Event Guide 100: Toe Jam Car Boot Sale, Calcutta Run, Centre Stage, Biodiversity Week, Writing Week, Dublin City Soul Festival

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| DUBLIN EVENT GUIDE (for Free Events) No. 100
| 15 May 2009                      Subscribers: 4005
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Hi all!

Welcome to the 100th Dublin Event Guide (for Free Events)!!! This is the anniversary edition and I guess it would be appropriate to keep a copy of it so that you can show your children in a few years time what this Dublin Event Guide Community brought together. :-))) I know that _I_ will keep a copy of it. …not necessarily for my children to come, but for the history books. ;-) I can’t believe that I am writing this newsletter every week for 100 weeks already! :-O And I didn’t miss a week since the 2nd or 3rd edition and hopefully I will be able to keep it up going forward.

ONE HUNDRED Event Guide newsletters is not bad, but what is amazing is the even bigger news: Thanks to all of you we have reached the whopping number of 4000 subscribers to the Dublin Event Guide for Free Events!! I am VERY happy about that and with around 30 new subscribers every week, we COULD reach – with a bit of luck – my goal of 5000 by October. (One year ago there were only 1200 subscribers!!) But I have a lot more and more significant goals regarding this newsletter, so size is only ONE aspect.

Hey, after the great Dublin Event Guide Community Meet-up in February and with two good reasons for celebrations, what do you think about another meet-up? Maybe in early/mid June? Maybe on Sat 13 June? We can then celebrate the 2nd birthday of the Event Guide as well!? Let me know if you are interested by sending a mail to dublineventguide@gmail.com with CELEBRATE in the subject.

If this newsletter looks different to you today, then the first steps with an improvement of the layout have been made. And thanks to my helper with it (mpa). If it doesn’t look different, then you either see the text-only version and should think about migrating to using the HTML version OR I didn’t get the layout improvement sorted and you will see it next week instead. :-)

With so many new readers this week, let me – once again – explain or suggest how to use this Event Guide best: I like completeness and comprehensiveness and don’t like censorship at all in any area. In addition I don’t think I am “qualified” to choose for you what events you might or might not like. For that reason I prefer to tell you about the full width and breadth of events in Dublin and therefore include as many events as I can. The consequence is that the choice is overwhelming and this e-mail does get very very long. I know that some of you feel the newsletter is just to long, but think about this: A newspaper is a lot longer/bigger and is issued every single day. To deal with that you have developed a strategy for reading this newspaper. You check out certain sections and use the headlines to filter what you want to read and what not. Well, maybe you can apply a similar strategy to this newsletter!? Many people tell me that they read the INTRODUCTION, the DUBLIN NEWS, the THIS IS ODD and then the sections for the days when they want to go to events. This is a good approach. In the sections they use the headlines to select further what they read and what not and suddenly this long Event Guide is very much reduced to really essential stuff for you! Try it if the size has overwhelmed you in the past and let me know if that helps! (By the way, if you can’t see the section headlines, then you should check in Gmail, Hotmail or whatever e-mail system you use that you allow pictures to be displayed!)
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Please help spreading the word about this newsletter! Just print this PDF file www.broighter.com/EventGuide_NewSubscribers.pdf and hang it up in work or gym or university or wherever else you think it might find people that would be interested in knowing about free events! If you have a scissors to cut the contact labels at the bottom, it is a bonus! Spread the word and let people know about the Dublin Event Guide (for Free Events) I will show my appreciation for your help by producing an as comprehensive as possible Dublin Event Guide for Free Events every week. ;-) Thanks!
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This Event Guide is sponsored by Esme E, Cliodhna D, Brian L, Padraig S, Kathie S, Orla niF, Jef B, Susanna N, Kate C, Nicola J, Claus Sch, Gordon S, Jeanne M, Fiona O’C, Marta M, Angela C, Isabelle F, Saundra S, Meisoon N, Ruth F, Valerie McN, Estelle O, Aoife M, Mairin M, Fionán O’L, Maeve L, Blaithin O’D, Ciara D, Mike G, Andrej G, Deirdre R, Vanessa O’L, Chris McK, Frank B, Dolores P, Cornelia K, Cathy A, Orla C, Kevin McC, Steph G, Wanda J, Siv M-J, Niamh niS, Gwen H and www.stickyfingerstravel.com (The travel guide for parents travelling with their children.), www.target2020.com (…a training company that focuses on personal and career development.), www.thepaulkanegallery.com (A great Art Gallery, located at 6 Merrion Square, which supports contemporary Irish artists.) and www.a1computers.ie in Dun Laoghaire/Cabinteely (…who repair computers, printers and sort out Internet problems fast and who sell computers, laptops and low priced printer cartridges). The main sponsor is www.kravmagaireland.com, the self-defence training centre for everyone, which provides 12-week or 2-day self-defence training courses for beginners.

