Hi all!

This week the Event Guide does again arrive with you a day earlier than you expect, The reason for it is that I will be away for a few days over the weekend, but don’t want to leave you without your weekly event fix. ;-)

We are still on track with the quest for a new name and the name change for this weekly Event Guide, but bear with me, there is a little delay in the process. I will tell you more in a separate mail next week. By the way, suggestions for a new name are still very welcome. (A quick explanation for all new readers: The fortnightly printed publication “the event guide” is very unhappy with me using “Dublin Event Guide (for Free Events)” and has threatened to send a legal letter. This letter has not yet arrived and the sense (or non-sense) of “the event guide”‘s position can be argued about, but I am not too attached to the name, so I am considering changing it.)

The response to the three competitions in last week’s Event Guide was great and the winners are listed below, Unfortunately every competition does not only have winners, but if you didn’t win this time keep entering the competitions that I am trying to arrange for you in the future. You will have loads more chances to win and if you keep taking part, the likelihood that you will win sill be SIGNIFICANTLY higher than if you don’t take part. :-))

Hey, did you all get your friends, family and colleagues to subscribe to this Event guide in previous weeks and are running out of friends? Or are some of you loners or “billy-no-mates”? :-)))) A good few more people subscribed this week but the avalanche of subscription mails hasn’t reached me YET. So don’t forget: If you like this Dublin Event Guide (for Free Events), please spread the word and tell everyone you know and meet to send a mail to dublineventguide@gmail.com.

And before the “main programme” (i.e. the events), just another explanation for all the new members to the Event Guide Community: This Event Guide is not a comprehensive Event Guide, but it focuses on FREE Events. Even there, I can’t capture every single event, but I am trying to tell you about as many as possible and I am trying to provide a good variety of events so that everybody finds something he/she likes. The “free” rule has a few little exceptions and the two main ones are a) if the organisers can make a few tickets available for a Event Guide Competition then he is making some effort to provide something for free and I am prepared to include this paid-for event and b) if I am directly involved in the organisation or running of an event (and you will hear more about that in the coming weeks), I might tell you about some non-free events as well.

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_____Thursday_______________

One of the non-free events where the organisers made a pair of tickets available is

80s DANCE PARTY – VOLLEYBALL CLUB
The Dublin Volleyball Club organizes a 1980s dance party in the Sugar Club, Leeson Street, Dublin 2, on Thursday 06 March as a fund-raiser for the club. The pair of tickets that they provided to me to pass on to a winner from the Event Guide Community has been won by: Anna Cotroneo Congratulations! But for the rest of you, there are still a few tickets available for EUR 10 per person on the door. The Dance Party starts at 20:00 and only the best music from the 80s will be played all night. For more information, visit the website www.dublinvolleyballclub.net. In addition to the great music there will be a bit of fun with prizes for best dress (encouraged, but not compulsory), best dance moves and also raffle prizes for the evening.

ELEVENTH COMMANDMENT – BOOK LAUNCH
The Goethe Institut in 37 Merrion Sqaure, D2 invites to a book launch and reading. “The Eleventh Commandment – Selected Poems” is a new book by Michael Krueger and on Thur 06 Mar from 18:30 he will read from his book. Krueger will be joined by his English-language translator, Hans-Christian Oeser, and by his Irish-language translator, Gabriel Rosenstock. The event will be in German, English and in Irish!
Information: 01 661 1155 and on www.goethe.de/ins/ie/dub/en3024453.htm. Admission is free.

AFTER-DINNER KARAOKE
Is Karaoke your passion in life? From 20:00 on 06 Mar, the Purty Kitchen in 34/35 East Essex St, Temple Bar (www.purtykitchen.com) is running an after-dinner karaoke session in the upstairs lounge. This is one of Dublin’s biggest and liveliest karaoke nights with free admission and a late DJ.

OPEN MIC
The pub “Legal Eagle” in 1-2 Chancery Place, at Four Courts (www.thebar.ie) is running Open Mic nights on Thursdays. Different bands and singers entertain you with their fresh sounds. No booking needed just come along and play!

BRAZILIAN PARTY NIGHT
Down Under in Major Toms in South King Street, D2 (01-4783266) has Brazilian Party Nights with Live Music, Caipirinhas, Brahma beer and loads of specials every Thursday. The starting time is not 100% clear, but it seems to start at around 23:00. Maybe ring before you go.

