:45)

The Galants are performing in the Mercantile on Saturday and they will be supported by The Dead Beat. Admission is free.

This is a weekly Saturday night live music event event in the basement Wine Cave of KC Peaches wholefood restaurant/café. Food will be served until 22:00 and wine, minerals & music will be available until later. Admission is free and a donation into a hat at the end of the evening is appreciated.

The Devils Jukebox is live music from 20:00-23:00 and DJs with Alternative, Punk, Rock, Metal & Garage after that. Every Saturday! Admission is free.

Earth Hour is a worldwide movement for our planet organised by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). During Earth Hour from 20:30-21:30 on Saturday, you are asked to turn off all non-essential lights for one hour as a symbol for your commitment to the planet.

Some years ago, the lights at Customs House and some other public buildings were switched off in Ierland too, but since then the event is duly ignored by the state and relies on your support.

D-Riculous All Stars are performing in Sweeney’s. I still have no idea what type of music they play, they don’t like telling people anythign about themselves. :-) I guess, though, that it is Indie Rock,

The Stillorgan Orchard has live music every Friday and Saturday. Many of the performers are established and very good bands. The upcoming gigs are detailed on the website below. Admission is always free.

Ray Scully will play soul, blues and rock in Mother Reilly’s. Special guest will be Wilbury.

“My Tribe Your Tribe” and “Cove” will perform in the Midnight Hour. The gig starts at midnight and admission is free if you arrive before 22:30.

Did you change your clocks last night? You should have put the clock one hour FORWARD, which means that you lost an hour of sleep. We are now in Summertime until the end of October with the great bonus of longer brightness in the evenings,

The Five Lamps Arts Festival is a great and very successful local festival of the wider area around the “Five Lamps” on Amiens Street and North Strand Road. The festival is in its 7th year and events include a music and fire dance, puppet shows, a Georgian choir, jazz music, combinations of theatre and community art performances, interior design exhibitions, walk and talk events, poetry readings and storytelling, dance, visual art and much more.

Many events are free and the complete list of free and non-free events is here: www.fivelampsarts.ie/new/all-events/

Here are some of the free events (the details you will find on the website), I am only listing the headlines here:

Body and Soul:
31 March: A Conversation Salon: meet other curious, open-minded, open-hearted people and have conversations that challenge

Children:
29 March: Professor Plunger – Street Show
29 March: Hänsel und Gretel – Puppet Show

Dance:
01 April: Day of Dance

Exploration:
29 March: Walk with Terry Fagan – Story’s from around Dublin’s famous Red-Light district known as Monto.
30 March: Key monuments on Dublin’s O’Connell Street

Literature:
31 March: Growing up at the Five Lamps – Talk
02 April: Temper-Mental MissElayneous & Andre K’por
02 April: Tree Tales

Music:
30 March: Flute Concert with Julie Maisel

Theater:
03 April: The Merchant of Ennis

And on top of that there are a number of exhibitions.

On Sunday is Mother’s Day in Ireland!

If your mother lives in Ireland, don’t forget her if you don’t want any trouble.

If she lives aborad, she won’t expect you to ring because in most other countries Mother’s Day will take place a few weeks later (often in May). But maybe just ring her anyway. She will most likely appreciate the thought that you think of her on BOTH Mother’s Days.

Jamestown Flea Market + Car Boot Sale takes place every Sat+Sun from 10:00-17:00. You can reach it from Tyrconnell Road and from Kylemore Road and it is within 3 min from Black Horse stop on the red Luas line. There is free parking.

The Merchants Market on East Wall Road is a weekly indoors flea market on Saturdays and Sundays with more than 80 stalls in a big industrial hall. There is everything from furniture and antiques to paintings and mirrors, electronics and hot food to bicycles and buns. It is just a few minutes walk away from the Point Theatre/O2 (walk in the direction of the Port Tunnel).

Every Sunday, the Merrion Square Open Air Art Gallery takes place. Up to 200 artists exhibit their paintings on the railings on three sides (West, North and East) of Merrion Square and you can just enjoy the exhibition or even buy.

A new market (flea/vintage/etc) with two cafés has opened in the same location in Thomas Street where the Ferocious Mingle Market was before their move to Camden Street.

The new market in 72 Thomas Street is called Stable Market and it is open from Thursday until Sunday from 10:00-18:00 every day. It seems there is neither a website nor a Facebook Page yet.

The “What’s Your Style?” Oxendale Beauty/Style/Fashion event takes place in the RDS on Saturday and Sunday. Admission is free but you have to register on the website here www.oxendalesevents.com/ the event schedule is oxendalesevents.com/event-schedule.jpeg

The next Dublin Flea Market is taking place in the Food Coop, 12 Newmarket, just off Cork Street, Dublin 8 on Sun from 11:00-17:00. The flea market takes place every last Sunday of the month. For more information or if you want to sell your own stuff, check out www.dublinflea.ie “A bizarre bazaar of vintage clothing, bric-a-brac and what nots, old and new. Stalls include hand-made goods, art, jewelry, furniture, records and lots more unwanted items that may just be your treasure!”
The Coop Hall is wheelchair accessible and lots of free parking spaces are right outside the door.

A weekly market with lots of food, but also many other products (art & crafts, books, etc) takes place every Sunday in the beautiful People’s Park in Dun Laoghaire. It is a very popular market and with around 50 vendors also one of the bigger markets.

There seem to be TWO weekly markets on Long Mile Road and both are very close to each other. One is behind Wigoders on Long Mile Road (across the road from Aldi). It hosts more than 50 stalls and there is also a Cafe on site. www.facebook.com/WigodersLongmileMarket And the other one is just on the other side of the road, next to Aldi. www.facebook.com/TheLongMileRdMarket

The well known Palestrina Choir sing every Sunday at the mass in St Mary’s Pro-Cathedral. They sing complete masterworks by Mozart, Haydn, Dvorak, Palestrina, de Victoria, usually accompanied by Prof. Gerard Gillen on the organ, who often also plays a solo piece.

The Ferocious Mingle Marcade (Market and Arcade) is back in a new location. The Marcade is now in Camden Street next to Daintree Paper and opposite the Centra and off-license there. It takes place every Thurs-Sun and is a flea-market-type permanent market with stalls and “chalets” for traders.