I am grateful for all support, but YOUR support is NEEDED too! Going to free events saves you a LOT of money AND is good fun. True? ;-) But if you didn’t know about these free events you couldn’t go. True as well? In that case the question is what the value is of finding out about all the events. Do you agree that 1 Euro per month (which is just 25 cent per newsletter) is a very modest amount? It would be great if I could count on your 12 Euro per year!! Feel free to give more if you can, but please do seriously consider the 12 Euro.
To contribute you can transfer your donation directly to “Joerg Steegmueller, AIB, SortCode 93-36-78, AccountNo 03556043” or go donate using PayPal or your credit card by going “http ://tinyurl . com/68dmlq ” and just remove the three Spaces in the web address (I have to write it like this, otherwise Spam Checkers complain about the tinyurl address.)
Alternatively you can send a mail to me (dublineventguide@gmail.com) and we can arrange a different route for your donation. This Event Guide is a hobby and NOT a commercial enterprise, so I do need donations! But I spend more than 25 hours per week (for some people that is a half-day job!) on writing and researching it.

All events listed in this Event Guide are free of any admission charges or at least appear to be free unless otherwise stated. I try to find confirmation in all cases and do my best to double-check the information. However errors can happen and therefore no guarantee for correctness can be given.

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______Joerg’s Picks______________

Since this newsletter is getting longer and longer with all the free events available, this section is meant to provide some help in picking and choosing the events I will or would go to. This is not the “best of…” list and if an event is not listed here, it by no means implies that the event is not interesting. Instead my “picks” are just based on my personal preferences, so if it helps you I am glad, but feel free to ignore this section completely! :-) All events mentioned here are described in detail further down.

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OUTDOOR BOOTCAMP FOR FREE WITH FITT PERSONAL TRAINING
FITT Personal Training, a personal training service for women only, is offering free Outdoor Boot Camp classes for all new 1-2-1 personal training clients who take up the training in May. Tone-up for the summer or for your big occasion and get help from fitness trainer Cathy Albanese with it. www.fittpt.com or contact cathy@fittpt.com to register.
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Tonight the Dominican Festival Choir concert in Upper Dorset Street sounds interesting. Tomorrow I will definitely go to the Toe Jam Car Boot Sale and might have a look at the activities around the Calcutta Run. On Sunday the Centre Stage event in Dun Laoghaire sounds interesting and then next week I am interested in the Young Environmentalist Awards in Wednesday and will DEFINITELY go to the Ratzingers Gig on Thursday in the Porterhouse. I am already looking forward to the Dublin City Soul Festival! :-) Maybe I can fit a Biodiversity event in as well, because they look very interesting too.

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______Competition______________

FLAMENCO WORKSHOP – TICKET COMPETITION
The wonderful people from Solo Flamenco who teach regular Flamenco classes in the Dance House in Foley Street and who regularly perform nationally and internationally, are preparing for another workshop with renowned dancer, choreographer and teacher Felipe de Algeciras. The workshop will take place on Fri 22 May from 19:30-21:30 and is open to all levels. Solo Flamenco have made two tickets available for a competition at a value of EUR 30 per ticket and you can either win both tickets or one of the tickets depending on your preference. To win, just send a mail to dublineventguide@gmail.com with FELIPE in the subject of the mail and with your name and mobile phone number AND the word “one” or “two” for the number of tickets you want if you are the winner. The mail has to be with me by 17:00 on Tuesday 19 May.
The workshop will take place in The Studios, a new dance studio in the Docklands area, just 200m from the Point Theatre (The O2). There is (free) on-street parking and the No 151 bus leaves from the quays and stops at the Docklands Station. From there it’s just a short walk to The Studios. A map is here: www.thestudios.ie/directions.html. For more information about the workshop and about Solo Flamenco check their website www.flamencoyalegria.net and choose “Dance Workshops” on the left for details. The website contains all information as well to register for the workshop (in case you don’t win).

All events in this Competition Section are non-free events, but the organisers are making free tickets available for you to win. I usually get lots of competition entries and unfortunately not everybody can win, so even if you are not the winner, please consider going to an event to support the organisers. :-) If you don’t win, and will go to the event, please help showing the organisers that promoting their event in the Dublin Event Guide is beneficial and mention to them that you heard about the event through “Joerg’s Dublin Event Guide (for Free Events)”. Thanks!