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______Friday___________________

KIKOMO – TANZANIA CHARITY GIG
The charity event KiKoMo for the Tanzanian Organisation Hapa, which plans, constructs and supports community initiated building projects and health infrastructure projects is taking place on Fri 07 Mar in the IFI in Eustace Street, Temple Bar from 21:30. Tickets are EUR 15. And Ann Bassett, the organiser, had made a pair of tickets available. The lucky winner in this competition is Will Harrington. Enjoy the night! Again, a number of tickets are still available on the night at the door.
The DJs “Jimmy B” of DownTownSounds and “Paolo Alves” will spin the discs. Live events and contributors are The Royal Irish Milk Float, a Capoeira Display and the “edge” photography exhibition (incl. Richie Hatch).
You can contact Ann on annbassett@gmail.com or 086-1047753.

DUBLIN BOOK FESTIVAL
Over this whole weekend the Dublin Book Festival will take place. A huge amount of events for adults and for children will take place and they are all listed at www.dublinbookfestival.com/schedule.html. The Festival will take place in Dublin’s City Hall in Dame Street and all events are free. For some of them (the “In Conversation” series), however, pre-booking is required. The event will run on Fri, Sat and Sun from 10:00 until 18:00. The list of events is just to long to mention them here, so please have a look at www.dublinbookfestival.com for all details.

READINGS AT THE PEACOCK
The Abbey Theatre’s subsection, the Peacock Theatre is staging three specially commissioned plays about love from new and emerging writers. Each play will have a duration of 20 minutes and admission to this hour of playwright readings is free. The event takes place on Fri 07 Mar at 17:30 and booking is essential (call 01 878 7222)
The readings are Stop/Over by Gary Duggan, Two Houses by Belinda McKeon and Investment Potential by Phillip McMahon. The Abbey Theatre is in 26 Lower Abbey Street, Dublin 1.

ERIN DE BURCA – EXHIBITION
The Bad Art Gallery presents Erin de Burca’s solo show “Urban Solitude” in which Erin looks at modern city life with the help of her oil paintings. I saw some of the pictures and they look amazingly real! The exhibition runs from 06 Mar-03 Apr. The Bad Art Gallery is in 79 Francis Street, Dublin 8. (01) 4537 588. Opening Hours are Mon – Sat 10:30-18:00. www.badartgallery.ie

IMMAges
Probably only interesting for you if you live or work in Dun Laoghaire because I only found out now about this event and the exhibition is already closing on Friday: From 15 Feb until 07 Mar (Tomorrow is the last day!) Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council shows the exhibition IMMMAges from Mon-Sat: 09:00-16:30 in the Concourse of the County Council Office building in Marine Road.
“The artworks in IMMAges have been chosen by a team of nine staff and a County Councillor of Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council from the national collection of IMMA (Irish Museum of Modern Art). The team who are from various different departments in the County Council have worked on IMMAges for the past six months becoming involved in all aspects of exhibition management from curation, to technical requirements to marketing.”
IMMAges includes pieces by Irish and International, Contemporary and Modern Artists. Artworks include Daphne Wright’s Silver Cacti “Where Do Broken Hearts Go”, Demitri Tsykalov’s, wooden Porsche entitled “Chalet”, a stunning video installation by Marie-Jo Lafontaine, “Waves” and many more.

PEPPERCANISTER GALLERY – EXHIBITION
The spring exhibition in the Peppercanister Gallery shows paintings, prints, photos and sculptures from some of Ireland’s top artists from 06-26 Mar. Opening Hours are Mon-Fri: 10:00-17:30 and Sat: 10:00-13:00.
The exhibition will feature works from Colin Middleton, Mary Swanzy, Sir Jacob Epstein, John Bratby, Anne Donnelly, Ann Griffin-Bernstorff, Alexey Krasnovsky and Jacinta Feeney, as well as from the gallery artists Liam Belton, Brian Ballard, Neil Shawcross, Sarah Longley, Ruth McHugh, Liam Roberts and Makiko Nakamura.
The Peppercanister Gallery is in 3 Herbert Street, Dublin 2, 01 661 1279.

BRENDAN KEELEY – CONCERT
The Irish singer/songwriter Brendan Keeley (www.brendankeeley,com) will be on Fri 07 Mar from 20:30 in the Gasworks Pub in the Grand Canal Hotel in Grand Canal Street.