The National Gallery has an extensive programme of free talks, public tours and Art Documentary screenings focusing on highlights of the European and Irish Collection every day of the week. Check their website for details.

At the Blackrock Market in the centre of Blackrock, you’ll find 50 stalls selling collectibles, antiques, handmade goods, books, food & there’s free popcorn, ballons & facepainting for the kids.
Open on Sundays: 12:00-17:30. Open on Saturdays and Bank Holidays: 11:00-17:30.

The newest Science Gallery exhibition has the theme “Fail Better” and it will run from 07 Feb – 27 Apr. The title comes from Samuel Beckett’s “Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.” and the exhibition looks at beautiful and instructive failures. The purpose is to open up a debate on the essential role of failure in human creativity, in technology, science, design, business and sport.

20 unique exhibits, from a pair of explorer boots that caused Ranulph Fiennes to fail in an Everest attempt, via Christopher Reeve’s (Superman) original wheelchair, to a full-scale reconstruction of the the world’s worst or maddest invention: a big table that is meant to assist childbirth using centrifugal force.

I visited the exhibition and I definitely recommend it. Age-wise, I would think that it is suitable for children from Age 12/13 as long as the parents are prepared to read a good bit of explanatory text and then “translate” it for their children. There is no overly complicated stuff, but most of the exhibits are not self-explanatory. But there is a strong reason for bringing your kids: We have in general a negative attitude to Failure. This exhibition will help you to change that!

Admission is free and opening hours are Tues-Fri 12:00-20:00 and Sat+Sun 12:00-18:00.

The Lady&trans* Fest 2014 takes place from Fri 28 to Sun 30 March and there will be performances (music, theater, films, spoken word, and discussions) and workshops for all genders.

The festival is a “qu eer/feminist D.I.Y. weekender festival” with the goal to “help create a safer space for que ers and rebels” and to “help foster an environment of inclusivity, and awareness of intersectionality”.

All events over the weekend are free.

Venues are Seomra Spraoi (10 Belvedere Court), The Outhouse (105 Capel Street).

Check out all events and workshops on the website below.

“Made by Hand” or “Hecho a manos” is a new Sunday weekly market in Viva, Portobello with most things made by hand and some vintage clothing and curiosities too. Admission is free.

An indoor market in Coolock with over 40 traders with a wide range of goods and a café on site as well.

The Sundays at Noon Concert Series continues in the Sculpture Gallery at the Hugh Lane Gallery. This series of free (mainly classical) concerts continues to present the best of Irish and International music and musicians. Concerts run from September to June. The next concert will be part of the Five Lamps Festival: Julie Maisel, Flute, Edward Holley. Piano and Alan Grundy, Guitar will perform with a Flute Quartet.

The “Dublin Sketchers” is an informal group of (hobby) artists who go somewhere different in Dublin every Sunday (e.g. National Museum, Maritime Museum, Dublin Flea Market, Farmleigh, Botanic Gardens, Dublin Castle, Science Gallery, …), sketch for one to two hours and then meet up for coffee afterwards and discuss their sketches.

There are some hugely talented people among them and it is a great idea to meet up with others who have the same hobby. Find out on their website below or on their Facebook Page where they will meet and join them if you do some sketching/drawing yourself. I know that the Dublin Sketchers often use the Dublin Event Guide to find interesting free events and I am delighted to be able to help!

Kevin Morrow (vocals) and Luke Dunford (piano) will perform Jazz in the Powerscourt Centre. Admission is free.

A free guided tour in Polish will take place at the National Print Museum. No booking required.

Afternoon Jazz in Café en Seine. The Stella Bass Jazz Trio play every Sunday from 14:00-16:00 in Café en Seine in Dawson Street. Admission is free. A video is here www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8aKqtOB5S8

“Wild Play” will take place on Sunday. And the event is described likes this “For the wild at heart. Join us as we naturally play in the
woods, climbing over trees, jumping across logs, wading through ditches. For the children who like to get wet and muddy.”

Admission is free, but booking is required as spaces are limited. Contact Andrew on 087 3299936 or email info@owls.ie

Come to the Family Drawing Sundays in the RHA. All children are welcome to use the RHA Art Cart, in the RHA Atrium. Admission is free. For further information, contact Ruth Carroll on 01 6612558 or via ruth@rhagallery.ie

Up Close with Music features new Irish music in an international context. The Galway Ensemble in Residence: ConTempo Quartet join Concorde in a collaboration between the two ensembles.

Performances take place at 14:30 and at 15:45. All details about this free event are on the website below.

Unlike the three branches of the National Museum, the National Print Museum is normally not free, but every Sunday there is a free public tour for the next few weeks. Every visit begins with a short audio-visual presentation where the audience can observe active retired printers providing practical demonstrations of machines from the Museum’s collection.

A weekly Jazz gig will take place in the Sunshine Cafe for your Sunday afternoon entertainment. The Jazzwise Duo (piano and double bass) play classic jazz including Broadway standards, Bossa Nova, Blues etc

The wedding and party band The LJJ Band play every Sunday evening in Café en Seine. Admission is free.

The Sweeney’s Dixeland Jazzmen play their weekly gig on the ground floor in Sweeney’s. Admission is free.

Saucy Sundays is a weekly free live music afternoon and evening in the Grand Social. The line-up and links to all bands/performers are available via the Saucy Sundays Facebook Page (see link below). Im short, the line-up is Sarah Something, Cash is King, Silences, B & The Honey Boy, White Rash & The Spear Headed Sparrow Hawks, Karencia.

www.facebook.com/events/1396012280672720/

The Dublin Blues Cartel will be in Whelan’s again and will perform mostly a version of New Orleans R’n’B with a classic rock twist, sandwiched with swing, Rock’n’Roll, Soul, Funk, Blues and rap of all eras. Admission is free.

The Gardiner Street Gospel Choir Mass invites to a Mass in St. Francis Xavier Church at the top of Gardiner Street near the junction with Dorset Street every Sunday at 19:30. The Gardiner Street Gospel Choir, one of the best known choirs in Ireland will sing during the mass and everybody is welcome independent from your level of religiousness.