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______Dublin News______________

SAMUEL BECKETT LIFFEY BRIDGE
Have you heard about or seen the new Liffey Bridge that will be opened in 2010? The bridge was built in Holland and has been delivered to Dublin on a barge this week. Initially there were weather related delays with the delivery to the right place in the Liffey, but in the meantime all worked out and the bridge is near Sir Rogerson’s Quay. The bridge will have four traffic lanes, cycling paths and foot paths and will instigate a complete traffic re-organisation around the city centre. It will probably become one of the main traffic crossing points across the Liffey. A map is here: www.spencerdock.ie/transport/under_way/samuel_beckett_bridge and some good pictures of the bridge can be found here www.flickr.com/photos/j-dogg/3529970041/in/pool-photomatix and here pix.ie/cybercom/976579/size/800 and a great aerial shot was in the Irish Times: www.irishtimes.com/todayspaper/2009/0512/index.html

Free BURGER AND LUNCH DISCOUNTS – RANELAGH
The Gourmet Burger Company in Ranelagh is offering a “2 for the price of 1” deal for their burgers or a 20% discount on lunch bills and all you need to do is to print out a voucher and show it when you go there. Ciara H. informed me about this offer. The offer is genuine, the website is here www.gourmetburgercompany.ie and the vouchers can be found via the links in the SIDE menu on the right on this website www.tasteofireland.com/frontend/restaurants/show/189-The-Gourmet-Burger-Company-Ranelagh Check the Terms&Conditions of the voucher to make sure you know when and how to use it.

ELECTED MAYOR FOR DUBLIN IN 2010
It is a strange and rather undemocratic thing and many people don’t know about it, but Dublin does NOT have an elected mayor that has been chosen by the people living in Dublin. Instead the councillors appoint one of the councillors to be mayor for one year and they don’t appoint based on suitability or talent but nicely pass the job from one party to the next every year. With that mechanism in place the mayor can not have an important role and not much more responsibilities than launching events, opening facilities, switching on Christmas lights and just showing his/her face. Dublin is actually managed and run by a “City Manager” who seems to be relatively ignorant to the citizens of Dublin and their elected representatives. It is about time that that will change and Environment minister John Gormley has now announced that Dublin is to have a directly elected mayor next year. The new mayor will be responsible for planning policy, waste management, water services and housing and he/she will also be chair of the Dublin Transport Authority. Good decision and more than 60 years overdue!! www.rte.ie/news/2009/0512/dublin.html

———Opportunities—————–

The current economic situation requires many of us to be a lot more flexible, innovative and to venture in new directions. No government can’t turn the ride around! They can balance the books – or at least try to, but the solution will not be found by the government. In my opinion only courageous individuals will be able to trigger the turn around. If you are one of the courageous people and have recently started a company – out of need or because you saw this great opportunity -, I am happy to help you! If you want, I will let the 4000+ readers of the Event Guide know about your new business and hopefully that will help you a bit. Let me know what you do and over the coming months I will regularly introduce a new company/project/venture/idea.
(Please note that this offer is for start-ups in relatively early stages, not for established companies/enterprises. If you are established and you want to reach the readers of this Dublin Event Guide (for Free Events) I will be happy to discuss the (very inexpensive) advertisement options with you. :-) )

If you want to promote your start-up/young company here for free, let me know (dublineventguide@gmail.com).

SWAP SHOP – TEMPLE BAR
Adele Geoghegan contacted me with some information about her new venture which she started a few months ago: Adele runs a clothing and fashion accessories ‘swap shop’, where cash-strapped customers can use clothes as currency and get themselves some new clothes or accessories for a fraction of the prices they would pay at conventional retailers. More information is available on www.swopshop.ie and here is a recent fashion shoot showing some of the clothing available: www.pitchcreativeservices.info The Swopshop is in Crow Street Bazaar in Temple Bar, an interesting and little known mini-mall between Crow Street and Temple Lane, not far from the back entrance of Urban Outfitters.
So if you have some nice clothes that you are tired of and you would like to swap them for a new outfit, have a look at Adele’s Swopshop. Oh and tell her that you read about her shop in the Dublin Event Guide (for Free Events) when you go there! ;-)