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______Saturday_________________

KILA IN CONCERT
This promising concert is taking place on Sat 08 March at 20:00 (Doors at 19:45) in Áras Chrónáin, the Irish Cultural Centre in Clondalkin. Main act is the well known and talented Irish band “Kila” and they will be ably supported by  the up-and-coming band “Junah”. The pair of tickets that Áras Chrónáin made available for this prestigious event was won by: Deirdre McNicolas. Go maire tú i bhfad! (I think that means Congratulations! in Irish. :-) ) If you didn’t win and would like to hear Kila in the nice atmosphere of Áras Chrónáin, please ring 01-4574847 or send a mail to eolas@araschronain before Saturday to check if the event hasn’t sold out already!
If you don’t know Kila, have a look at www.kila.ie. Kila are VERY good and Brían and his team in Áras Chrónáin have done well to get Kila for a gig there. Áras Chrónáin is in Orchard Road in Clondalkin (Dublin 22) and their website has a map to find the place www.araschronain.com Check out the many more events in Áras Chrónáin on their website.
The Hypnotist Zak Powers will have a show on Sat 15 March (20:00) and Junah will play before the show. Tickets for this event are EUR 15: eolas@araschronain.com or 01-4574847. – In addition there are more free events for the next two/three weeks listed on www.araschronain.com/news1.html, just watch out for the word “Saor”, which means “Free”. The events are Irish Music sessions (Wed to Sunday at 21:00), Coffee Mornings, a movie showing “Cré na Cille” on 12 March at 20:00 and a big Irish Music & Dance event on St. Patrick’s Day. Go to the website and have a look around.

LITHUANIAN FAIR
A Lithuanian St. Casimir’s Fair (or Kaziouko Muge) is taking place on Sat 08 Mar and Sun 09 Mar in the People’s Park in Dun Laoghaire. The fair is featuring music, food and folk craft from Lithuania. Everybody is welcome to attend and the opening hours are from 10:00-18:00.

WRITING WORKSHOP FOR FOREIGNERS
“New Faces, New Voices” is the title of a Creative Writing Workshop for Migrant Writers in the Dublin City Library in 138-144 Pearse Street. The workshop takes place on Sat 08 Mar from 10:00 and Admission is Free.
The event is described as “Aimed at Dublin residents whose first language is not English the workshops will encourage creative writing in English – and also explore the richness of cross-cultural experiences. The workshops will be facilitated by Orna Ross, novelist, writing mentor and literary agent at Font Literary Agency. ‘The experience of immigration sharpens the “outsider’s eye” that is essential to all good writing,’ says Orna Ross. ‘It also yields a rich use of language. We want to motivate aspiring writers within immigrant communities to write their stories.’ ”
The session from 10:00-12:30 is for men and women and a second session from 14:00-16:30 is for women only in recognition of International Women’s Day.
www.dublincity.ie/SiteCollectionDocuments/Public%20Libraries/new_faces.pdf Maybe I should go to that workshop to learn how to write better stories for this Event Guide? ;-)

FEMINIST WALKING TOUR
Saturday is International Women’s Day and to celebrate this day a Feminist Walking Tour will take place. Meeting Point is at the Stephen’s Green Arch (entrance to Park) at 14:30. And the organisers describe: Celebrate International Women’s Day by joining us on a Feminist Walking Tour of Dublin city centre. The tour is free (although donations welcome!) and will last approx 2 hours. All welcome. You are also invited to come along in your best drag/ feminist fancy dress! The tour will be followed by a social event. Further details to be confirmed.
For more information/to help out, email feministwalkingtour AT yahoo.ie
www.internationalwomensday.com/
choiceireland.blogspot.com/

EVANDER HOLYFIELD – BOOK SIGNING
Evander Holyfield is signing copies of “Becoming Holyfield: A Fighter’s Journey” in Easons on O’Connell St, on Sat 08 Mar from 12:30.