The weekly Sunday Roast is a free event in the Mercantile where live music is combined with free roast potatoes. The line-up for the upcoming Sunday Roast is available via the Sunday Roast Facebook Page (see link below). In short the line-up is Sinead White, Whitetrash & The Spear Headed Sparraw Hawks, Reclaim, Pharaoh Trade

www.facebook.com/events/408310882646239

Every Sunday this singer-songwriter night takes place in the Bleeding Horse in Camden St. from 8.30pm. It is an Open mic night and performers can just turn up and put their name on the list for that night.

At the Jawbone Gig night in Sin É, Acoustic Folk & Blues will be performed every Sunday. Admission is free. For the line-up check here www.facebook.com/pages/Jawbone-Dublin-Acoustic-Folk-Blues-Commune/724102984268967

The Comedy Crunch is a free Stand Up comedy downstairs in Stag’s Head, Dame Lane from 21:00 every week on Sun+Mon. Every week different comedians entertain and on top of that there is some free ice cream. The line-up can be found via the Comedy Crunch Facebook Page (see link below).

Rogério from the Brazilian dance project “Forró de Lampião” in Dublin tells me: Forró de Lampião is Brazilian music that has the same roots as Samba and there is a whole culture that has developed around “forro”. Every Sunday, free dance classes take place in the Grand Social (new loation!) and if you are interested, just turn up one Sunday.

“Rhythm Rocker at The Globe” is a weekly event on Sunday night in The Globe in Sth Great Georges Street, Dublin 2. It is a Rockabilly, R’n’R, Roots night with alternating (week by week) live bands Pavement Kings, Donna & The Sazzy Catz, The Mosquitoes and The Pacifics from 21:00 and with DJs from 23:00-01:30. Admission is free.

Billy Treacy & The Ha’Penny Heads are playing Ballads, Folk, Trad and Classic Country every Sunday. Featuring Guitar, Mandolin, Fiddle and Banjo.

Every Sunday (except at Bank Holiday weekends), the Ragtime, Roots and Country Blues Band “Cool Hand Dukes” play in the Porterhouse near Grafton Street.

The Eco Week of the South Dublin Libraries will take place from 31 March – 04 April. About 20 events for adults are planned (in addition to lots of School events) and you will find a detailed programme and more information for booking etc here: www.southdublinlibraries.ie/news/2014/03/eco-week-31st-march-4th-april-2014

The Five Lamps Arts Festival is a great and very successful local festival of the wider area around the “Five Lamps” on Amiens Street and North Strand Road. The festival is in its 7th year and events include a music and fire dance, puppet shows, a Georgian choir, jazz music, combinations of theatre and community art performances, interior design exhibitions, walk and talk events, poetry readings and storytelling, dance, visual art and much more.

Many events are free and the complete list of free and non-free events is here: www.fivelampsarts.ie/new/all-events/

Here are some of the free events (the details you will find on the website), I am only listing the headlines here:

Body and Soul:
31 March: A Conversation Salon: meet other curious, open-minded, open-hearted people and have conversations that challenge

Children:
29 March: Professor Plunger – Street Show
29 March: Hänsel und Gretel – Puppet Show

Dance:
01 April: Day of Dance

Exploration:
29 March: Walk with Terry Fagan – Story’s from around Dublin’s famous Red-Light district known as Monto.
30 March: Key monuments on Dublin’s O’Connell Street

Literature:
31 March: Growing up at the Five Lamps – Talk
02 April: Temper-Mental MissElayneous & Andre K’por
02 April: Tree Tales

Music:
30 March: Flute Concert with Julie Maisel

Theater:
03 April: The Merchant of Ennis

And on top of that there are a number of exhibitions.

The National Gallery has an extensive programme of free talks, public tours and Art Documentary screenings focusing on highlights of the European and Irish Collection every day of the week. Check their website for details.

Archive at Lunchtime screenings take place Saturdays (Double Bill), Mondays and Wednesdays. The programme is changing weekly now (instead of monthly as in the past). To find out what film(s) will be screened go to www.ifi.ie/whatson/now-showing-coming-soon/ and look for “Archive at Lunchtime” on the right. Admission is free.

“Nelson and Company – The Moving Statues of Dublin” is an illustrated presentation by Maeve L’estrange.

Admission is free, you can book at 01-8734333 or centrallibrary@dublincity.ie

“Cinephonic” is an arts event where is a group of emerging arts managers plan to stimulate minds using a dynamic collaboration of live video and music technology. They are interested in the creative relationship between music and video and are inviting to this event in MART in the Old Fire Station, Ratmines.

Expect “an imersive cinemasque live show” and “electronic soundscapes combined with alternative and experimental video artworks”.

Visuals by The Standing Wave Collective and live music by Cult Clone, Thomas Garrett, Dave Flood, David Courtney, Live DJs pbear and dots.

Admission is free and you can bring your own drink (BYOB).

A weekly free Craft Beer Walking Tour started last Monday in Dublin. Meeting Point is in the Beerhouse and during the evening you will visit four Craft Beer Pubs. The tour is free and you pay for your own beer.

This is an open mic night with Special Guests every Monday. Arrive, sign in (from 19:00) and play. Admission is free.

The lecture “Exploring Mars, discovering Earth” by Kevin Nolan, Planetary Society will take place on Monday. It is an event of the Irish Astronomical Society. Admission is free.

Minding the Mind is the title of a public lecture series of the Saint John of God Hospital.

The topics are
* Positive Ageing: A Realistic View.
* What is it About Modern Life that makes us Depressed?
* Insights and Helpful Hints on Managing the Impact on Social Media on Relationships.
* Motivation and Change: What Happens when your Sweet Tooth says Yes and your Wisdom Tooth says No?
* Living Mindfully in a Material World.

The lectures take place on Mondays from 20:00-21:30.

The next one is ” Insights and Helpful Hints on Managing the Impact on Social Media on Relationships” on Monday 31 March with Fergal Rooney (Senior Counselling Psychologist, St. John of God Hospital).

Admission is free. Find the event poster via this link below:
www.stjohnofgodhospital.ie/images/documents/SJOG_MTM_Lectures_2014.pdf

Song Cycle is a weekly Singer/Songriter showcase. The line-up is not always easily findable on the Whelan’s website, but admission is always free.

The Monday Echo is a weekly songwriter and poetry live showcase held on Mondays in the basement of The International Bar. Usually, the show has 3 songwriters and 3 poets who perform for roughly 20 minutes each. Admission is free.
The weekly line-up can be found via the Facebook Page below.