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1990s GROUP SHOW – IMMA
‘Between Metaphor and Object: Art of the 90s from the IMMA Collection’ is an exhibition from the IMMA Collection featuring sculptures and installation works from the 1990s. It  will open on Thurs 14 May 2009 and will continue until 04 April 2010. (Museum Detail: Irish Museum of Modern Art, Royal Hospital, Military Road, Kilmainham, Dublin 8, www.imma.ie, Tues-Sat: 10:00-17:30, Sun+Bank Holidays: 12:00-17:30. from 05 June-18 Sept: Thurs: 10:00-20:00)

NCAD 2nd YEAR PRINT EXHIBITION – MONSTER TRUCK GALLERY
‘What’s on Your Plate?’ is an exhibition by eighteen 2nd Year Print students at NCAD. It will be on show from Thurs 14 May – Tues 10 May 2009 at the Monster Truck Gallery & Studios in Francis Street. (Gallery Details: Monster Truck Gallery, 73 Francis Street, Dublin 7, www.monstertruck.ie, Opening Hours: Mon, Tues, Fri, Sat, Sun: 13:00-19:00, Wed closed, Thurs: Opening night 18:00-20:00)

BRIAN HEFFERNAN – BROADSTONE XL
‘Adventures in Blippo’ is an exhibition of abstract typographic screenprints inspired by the modernist-derived typeface Blippo Black by Brian Heffernan. The exhibition will open on 14 May 2009 and run until 17 May 2009 from 11:00 to 19:00 daily.
www.brianheffernan.com (Gallery Details: Broadstone Studios, Hendrion Building, 30-40 Upper Dominick Street, Dublin 7, www.broadstonestudios.com, Open: 10:00-20:00 every day)

GROUP SHOW – BAD ART GALLERY
‘RHA Unselected’ is an exhibition of work not chosen for this year’s RHA Annual Exhibition and will visit the Bad Arts Gallery for the fourth year. The show will run from 14 May – 04 June 2009. It features over 300 pieces in various media by artists including Deborah Donnelly, Mia Funk, Lucy Doyle, Padraig McCaul, Deirdre McKenna, Stephen McKee, Ken Donfield and Mantas Poderys. (Gallery Details: Bad Art Gallery, 79 Francis Street, Dublin 8, www.thebadartgallery.ie, Open: Mon-Sat 10:30-18:00)

RAOUL DE KEYSER & JOSEPH GRIGELY – DOUGLAS HYDE GALLERY
The Douglas Hyde Gallery is inviting to two new exhibitions that will run at the gallery in Trinity College from 14 May 2009 – 20 June 2009. Raoul de Keyser’s ‘Watercolours’ will be on show in Gallery 1.The Gallery Talk ‘Three Northern Painters: Raoul De Keyser, Luc Tuymans and Sergej Jensen’ by Barry White will take place on 27 May 2009 at 13:15.
In Gallery 2, ‘The Paradise [32]’ features work inspired by fly fishing by Joseph Grigely. This exhibition will be accompanied by the gallery talk ‘Language as Object: The work of Joseph Grigely’ by Sheena Malone on 03 June 2009 at 13:15.
(Gallery Details: Douglas Hyde Gallery, Trinity College, Dublin 2, www.douglashydegallery.com , Open: Mon-Fri: 11:00-18:00, Thurs: 11:00-19:00, Sat: 11:00-16:45)

NCAD FINE ART MEDIA STUDENTS EXHIBITION – BACK LOFT
‘Dark Room’ is an exhibition of work by 16 Fine Art Media students. The exhibition will be on show at The Back Loft from 13 to 16 May 2009. It will include a variety of installation, performance, generative art, photography, video, sonic design, drawing, painting, audio work and sculpture. www.ncad.ie (Gallery Details: Back Loft, 7/11 Augustine Street, Dublin 8, www.lacatedralstudios.org and www.thebackloft.blogspot.com)

MAURA RYAN – SIGNAL ARTS CENTRE
‘Yes, But What’s INSIDE It?’ is an exhibition of multimedia work by Maura Ryan and it will be on show at Signal Arts Centre in Bray from Tuesday 12 May – Sunday 24 May 2009. (Gallery Details: Signal Arts Centre, 1 Albert Avenue, Bray, Co. Wicklow, www.signalartscentre.ie, Open: Tue – Fri: 10:00-13:00 & 14:00-17:00, Sat – Sun: 12:00-17:00)

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CLIMATE CHANGE LECTURE – UCD EARTH SYSTEMS INSTITUTE
The UCD Earth Systems Institute is inviting to a weekly seminar about climate change. The next public lecture will take place on Fri 15 May from 12:30-13:30 in The Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, 6 Kildare Street, Dublin 2. The topic is “Shaping the Dublin of 2020: meeting future challenges for managing the Urban Environment” by Dr. Brendan Williams, UCD School of Geography Planning and Environmental Policy. An overview over the whole seminar programme until June 2009 including links to abstracts is here www.ucd.ie/earth