STUDENT ENVIRONMENTAL CONFERENCE
Each year the Union of Students in Ireland brings together students from all across Ireland to take part in the Environmental Standing Conference. This year’s conference will take place in Dublin on Saturday 08 Mar.
Activities will include: Voting environmental motions into official USI policy, Take part in workshops on Tara, Climate Change, Green campus and others, Speakers from environmental groups, Meet students from across Ireland, Electing a national Environmental Officer to USI
To attend you must contact 086 8122700 or email environment@usi.ie

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______Sunday __________________

SUNDAY AT NOON – CLASSICAL MUSIC
Again the Hugh Lane Gallery is inviting to Sunday at Noon. This week the3 Bulgarian pianist Vesselin Stanev plays Chopin (Allegro de concert in A-Dur, op. 46 and Nocturne in Es-Dur, op. 55 Nr. 2) and Liszt (Quatre Mazurkas op. 24 and Réminiscences de Don Juan S 418). The concert in the Hugh Lane Gallery (Parnell Square North) starts at 12:00 and goes on for one hour. It is free and allows you to enjoy classical music for no cost.

ACTIVE8 & ON YER BIKE
From 13:00-17:00 on Sun 09 Mar Shanganah Park in Shankill will be buzzing!
It will be a hive of health and fitness with Active8, a free bicycle event to encourage children to get out and get fit. This afternoon of cycling events includes a cycle safety training course and proficiency course, bicycle maintenance checks and a cycle trail around the park. There are medals for all those who complete the trail and colourful entertainers on unicycles, the DLR events DJ and balloons will set the scene for an afternoon of bicycle fun. Full details are on www.dlrevents.ie. Like all DLR Events, Active8 is an initiative by Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council and is a family friendly event.

CHARITY BUNGEE JUMP & ABSEIL
“I Love Mondays” is a company that organises bungee jump and abseil events for charities. To take part you have to raise a good bit of money, but watching this event is free. The goal is to get over 300 people to bungee jump or abseil on Sun 09 Mar and to raise a lot of money for a number of charities. EUR 350 for a bungee jump and EUR 290 if you want to abseil. The bungee jumping is taking place from 10:30 -16:00 at the Museum of Modern Art in Kilmainham and the abseiling event is taking place from 10:30-16:00 in the Quarry in Dalkey. www.ilovemondays.net

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______Next Week_______________

EVENTS FOR CHILDREN AND TODDLER
Some while ago Shelley F. asked me to include some events for toddlers and young children and I am happy to do that if I come across any. But unfortunately there are not too many free events available. I now found out about two events/venues and while they are not free, they still might be worth a second look for parents that need to entertain their little…lovely children. :-) It might still a little early for Gordon (Congrats!) and definitely too early for Aisling, but it won’t take long and you need all this information. ;-) The first event is already sold out and I was a little late, but I am sure it will come up again and you might want to enquire directly to express your interest: The National Concert Hall is regularly running music workshops for children and as well for toddlers. The next one is at Easter and you can find some more information on www.nch.ie/Learn—Explore/Easter-08-Workshops.aspx I think it is a great idea to introduce children to different music styles at a very early stage. The other venue that I found recently is www.imaginosity.ie and is in Sandyford Industrial Estate. It caters for children even down to the baby age and the website should tell you all you need to know. I understand that it is often booked out, so make some enquiries before you mention it to your kids.
For children above the toddler age some of the museums have brilliant programmes.
www.hughlane.ie/education/kidsclub/index.html
www.museum.ie/events/index.asp?site_id=0
www.nationalgallery.ie/html/programevents.html

ASTRONOMY – LECTURE
The Irish Astronomy Society (www.irishastrosoc.org) is inviting to the lecture “Cosmic Dust is that all we are?”. The speaker is Seanie Morris and the lecture takes place on Mon 10 Mar from 20:00 in the Dunsink Observatory in Castleknock. All are welcome and admission is free. A map to the Observatory can be found here homepage.eircom.net/~irishas/ima/dunloc.jpg

EPA CLIMATE CHANGE LECTURE SERIES
The Climate Change Lectrue Series of the Environmental Protection Agency in Ireland continues with Lecture 6 “Climate Change Gain v Pain – Political and Economic Consequences and Options”. The speaker is Michael Zammit Cutajar, Malta’s Ambassador for Climate Change (former Executive Secretary of UNFCCC
(Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations). He is  currently co-chair of the UNFCCC Ad-Hoc Working Group on Long-Term Cooperative Action which is negotiating a new post Kyoto multilateral accord on Climate Change. The lecture takes place on Tues 11 March from 18:30-20:00 in the Round Room at the Mansion House, Dawson Street, Dublin 2. Attendance is free, but advance booking is essential.
Bookings and enquiries to: Clara Clark Tel: 01- 289 8533 Email: info@claraclark.ie
Please book early to secure your place. Information on the lecture series is available from the Environmental Protection Agency website on www.epa.ie/news/events/
and on www.claraclark.ie/climatechangelectures