The Comedy Crunch is a free Stand Up comedy event every Sunday and Monday. Every week different comedians entertain and on top of good comedy you will get free ice cream. Admission is free. The line-up can be found via the Comedy Crunch Facebook Page (see link below).

The Crafty Monday Sessions is an Open Mic night for acoustic singer/songwriters and original bands. Admission is free.

The 4-piece band Loose Trad are performing every Monday in Mother Reilly’s. www.loosetrad.com/ Admission is free.

Warning:
As a principle don’t believe anything you read today in a newspaper or online. Once you read it, analyse it and if it sounds slightly farfetched then there is a high April Fool’s risk. ;-)

The Eco Week of the South Dublin Libraries will take place from 31 March – 04 April. About 20 events for adults are planned (in addition to lots of School events) and you will find a detailed programme and more information for booking etc here: www.southdublinlibraries.ie/news/2014/03/eco-week-31st-march-4th-april-2014

The Five Lamps Arts Festival is a great and very successful local festival of the wider area around the “Five Lamps” on Amiens Street and North Strand Road. The festival is in its 7th year and events include a music and fire dance, puppet shows, a Georgian choir, jazz music, combinations of theatre and community art performances, interior design exhibitions, walk and talk events, poetry readings and storytelling, dance, visual art and much more.

Many events are free and the complete list of free and non-free events is here: www.fivelampsarts.ie/new/all-events/

Here are some of the free events (the details you will find on the website), I am only listing the headlines here:

Body and Soul:
31 March: A Conversation Salon: meet other curious, open-minded, open-hearted people and have conversations that challenge

Children:
29 March: Professor Plunger – Street Show
29 March: Hänsel und Gretel – Puppet Show

Dance:
01 April: Day of Dance

Exploration:
29 March: Walk with Terry Fagan – Story’s from around Dublin’s famous Red-Light district known as Monto.
30 March: Key monuments on Dublin’s O’Connell Street

Literature:
31 March: Growing up at the Five Lamps – Talk
02 April: Temper-Mental MissElayneous & Andre K’por
02 April: Tree Tales

Music:
30 March: Flute Concert with Julie Maisel

Theater:
03 April: The Merchant of Ennis

And on top of that there are a number of exhibitions.

“These Are a Few of My Favourite Things” is the title of a Walking Tour that Emily Gallagher will on Tuesday now as well. It will be an Alternative Arts and Culture Trail and she will bring you to “Dublin’s Best Cafes, Bars, Markets, Unusual Stores, Galleries, Theatres, Arts Spaces, and more! And hear some tales you’ve never heard before!”

Meeting point is at the Spire. The tours are free but donations are welcome and booking is required via egaldog@gmail.com or 085-2725095

The National Gallery has an extensive programme of free talks, public tours and Art Documentary screenings focusing on highlights of the European and Irish Collection every day of the week. Check their website for details.

Dr. Ernesto Vasquez del Aguila is the author of “Being a Man in a Transnational World”, which analyses the complex processes of becoming a man and the strategies used by men to reconcile paradoxes and contradictions that coexist between multiple masculinities and contradictory models of being a man.

Admission is free to this talk and all are welcome.

The Library Lunch Time Lecture Series that accompanies the current “Battle of Clontarf” exhibition in the Library of the Royal Irish Academy continues with a talk by Donnchadh Ó Corráin, MRIA, UCC.

He will discuss “Dál Cais, Déis, Ó Briain – changing places, changing identities” on Tuesday.

Admission is free and no booking is required.

The Battle of Clontarf will be the theme of these lunchtime lectures in City Hall. They will take place every Tuesday in April from 13:10-13:50:

+ 01 April: “That Field of Glory: Historical and Antiquarian Perspectives on The Battle of Clontarf” with Dr. Colm Lennon (Emeritus Professor, Department of History, NUI Maynooth)
+ 08 April: “Queen Gormlaith, Brian Boru and The Northmen of Dublin” with Dr. Howard B. Clarke (Emeritus Professor, Department of Medieval History, UCD)
+ 15 April: “Picturing the Battle of Clontarf: James Ward’s Murals in Dublin’s City Hall” with Dr. Joseph McBrinn (Lecturer in History of Design and Applied Arts Belfast School of Art University of Ulster)
+ 22 April: “Commemorating Clontarf in 1914: The Clancy Chain and the Celtic Revival” with Dr. Nicola Gordon Bowe (Associate Fellow, Faculty of Visual Culture National College of Art and Design)
+ 29 April: “The Brian Boru Harp and its Musical Legacy” with Dr. Janet Harbison (Irish Harp Centre and Irish Harp College, Limerick)

Admission is free and booking is not required. Come early to get a seat (max number of people: 110), doors open at 12:30.

The Southampton University Concert Band will perform popular hits by John Williams, Adele, Stevie Wonder & JS. Bach at St. Ann’s Church. Admission is free, but your donations for Age Action Ireland are appreciated.

The Dublin: One City One Book events continue for the whole month and there are lots of events taking place in connection with it too. A website here www.dublinonecityonebook.ie/events-2014 lists all the events and it would be silly if just copied them.

So, if you are interested in this topic, go to the website mentioned above to find all details.

The next event in the RDS Economic Recovery Lecture Series iw with Larry Murrin, CEO, Dawn Farm Foods. He will talk about “Irish Export Success – A case study of Dawn Farm Foods”. More information about the topic can be found on the website below.

Admission is free. The talk will take place in the Merrion Room.

The Dublin Quantified Self group is for anyone interested in self-tracking. Do you record your jogging times? Or how often you communicate with friends? Or how you are feeling? If you track personal information, hoping to gain insights into yourself or your surrounding world, then this group is for you.

Admission is free, but you have to book at: www.meetup.com/Quantified-Self-Dublin/events/160877252/

Brendan P. O’Reilly will talk about “The New Irish Catholic Catechism for Adults”. Admission is free.

The monthly Green Drinks Dublin will take place in Sweetman’s on Monday (top floor). The event is organised by the Irish Wildlife Trust and is a monthly get-together of people that care about green/environmental issues. This time the talk is about “Energy Efficiency in the Public Sector- the Cuts that Don’t Hurt” with Anna Heussaff from Dublin Friends of the Earth.