BON TON ROULAR – TOWER RECORDS IN STORE
Tower Records are inviting to an In Store event with “Bon Ton Roular” on Fri 15 May from 17:00. entertainment.ie/venue_information/Tower-Records/32057.htm

WORLDVIEW FILM CLUB
The next Worldview Film Club screening is on Fri 15 May at 18:45. The film is “Away from her” (2007) and the theme of the discussion afterwards is “Unconditional Love and Sacrifice”. Check worldview.project.googlepages .com/invitation (unfortunately googlepages URLs are suspicious to some spam filters, therefore you have to copy the address in your browser and then remove the space between “googlepages” and “.com”) or check www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=27560436112
The Worldview Film Club is inspired by the Bahá’í Religion: www.bahai.ie. The event takes place in the National Bahá’í Centre, 24 Burlington Rd, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4.

CUIREADH DHUITSE
This event is for an Irish Language Book Launch that will take place in the Pearse Centre, Pearse Street on Friday 15 May at 19:00. Admission is free. Dr. David Barnwell has recently published a Spanish/Irish Gaeilge/Spáinnish dictionary. The book is about the Irish in Argentina since 1516 and in particular those who were forced into exile to Buenos Aries from 1845 to 1880. It celebrates the Irish heroes and villains through the centuries and acknowledges the 500,000 or so descendants whose blood lines are Irish. The invitation text doesn’t mean much to me, but I hope some of you can understand it:
Ba mhór ag an gcomhlacht foilsitheorachta COISCÉIM. Tú a bheith i láthair i dTeach an Phiarsaigh, 27 Sraid an Phiarsaigh, Baile Átha Cliath 2, ag 7in. Dé hAoine, 15ú Bealtaine 2009 nuair a sheolfaidh. An Dochtúir David Barnwell. An leabhar nua-fhoilsithe “Gaeil i dTír na nGauchos”, Scéal na nGael san Airgintín le Mícheál de Barra. Beidh Deochanna agus Sóláistí ar fáil don ócáid. Fáilte Uí Cheallaigh roimh chách! www.coisceim.ie

DOMINICAN FESTIVAL CHOIR CONCERT
On Fri 15 May from 19:30 the Dominican Festival Choir will perform a free concert in St Saviour’s Church in Upper Dorset Street, Dublin 1. The ecumenical Dominican Festival Choir is made up of 65 singers from more than twelve cities throughout the Midwest region of America. www.saintsavioursdublin.ie/go.php?f=news05052009

REGULAR EVENTS – FRIDAY
* James Sheeran (Acoustic/Rock/Trad) is playing from 18:00 in Peadar Kearney’s in 64 Dame Street, Dublin 2. And The Eastern Harps (Trad) are playing there from 20:00. Admission is free.
* Sahaja Meditation program every Friday at 19:30 at 4/5 Eustace Street (bell 3, next to the IFI), Temple Bar. For more information contact Seamus on SHarten@upc.ie www.templebar.ie/home_ns_9_action_view_nid_229.html

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SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT FAIR – BOTANIC GARDENS
On Sat+Sun 16 + 17 May a Sustainable Environment Fair is taking place in the National Botanic Garden in Glasnevin. Visit the stalls in the Education and Visitor Centre presented by leading environmental and conservation organisations, including information and products on conservation, environmental education, fair trade, ethically produced goods and much more. (Venue Details: National Botanic Garden, Glasnevin, Dublin 9, www.botanicgardens.ie, Open: Winter (mid-Nov to 16 Feb): Mon-Sun 09:00-16:30, Summer (17 Feb to mid-Nov): Mon-Sun 09:00-18:00, Admission is free)

MV LOGOS HOPE IN DUBLIN
I mentioned this already last week, but was asked to list it again by a Dublin Event Guide Community Member: A seemingly charitable project to bring low priced books and cultural exchange around the world is making station in Dublin. The MV Logos Hope has 300 volunteers on board and is on its way to London for the official launch, the MV Logos Hope will be in Dublin on Sir John Rogerson’s Quay from 14-24 May. The charity has a Christian background and is a seafaring mission as far as I understand. Check their website www.logoshope.org/ for more information. The ship can be visited for a donation of EUR 1 and a tour is available for EUR 3. So the event is not totally free, but EUR 1 is nearly free. ;-) In addition you can buy books on board for reduced prices. Further details and a full event schedule for more (non-free) events is here www.logoshope.org/ireland The opening hours are Tuesday – Friday: 12:30-20:30, Sat 10:00-22:00 and Sun 14:00-20:30. On Mondays the ship is closed.