FAITH AND POLITICS – DISCUSSION
The Jesuit Youth Organisation Slí Eile is running their 6th Slí Eile Pub Conversation on Tues 11 Mar from 19:30-21:30 in the Belvedere Hotel in Great Denmark Street, D1. The topic is “Can Faith and Politics mix?” and the guest speaker is the Irish senator Ronan Mullen. Ronan Mullen was chosen in the last elections to represent the UNI constituency. As a senator he aims “to be a consistent, constructive advocate for a society where every person is respected and for socially responsible policies in a globalised world”. Find more information at www.ronanmullen.org

PRAYER AND MEDITATION FOR PEACE
On the 15 Mar many marches have been organised in cities around the world (including Dublin) to mark the 5th anniversary of the invasion and occupation of Iraq. To acknowledge this anniversary and the current situation in Gaza, the weekly mediation group, which has grown out of the Gardiner Street Gospel Mass, would like to focus on prayer for peace in the middle East on Wed 12 March. All are invited at 18:30 to the John Sullivan Room in Gardiner Street Church. Contact Orla at 086-3849142 for more details. ‘

IRISH MUSIC AND DANCING SHOW
With St. Patrick’s Day around the corner, do you have friends and family coming to Dublin to stay with you? And do you have to entertain them with Irish music and dancing? Before you take out the tin whistle yourself and torture your guests ears   and before you throw your legs uncontrolled in the air while keeping the arms tight to your side, maybe leave the entertainment to the professionals. ;-) Very popular for Irish Music and Dancing shows is the “Hooley Nights” in Johnny Fox’s Pub. But since this pub is a good bit outside of Dublin in the Dublin mountains it is often too far and to complicated to get to. In addition Johnny Fox’s charges approx. 65 Euro for dinner and show and you can’t see the show without booking the dinner as well. The good news is that a FREE alternative is available!
The Arlington Hotel (23-25 Bachelors Walk near O’Connell Bridge, Dublin 1, 01 804 9100) has free entertainment, seven nights a week. Show Times are for the Evening Show Sun-Thur 21:00 and Fri+Sat 20:00 and for the Afternoon Session Sat 17:00 and Sun 12:30 (no Irish dancing). You can get traditional Irish food in the Arlington as well while you watch the show, but it is optional.
Yes, I agree the dancers in Johnny Fox’s are still a little better, but before you have to do the dancing yourself, maybe rather go to the Arlington!

And an advance notice for a ticketed, but free, event:

ST PATRICK’S DAY – PEARL
The Irish premiere of “Pearl” by the world renowned street theatre company Plasticiens Volants (France) is taking place at 19:30 in the Dublin Docklands on 14+15 March. The description says “This is an outdoor spectacle for a family audience. Giant inflated puppets will take over the dramatic surroundings of Georges Dock to tell this enchanting story of the precarious journey of a precious pearl. Audiences will be immersed in an extraordinary underwater world of flying fish, ‘joker’ squids, bewitched jellyfish and a scary sea snake. An extraordinary aerial aquarium on a city scale which is not to be missed.” If you want to see the show (you can request up to 5 tickets) go to www.stpatricksfestival.ie/cms/events_pearl.html.

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So, now I better pack my bag, because my flight is leaving in just a few hours. I appreciate all your feedback every week and am looking forward to reading your mails when I am back on Monday.

Enjoy the weekend! – …this week without me. :-)

–Joerg

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Disclaimer: This Event Guide (the “Dublin Event Guide (for Free Events)”) is an Event Guide with a difference. It covers mostly free events based on the thinking that free events deserve additional support and that ticketed events have a better chance to pay for advertisement. The Guide is a _guide_ and not just a listing and is sent to friends, colleagues and whoever else is interested.
If you have feedback – good or bad – PLEASE tell me. If you want to be added to the mailing list or know somebody who would like to receive this guide, just send a mail to dublineventguide@gmail.com. If you don’t want to receive this mail anymore, send a mail to the same address, telling me to remove you from the distribution list.
BTW: I am not paid or otherwise rewarded for compiling and distributing this Event Guide it is purely a hobby. – Donations are much appreciated. ;-)
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