The Irish Society for Archives presents “Music at the Abbey Theatre, 1904-1965” with Dr. Maria McHale (Conservatory of Music and Drama, Dublin Institute of Technology). A wine reception will preceed the event. Admission is free.

The Launch of Celia de Fréine’s poetry collection “cuir amach seo dom: riddle me this” will take place. It will be launched by Micheál Ó Ruairc. Admission is free.

The Workman’s Den Cinema Club presents “Pulp Fiction” and also the Irish Independent short film “Anna” by Director Eamonn. Admission is free.

Every Tuesday an informal sing along with Ukulele and Toy Musical Instruments takes place in the Stag’s Head. Just bring your instrument and come along. Beginners are welcome. Admission is free and further details (and a big book of songs) are available on the Facebook Page below. The get-together meets in the “snug” in Stag’s Head.

Ben Prevo & friends play saucy Blues & soul every Tuesday

Rumours have it that the Bluegrass Collective will perform in Sin É on Tuesday and there might even be an open Bluegrass Jam! Admission is free.

The Improrphans are regularly performing Improv Comedy troupe in the Workman’s Club and I hear lots of good things about them. Admission to their performance is free, and donations at the end are very much welcome.

The website of the Workman’s Club doesn’t list this gig, but I am assured it will take place.

The Folk Club in Whelan’s will bring you the best in Trad, Ballads, Americana & World Music every Tuesday. The line-up this week is on the Facebook Page below. Admission is free.

Every Tuesday a Jazz Jam Session will take place in the Grand Social and you are invited to listen or even to participate. Admission is free for musicians and audience.

Instruments are supplied (drums (no cymbals), double bass, guitar amp, bass amp, PA system) and ideas and themes will be proposed prior to the session to the musicians who join the event on Facebook (see Facebook Page below).

The Phoenix Big Band is a 16 piece band playing songs of the 1930s, 1940s and other big band arrangements and they are playing every Tuesday in the Tara Tower Hotel (since 2012!) for adult dancing. If you like to waltz, cha cha or foxtrot, come and enjoy their performance.

Admission is free.

The band plays in the main function room which is occasionally booked, so to confirm that they are playing, please ring the hotel on the day: Phone 01-2694666

The Dublin: One City One Book events continue for the whole month and there are lots of events taking place in connection with it too. A website here www.dublinonecityonebook.ie/events-2014 lists all the events and it would be silly if just copied them.

So, if you are interested in this topic, go to the website mentioned above to find all details.

The Eco Week of the South Dublin Libraries will take place from 31 March – 04 April. About 20 events for adults are planned (in addition to lots of School events) and you will find a detailed programme and more information for booking etc here: www.southdublinlibraries.ie/news/2014/03/eco-week-31st-march-4th-april-2014

Entry charges at nearly all OPW sites are waived once a month. The Office of Public Works (OPW) wants to encourage people to visit the historic sites that it manages and has therfore started this initiative in 2011.

Most OPW owned sites can already be visited for free, but the sites that normally charge a fee will be free every first Wednesday as well. In the (extended) Greater Dublin Area this means you can visit the following sites for free:
+ The Casino, Marino
+ Dublin Castle, State Apartments
+ Kilmainham Gaol
+ Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre at Newgrange
+ Glendalough Visitor Centre in Wicklow

As you can imagine, this event is very popular and therfore it is strongly recommended to arrive early at the venues. Once the day’s tickets are given out, you will not get access anymore.

The Five Lamps Arts Festival is a great and very successful local festival of the wider area around the “Five Lamps” on Amiens Street and North Strand Road. The festival is in its 7th year and events include a music and fire dance, puppet shows, a Georgian choir, jazz music, combinations of theatre and community art performances, interior design exhibitions, walk and talk events, poetry readings and storytelling, dance, visual art and much more.

Many events are free and the complete list of free and non-free events is here: www.fivelampsarts.ie/new/all-events/

Here are some of the free events (the details you will find on the website), I am only listing the headlines here:

Body and Soul:
31 March: A Conversation Salon: meet other curious, open-minded, open-hearted people and have conversations that challenge

Children:
29 March: Professor Plunger – Street Show
29 March: Hänsel und Gretel – Puppet Show

Dance:
01 April: Day of Dance

Exploration:
29 March: Walk with Terry Fagan – Story’s from around Dublin’s famous Red-Light district known as Monto.
30 March: Key monuments on Dublin’s O’Connell Street

Literature:
31 March: Growing up at the Five Lamps – Talk
02 April: Temper-Mental MissElayneous & Andre K’por
02 April: Tree Tales

Music:
30 March: Flute Concert with Julie Maisel

Theater:
03 April: The Merchant of Ennis

And on top of that there are a number of exhibitions.

AkiDwA, the national network of migrant women living in Ireland, explains that in some areas of the city live now more non Irish than Irish born people and this requires people with different cultures to enter into a conversation to avoid misunderstandings. To initiate such a conversation they are launching “Dublin Women for One City One People”. This project will involve people living in the north inner city area.

You are invited to come to a meeting to hear the ideas of AkiDwA on initiating this conversation between people of different cultural backgrounds. Admission is free and light refreshments will be served.

To register your interest e-mail info@akidwa.ie or call Barbra at 01-8349851

The National Gallery has an extensive programme of free talks, public tours and Art Documentary screenings focusing on highlights of the European and Irish Collection every day of the week. Check their website for details.

The Little Museum of Dublin secured sponsorship from Johnston, Mooney & O’Brien until October 2014 and will therefore be able to continue the Big J Wednesday: Every Wednesday from 12:00-17:00 admission into the museum is free thanks to the bread company. There are free guided tours every hour.

Archive at Lunchtime screenings take place Saturdays (Double Bill), Mondays and Wednesdays. The programme is changing weekly now (instead of monthly as in the past). To find out what film(s) will be screened go to www.ifi.ie/whatson/now-showing-coming-soon/ and look for “Archive at Lunchtime” on the right. Admission is free.

Dr. Eben Upton, creator of the palm-sized Raspberry Pi computer, will talk about the future of innovative technology in society and the important role of information professionals and educators as intermediaries facilitating technological adoption among young people.

Interactive demonstrations of the Raspberry Pi will take place as well and prizes will be given away during the event. The event is hosted by UCD’s Mature Students Society and supported by RS Components UCD School of Information & Library Studies (SILS)School Libraries Association of the Republic of Ireland (SLARI).