CHILDREN’S WORKSHOPS – IRISH AID CENTRE
The Irish Aid Centre on 27-31 Upper O’Connell Street is inviting all children from 8-10 to Children’s Workshops on African Stories and Crafts on Sat 02 May and every Saturday in May. The event is free, but booking is essential via irishaidcentre@dfa.ie or 01 854 6923 or barbara.wilson@dfa.ie. africaday.irishaid.org/celebrations-throughout-ireland/Dublin-Events.aspx Strangely another website specifies an age suitability of 4-10. If you have children younger than 8 years of age you should give the Irish Aid Centre a call and check if younger children are allowed as well. The workshops are from 10:30-11:30 and from 12:00-13:00.

COMPOSTING DEMONSTRATION – BOTANIC GARDENS
The National Botanic Gardens’ gardener and compost expert, Peter McDermott will teach the best techniques for composting your organic waste at home. See how the National Botanic Gardens makes its own compost. The event takes place on Sat 16 May from 11:00 in the Education and Visitor Centre. Admission is free, but please note, numbers are limited so advance booking is essential.
www.botanicgardens.ie/news/events.htm

CREATIVE HEART OF DAINTREE – CRAFT FAIR
The Creative Heart of Daintree is a craft fair on 16 May (12:00-18:00) and on 17 May (12:00-16:00). It will take place in the Daintree Paper shop on Camden Street. I have to admit that I had never heard of Daintree paper, but I had a look a the website and the artists working in this paper shop are a talented bunch! ;-) So if I get a chance I will have a look at the shop and the craft fair over the weekend. www.creativeheart.eu/

TRANSITION – DANCE PERFORMANCES AND WORKSHOP
Tran-si-tion, a Dun Laoghaire – Rathdown Event is taking place on Sat 16 May in Cabinteely Park. It is organised by the Dublin Youth Dance Company. Three exciting dance performances will take place on Saturday 16 May 2009, at 12:00, 14:00 and 16:00. Admission to the performances is free. Everyone is welcome and booking is not required.
In addition, there will be an opportunity to take part in free dance workshops at 12:30. (6-9 yrs), 14:30 (10-14 yrs) and 16:30 (over 15 yrs).  Places for these workshops are limited and booking is essential. Details available on www.dublinyouthdancecompany.com. More information about the whole event can be found on www.dlrevents.ie/transition.html

OPEN DAY – BLACK CHURCH PRINT STUDIO
Black Church Print Studio in Temple Bar, Dublin 2 will open their doors to all visitors from 13:00-15:00 on Sat 16 May 2009. Tours and print demonstrations will be provided and the open day will be an opportunity for you to gain a better understanding of how fine art prints are made. No booking is required, just come along. , all welcome. For more information on the Open Day contact Hazel Burke on 01 6773629. (Gallery Details: Black Church Print Studio, 4 Temple Bar, Dublin 2, www.print.ie)

COLEEN NOLAN – EASON’S BOOK SIGNING
Coleen Nolan will be signing copies of her autobiography “Upfront & Personal” in Eason’s in O’Connell St, Dublin on Sat16 May 2009 at 13:00. www.eason.ie/events

TOE JAM CAR BOOT SALE
The next Car Boot Sale at the Bernard Shaw Pub in 11-12 South Richmond Street in Portobello will take place this Saturday 16 May from 13:00-18:00. I am a fan of this car boot sale and will definitely go again to experience the surreal, funky and soooo non-conventional atmosphere. Admission is free (enter the pub … then leave it again through the smoking area, the car boot sale is in the car park) and the car boot sale party will continue into the night. www.bodytonicmusic.com/events/toejam/2009/mar/04/toejam-car-boot-sale-nic-james-shortie/

CALCUTTA RUN
On Saturday 16 May the yearly Calcutta Run takes place. The Calcutta Run is a 10 km run/walk organised by the legal profession that starts and finishes at the Law Society headquarters at Blackhall Place and takes a route through the Phoenix Park. After the run/walk there is a big barbeque, musical entertainment, activities for children and lots lots more. The event is in aid of GOAL’s homeless children in Calcutta and the Peter McVerry Trust’s work in Dublin. Every participant is expected to raise a minimum of EUR 150 in sponsorship. This year is the 11th anniversary of the run and the organisers hope to raise EUR 250k. Registration is from 12:00-13:30. The run starts at 14:00 and the BBQ, Guinness Jazz Band, DJ and family activities start at 15:00. You don’t have to be a participant to take part in the After Party including the BBQ, so if you have a bit of time come to Blackhall Place (near Four Courts) on Saturday to cheer on the runners and maybe to get a burger afterwards. www.calcuttarun.com