This event is appropriate for both young people and adults. Admission is free, bu tbooking is required via the link here:
www.eventbrite.ie/e/as-easy-as-raspberry-pi-tickets-10889104605?ref=devg

“Children’s Films and Fairy Tales from Germany” is a series of film screenings at the DCU Filmclub – School of Applied Languages and Intercultural Studies (SALIS) and it will take place in the Languaculture Space CG08c.

The film on Wednesday is “Frau Holle / Mother Hulda” (2008), it will be screened in German with English subtitles.
Admission is free.

Find all details here www.goethe.de/ins/ie/dub/ver/en11677531v.htm

To celebrate the International Children’s Book Day on Wed and Thurs, the Central Library runs two events after school:

On Wednesday “LORE: Irish Legends and Folk Tales” will be performed by actor and storyteller Sinead O’Brien accompanied by a Dutch storyteller. (Time TBC) The event is suitable for 6-7 year olds.

On Thursday from 15:00-16:30 an Arts & Crafts Workshop inspired by Mr Miniscule and the Whale, a Polish children’s classic by Julian Tuwim and Bohdan Butenko published by Book Island will take place. Admission is free, for children aged 4-7

Booking is strongly recommended: 01-8734333

The “Havana International Language Exchange” is taking place every Wed from 16:30-19:30 in Havana Tapas Bar in George’s Street. There are many Spanish speakers and English-speakers are explicitly invited, but everyone else is certainly very welcome too, to meet for a chat to improve your Spanish or English.

The next event in the RDS Library Speaker Series is with Alison Hackett, the author of “The Visual Time Traveller”. She will talk about “A Journey in Art, Science and Self Publishing”

Alison’s talk will cover aspects of the development of her book, the engagement and motivation to create it and the challenges faced by self-publishing. This talk will link in with an exhibition of a selection of designs from the book that will take place in the RDS Library.

The One City One Book initiative which takes place again throughout whole April, encourages everyone to read a specific book that has a connection to Dublin.

At the reading in Brooks Hotel, actor Jim Roche will be reading a selection of extracts from the official book for One City One Book, “If Ever You Go: A Map of Dublin in Poetry and Song” edited by Pat Boran and Gerald Smyth. The book features a collection of Irish poetry and songs written by authors like Yeats, Boland and Swift and lesser known writers.

The venue will be the Café Lounge area of Brooks Hotel and the reading will be accompanied by a classical pianist.

Admission is free, but booking is required via 01-670 4000 or leslieprendergast@brookshotel.ie

The public symposium “Beyond Noise and Silence” at the National College of Art & Design will explore the intersection of sound art, public space and urban design. The event is presented by Dublin City Council in partnership with the Goethe Institut, Ireland and The National College of Art and Design (NCAD) and it consists of three sessions

Tickets are free, but registration is required. The detailed programme and information on how to register can be found here: map.minorarchitecture.org/listening-for-the-city/

On 02 April the Symposium will take place in the Harry Clarke Lecture Theatre in NCAD from 19:00-21:00.
On 03 April the Symposium will take place in The Lab, Foley Street, Dublin 1, from 14:00-17:00.

The book launch for “Sideral, Estrella Fugada” by Héctor Castells will take place. The book tells the story of the turbulent life of Aleix Vergés, DJ Sideral (Barcelona, 1973-2006). Hector Castells will be launching his book. The launch is in English.

Admission is free.

The King Kong Club is a weekly music game-show in the Mercantile. Each week 6-7 bands/solo artists play three songs each. At the end of all the performances a clap-off with the King Kong Club Clap-o-Meter takes place and the winner goes through to a semi-final and it all culminates after six months of competition with The Grand Final, held in front of a panel of celebrity judges.

The list of performers is not yet announced on their Facebook Page and I am not sure if it will be put up there, but check it anyway.

“The Song Room” is another open mic event. It takes place in The Globe in George’s Street at 20:30 every Wednesday.

“The Zodiac Sessions” is a regular open mic event from 20:30 in Bruxelles (between Grafton Street and Westbury Hotel) for unsigned musicians. Admission is free and there is a different line-up every week.

Bad Boy Jake are every Wednesday in the Gypsy Rose Rock & Blues Bar playing their rock, blues and American.

Every Wednesday a Singer Songwriter Night will take place in Mother Reilly’s in Rathmines. This is YOUR chance to show everyone what you can do, alternatively you can just listen to the talented Singer/Songwriters. Admission is free.

Traditional Irish Music Session in Hedigan’s (The Brian Boru) in Phibsborough from 21:30 every Wednesday. If you play an instrument you are especially welcome (all levels are welcome).

The Dublin: One City One Book events continue for the whole month and there are lots of events taking place in connection with it too. A website here www.dublinonecityonebook.ie/events-2014 lists all the events and it would be silly if just copied them.

So, if you are interested in this topic, go to the website mentioned above to find all details.

The Eco Week of the South Dublin Libraries will take place from 31 March – 04 April. About 20 events for adults are planned (in addition to lots of School events) and you will find a detailed programme and more information for booking etc here: www.southdublinlibraries.ie/news/2014/03/eco-week-31st-march-4th-april-2014

The Five Lamps Arts Festival is a great and very successful local festival of the wider area around the “Five Lamps” on Amiens Street and North Strand Road. The festival is in its 7th year and events include a music and fire dance, puppet shows, a Georgian choir, jazz music, combinations of theatre and community art performances, interior design exhibitions, walk and talk events, poetry readings and storytelling, dance, visual art and much more.

Many events are free and the complete list of free and non-free events is here: www.fivelampsarts.ie/new/all-events/

Here are some of the free events (the details you will find on the website), I am only listing the headlines here:

Body and Soul:
31 March: A Conversation Salon: meet other curious, open-minded, open-hearted people and have conversations that challenge

Children:
29 March: Professor Plunger – Street Show
29 March: Hänsel und Gretel – Puppet Show

Dance:
01 April: Day of Dance

Exploration:
29 March: Walk with Terry Fagan – Story’s from around Dublin’s famous Red-Light district known as Monto.
30 March: Key monuments on Dublin’s O’Connell Street

Literature:
31 March: Growing up at the Five Lamps – Talk
02 April: Temper-Mental MissElayneous & Andre K’por
02 April: Tree Tales

Music:
30 March: Flute Concert with Julie Maisel

Theater:
03 April: The Merchant of Ennis

And on top of that there are a number of exhibitions.