FAMILY & ADULT EVENTS – NATIONAL MUSEUM
* Bealtaine Festival: Creative Writing Workshop on Sat 16 May the National Museum in Kildare Street will host this workshop from 10:00-12:00 and from 14:00-16:00 “Explore a new aspect of the Museum’s collections through the stimulating medium of creative writing.” Free event. Booking required. Maximum 12 people.
www.museum.ie/en/list/calendar-of-events.aspx?eventID=407
* The Adult Gallery Talk “How design helps to tell the story” Wendy Williams, Graphic Designer will take place on Sat 16 May in Collins Barracks. The talk will start at the Main Reception in Collins Barracks at 12:00.
www.museum.ie/en/list/calendar-of-events.aspx?eventID=366

PALESTINE – PUBLIC MEETING
The Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) is inviting to their Open Session of the 2009 Annual General Meeting of the IPSC. “The session – which takes place at 14:00 on Sat 16 May in the Central Hotel, Exchequer Street, Dublin 2 – will take the form of an open meeting and be addressed by two prominent Palestinian speakers. They will be Dr. Ghada Karmi, and Professor As’ad Abdul Rahman. This will be a most important forum for hearing first hand from Palestinians their analysis on how a future state for Palestine might be brought about and their views on how we in Ireland can help bring about peace and justice in the Middle East.”
www.indymedia.ie/article/92268 and www.ipsc.ie

FAMILY PROGRAMME – NATIONAL GALLERY
Nearly every Saturday from 15:00-16:00 a National Gallery Family Programme will provide an opportunity for adults and children to enjoy the excitement of learning about the arts through a wide range of free Gallery-based activities including exploring storytelling, music, art, poetry and drama. This week, the topic is “From the outside looking in” with Susan Farrelly. www.nationalgallery.ie/html/programevents4.html

EUROVISION PARTY
The yearly worst song contest is on again, the semi-finals are over and Ireland has been kicked out, but that doesn’t mean the pain is gone. Everybody know this programme is a joke, but it is so bad that it is more and more becoming a cult object. And what better could you do than have a Eurovision party. If you don’t want to have one at home you can go to the George in South Great Georges Street. The party starts at 20:00 and admission is free before 22:00 (EUR 8 after that).
The voting is this year meant to be more in line with talent and quality than with likes and dislikes for other countries…does anybody believe that? ;-) Enjoy the Eurovision

SONG SESSION – NORTH WICKLOW SINGERS BRAY
Every 3rd Saturday of the month, the North Wicklow Singers invite to a Song Sessions in Bray. Promoting the old tradition of (solo) impromptu singing. The event will take place in Strand Hotel, Bray Seafront from 21:30 in the Back lounge. There is no admission fee and there is NO pressure to sing, listeners are particularly welcome.
The upcoming sessions are on 16 May, 20 June, 18 July. Call or text Alan on 087-229 5489 for further info.

REGULAR SATURDAY EVENTS
* Don’t forget that the Temple Bar Markets (Temple Bar Food Market on Meeting House Square and – on a long break until 14 March – the Temple Bar Designer Mart near Cow’s Lane) are taking place every Saturday from 10:00-16:30.
* The SuperNatural Food Market is taking place every Saturday from 09:30-15:30 in St. Andrews Resource Centre in Pearse Street, Dublin 2. www.supernatural.ie
* The Dublin Food Coop runs a food market every Saturday (09:30-16:30) and Thursday (14:00-20:00) at Newmarket in Dublin 8. Fresh local and artisan produce, mainly organic, and other products for sustainable living are on sale. www.dublinfood.coop
* Enda Reilly (Acoustic/Rock/Trad – www.myspace.com/endaderoad) is playing from 19:00 in Peadar Kearney’s in 64 Dame Street, Dublin 2. Fiach (Acoustic/Rock/Soul – www.myspace.com/fiachmusic) is playing there from 21:00. Admission is free.
* Island of Tranquility – A meditation evening organised by the Worldview Project at 19:00. worldview.project.googlepages .com/invitationtotheislandoftranquality (Pls remove the space before the “.com” in the web address.) is taking place in 24 Burlington Road near the Burlington Hotel in Dublin 4.
* Conrad Hotel Latin Club – ObsessionSalsa is running a weekly Latin Club in the Conrad Hotel at Earlsfort Terrace. Admission is free before 22:00 and EUR 5 after that. obsessionsalsa.com
* Havana Tapas Bar is inviting to a Salsa Night with afro-latin percussion every Sat night 22:30-02:00. Bachata, salsa, merengue, reggeaton with resident DJ Papi Chulo. Food is available until 00:30 and usually there is plenty of room to get dancing.