Every Thursday, free tours of Grangegorman Military Cemetery on Blackhorse Avenue take place. Meet inside the Cemetery Gates. Admission is free and everybody is welcome.

This event has been advertised every month, but I was told that it would be suspended over the colder months and only resume in April. Nevertheless I strongly suggest that you check if it is going ahead if you are interested. The Phoenix Park Visitor Centre will be able to tell you: 01-677 0095

The Ferocious Mingle Marcade (Market and Arcade) is back in a new location. The Marcade is now in Camden Street next to Daintree Paper and opposite the Centra and off-license there. It takes place every Thurs-Sun and is a flea-market-type permanent market with stalls and “chalets” for traders.

The National Gallery has an extensive programme of free talks, public tours and Art Documentary screenings focusing on highlights of the European and Irish Collection every day of the week. Check their website for details.

The class of 2014 Idea Translation Lab Presentations & Showcase takes place. It is a unique opportunity to view TCD & NCAD undergraduate projects & ideas concerning “Strange Weather”. A public showcase and Dragon’s Den-style pitch presentation will result in a winner and the winning student project will go forward to a week-long intensive workshop at Le Laboratoire, Paris.

Admission is free, but booking is required. Check the website for further information and to book.

The National College of Ireland are running a series of talks that delve into the different, fascinating areas of psychology.

The next talk will deal with “Childhood Development. Just how important are the early years?” with Sheila Greene (Professor Emeritus of Childhood Research, Trinity College Dublin)

Admission is free, but booking is required on the website below.

The In Focus Tour “Judging a Book by Its Cover: Beautiful Bindings in the Chester Beatty’s Collection” with Mary O’Riordan will take place.

Rena Ammor (piano) performs J.S. Bach’s Partita no 2 in C minor and Busoni’s arrangement of Bach’s Chaconne in D minor.

Admission is free. Donations are welcome.

To celebrate the International Children’s Book Day on Wed and Thurs, the Central Library runs two events after school:

On Wednesday “LORE: Irish Legends and Folk Tales” will be performed by actor and storyteller Sinead O’Brien accompanied by a Dutch storyteller. (Time TBC) The event is suitable for 6-7 year olds.

On Thursday from 15:00-16:30 an Arts & Crafts Workshop inspired by Mr Miniscule and the Whale, a Polish children’s classic by Julian Tuwim and Bohdan Butenko published by Book Island will take place. Admission is free, for children aged 4-7

Booking is strongly recommended: 01-8734333

A Conversation with Chilean Painter Carlos Araya Vargas “Carlanga” takes place about the evolution and trends of recent Contemporary Art in Chile. This event is in context with the closure (on 05 April) of the First Chilean Contemporary Art Exhibition in Dublin in the Instituto Cervantes (Exhibition: dublin.cervantes.es/FichasCultura/Ficha93274_16_2.htm )

Admission is free. The conversation will be in Spanish with English translation.

Girl Geek Dinners are a chance for ladies in technology to get together, enjoy some nice food and drinks, and have fun meeting other women in their field. Men are welcome to attend, but only at the invitation of a woman – if you are bringing someone or are looking for an invitation, please send on an email.

To register and for a link to the blog and the e-mail to bring guests, check the website below.

Lane Ashfeldt will launch her new book of short stories “SaltWater” and will read from the book. The publisher of Liberties Press will be attending, so if you always wanted to get connected, this might be the perfect opportunity.

Admission is free.

Bryan Fanning & Tom Garvin will be ‘In Conversation’ debating “The Books That Define Ireland”. Guest compere is Dr Maurice Mannin­­­g. Admission is free.

The National Print Museum hosts an exhibition (25 March-27 May) of Irish political ephemera (things that exist or are used or enjoyed for only a short time) covering general and local elections, referendums European and presidential elections from the 1970s to the early 2010s. The exhibition includes ballot papers, election leaflets, posters, and pamphlets.

The exhibition will be accompanied by a short tour and lecture series with its curators (Dr Ciaran Swan (NCAD) and Alan Kinsella) on the following dates: Thursday 03 April at 18.30; Thursday 10 April at 18.30; Sunday 13 April at 11.00 and Thursday 01 May at 18.30.

Admission is free, but booking is essential for tours and lectures as capacity is limited. To book a place, contact
education@nationalprintmuseum.ie

“These Are a Few of My Favourite Things” is the title of a Walking Tour that Emily Gallagher will run next Thursday. It will be an Alternative Arts and Culture Trail and she will bring you to “Dublin’s Best Cafes, Bars, Markets, Unusual Stores, Galleries, Theatres, Arts Spaces, and more! And hear some tales you’ve never heard before!”

Meeting point is at the Spire. The tours are free but donations are welcome and booking is required via egaldog@gmail.com or 085-2725095

The weekly European Folk Dance Workshop/Session takes place in the Tap Bar every Thursday.

The dances are French, Greek, Italian, Hungarian, Polish, Portuguese folk and traditional dances and everybody interested to join in or to learn is welcome. Admission is free, but donations (suggested: EUR 3) are very welcome

Dimestore Recordings run a weekly event in Sweeney Mongrel’s with a variety of bands and performers. It starts at 20:00, follow the link for the line up.

The Max Zaska group and the Patrick Groenland group will perform on alternating Thursdays from 21:00 in the International Bar on 23 Wicklow Street.

Every Thursday “Left Right & Centre” play a mix of blues & soul with a bit of rock&roll.

Every Thursday a free Trad Session takes place in McNeills and often there are high profile Trad musicians performing.

The Dublin: One City One Book events continue for the whole month and there are lots of events taking place in connection with it too. A website here www.dublinonecityonebook.ie/events-2014 lists all the events and it would be silly if just copied them.

So, if you are interested in this topic, go to the website mentioned above to find all details.

The Eco Week of the South Dublin Libraries will take place from 31 March – 04 April. About 20 events for adults are planned (in addition to lots of School events) and you will find a detailed programme and more information for booking etc here: www.southdublinlibraries.ie/news/2014/03/eco-week-31st-march-4th-april-2014

The Five Lamps Arts Festival is a great and very successful local festival of the wider area around the “Five Lamps” on Amiens Street and North Strand Road. The festival is in its 7th year and events include a music and fire dance, puppet shows, a Georgian choir, jazz music, combinations of theatre and community art performances, interior design exhibitions, walk and talk events, poetry readings and storytelling, dance, visual art and much more.

Many events are free and the complete list of free and non-free events is here: www.fivelampsarts.ie/new/all-events/

Here are some of the free events (the details you will find on the website), I am only listing the headlines here:

Body and Soul:
31 March: A Conversation Salon: meet other curious, open-minded, open-hearted people and have conversations that challenge

Children:
29 March: Professor Plunger – Street Show
29 March: Hänsel und Gretel – Puppet Show

Dance:
01 April: Day of Dance

Exploration:
29 March: Walk with Terry Fagan – Story’s from around Dublin’s famous Red-Light district known as Monto.
30 March: Key monuments on Dublin’s O’Connell Street

Literature:
31 March: Growing up at the Five Lamps – Talk
02 April: Temper-Mental MissElayneous & Andre K’por
02 April: Tree Tales

Music:
30 March: Flute Concert with Julie Maisel

Theater:
03 April: The Merchant of Ennis

And on top of that there are a number of exhibitions.

The Ferocious Mingle Marcade (Market and Arcade) is back in a new location. The Marcade is now in Camden Street next to Daintree Paper and opposite the Centra and off-license there. It takes place every Thurs-Sun and is a flea-market-type permanent market with stalls and “chalets” for traders.

The National Gallery has an extensive programme of free talks, public tours and Art Documentary screenings focusing on highlights of the European and Irish Collection every day of the week. Check their website for details.

“As a prelude to the exhibition opening of Sheela Gowda’s “Open Eye Policy”, Grant Watson (curator, writer) discusses his curatorial interests on the various contexts that inform Indian contemporary art, and explores the cultural, social and political fabric that surrounds a reading of Gowda’s work.”

Admission is free, but booking is required.

The Franco-Irish Literature Festival takes place from 04-06 April. On the first two days (04+05 April) it will be in George’s Hall in Dublin Castle and on the last day Sun 06 April, the last event will take place in the Alliance Francaise.

All events are free and open to everyone, but places are limited and first come, first served will apply. There will be simultaneous interpreting in English and French.

The programme timetable is here: www.francoirishliteraryfestival.com/2014/timetable.htm
On Friday, the festival will open at 14:00 and after that, a Panel Discussion, Readings, a Café Littéraire and more readings will take place. On Saturday the day starts at 10:30 with a Panel discussion, followed by an interview with Yannick Haenel. In the afternoon, Panel discussion, Readings and Café Littéraire will be on the programme.
On Sunday, only a Literary Brunch (11:00-13:00) will take place.

The Franco-Irish Literary Festival is in its 14th year and has become a fixture on Dublin’s Event Calender for all francophiles. The theme this year is “Changing Lives” and the website below contains all details about participants and programme.

If you want to download the programme brochure, you can do that here www.francoirishliteraryfestival.com/2014/FILF14.pdf

The Riptide Movement are for a gig in HMV Henry Street,

A organ recital with David Leigh will take place in the NCH. He will perform works from Reger and Locklair.

Admission is free but booking is required via the website below.

Otis will perform in Whelan’s. Admission is free.

The Songwriter Club is meeting again this week: On Friday 04 April at the “Friday Arts at No 5” in Gardiner Row. Doors open at 19:00. From 19:30-21:30 a Songwriter Club Meeting with guest speaker Stephen Brett (Emeraz) will take place and from 21:45-23:30 you can sing some songs at an Open Mic event in the same venue.

“The idea behind the club is to bring songwriters together every couple of months to chat about all sorts of songwriting stuff, share ideas, set up collaborating groups and also to have fun getting to know each other. […] All songwriters, whatever the genre, whatever the standard are welcome to attend.”

Admission is free to both meeting and Open Mic event.

Cornucopia Café & Restaurant host live music three evenings a week (Thurs, Fri and Sat). The restaurant is a Wholefood & Vegetarian Restaurant and is open until 22:15.
+ Every second Thursday N.C Lawlor, a songwriter, session player and troubadour plays a mix of country, bluegrass & blues from 19:30-21:30.
+ Every Friday (19:30-21:30) Junshi Murakami plays Irish Harp.
+ Every Saturday (19:30-21:30) Nollaig Mann plays a collection of popular and jazz classics.

The Dublin Sidewalk Astronomers are back with their popular public star-gazing event at the Martello Tower car park in Sandymount. The new name is now “IAS Public Star Parties”. ;-) Members bring along their telescopes and share the wonders of the night-sky with you. Admission is free.

The moon, Jupiter and its Galiilean Moons are on view and later in the evening you will see the red Mars.

The event is weather dependent, so check www.irishastrosoc.org/events/events.htm#dsa after 18:00 on Friday in case of poor weather, to check if it is going ahead.

The Progressive Film Club is inviting to a Film Festival from 04-06 April. 21 films, documentaries and short films will be screened over the three days. The festival takes place in the Pearse Centre and admission to all screenings is free.

The general theme will be “Global Justice” and the opening film on Friday is “Peripheral Vision” by film maker Donnacha O’Briain. It is a documentary, filmed over 12 months, that chronicles the experiences of a small group that attempted to mobilize the Irish public against the bank bailouts & austerity.

The festival continues on Saturday from 15:00-21:45 and on Sunday from 15:00-20:00. The full programme is here www.progressivefilmclub.ie/Fest.pdf

Billy’s Boots are playing Rock/Soul/Blues/Motown/Funk.

The Conectors are from Clare and they play “street ska and urban sounds”. Admission is free.

The Stillorgan Orchard has live music every Friday and Saturday. Many of the performers are established and very good bands. The upcoming gigs are detailed on the website below. Admission is always free.

“Ska ‘n’ Reggae” is the theme in the Dive Bar (downstairs in Turks Head) every Friday. The Bionic Rats play live and the DJs Tommy Rash and Fukszy are on the decks until late. Admission is free.

The Floors, a 5 piece band from Dublin covering the musical stylings of the legendary band The Doors, will perform in The Mezz. Admission is free and the gig has been hotly recommended to me!

Alias Empire will perform in Whelan’s Midnight Hour. The gig will start at midnight and admission will be free as long as you arrive before 22:30.