______________________________
______Sunday __________________

CATCH UP ON CULTURE WEEK 2009
From Sun 17 May – 24 May the Irish Museums Association is running the Catch up on Culture Week 2009 to gain visitors for the cultural heritage sites this spring, to provide free and enjoyable experiences, and encourage visitors to return and use the museums venues more frequently over the summer. The week incorporates International Museums Day on 18 May and European Museums at Night 15-18 May. This all sounds good! However, when I tried to find out for you what actually special events are planned, I could not find anything in Dublin. :-O Strange!

DUBLIN 5 MILE CLASSIC
The Dublin 5 Mile Classic road race takes place around Walkinstown, Templeogue, Rathfarnham & Terenure, on Sun 17 May. The route takes runners from Greentrees Rd towards Templeville Rd, Springfield Ave, Rathfarnham Rd, Templeogue Rd, back on to Templeville Rd, before finishing up again on Greentrees Rd. Up to 1000 participants are expected and traffic delays in the area are likely from 11:00-14:00. The race starts at 12:00.

CHILDRENS WORKSHOPS – PHOENIX PARK VISITOR CENTRE
Until December 2009 an impressive programme of workshops for children will be provided in Phoenix Park every Sunday from 10:30-12:30. Participation is free. The max number is 20 and the workshops are suitable for ages 5+ (Parental supervision required.) The children’s workshops combine art, nature awareness, history and heritage and are taking place at the Phoenix Park Visitor Centre. The upcoming themes are:
17 May – Trees in the Park
24 May – Kings and Queens of Ashtown Castle
Bookings & Further Info: 01 6770095 or phoenixparkvisitorcentre@opw.ie
www.heritageireland.ie/en/Dublin/PhoenixParkVisitorCentre-AshtownCastle/Events/

SUNDAY AT NOON CONCERT – CITY HALL
Nearly every Sunday a free “Sunday at Noon” concert is taking place. Until recently that concert always took place in the Hugh Lane Gallery on Parnell Square but it has now been moved to City Hall for a while. From 12:00-13:00 classical music will be performed for you. No booking is required. The next concert on 17 May features the Eblana Trio. They will perform Mendelssohn Trio No.1 in D minor op.49 and Shostakovitch Trio No.2 in E minor op. 67.
www.hughlane.ie/whats_on_detail.php?id=313

FITNESS BOOT CAMP – PHOENIX PARK
Claus Schiko told me that he is running a free Boot Camp this Sunday (17 May) in Phoenix Park. Everybody is invited to meet at 14:00 near Dublin Zoo. All levels can participate and this 1-hour training is open to men and women. You will have to register via www.phoenixpbootcamp.com if you want to participate. Claus and Adam do provide regular fitness classes and you will be able to sign up to their 8 week course on the day if you wish. All you need to bring is a towel, a water bottle and some appropriate gear to wear.

CENTRE STAGE 2009 – OUTDOOR PERFORMANCES
As part of the DLR Events Summer Season, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council presents “Centre Stage”, a free open-air showcase of drama and music on Sun 10 May and Sun 17 May 2009. With four contrasting shows each week, the festival promises an eclectic mix of free outdoor performances in Cabinteely Park.
On Sunday 17 May the programme is
14:00: Dalkey Players: “Women in Arms”
15:00: Cantairi Avondale (mixed-voice chamber choir): Choral Favourites
16:00: Balally Players: “How the Other Half Loves”
17:00: Dun Laoghaire Musical and Dramatic Society: “Swing a Merry Musical”
Admission to all events is free and the full programme is here: www.dlrevents.ie/pdfs/CENTRE%20STAGE%202009%20line%20up.pdf
www.dlrevents.ie/centre%20stage_09.html

FAMILY PROGRAMME – NATIONAL MUSEUM
The Events in the National Museum today are:
* Bealtaine 2009: “The Wilder Wisdom of Auld Ones…. Stories , Legends and Poetry inspired by the Cailleach” is taking place on Sun 17 May from 15:00-16:00 in Collins Barracks. Performance of rare stories in the oral tradition by renowned actor and storyteller Nuala Hayes and harpist Anne-Marie O’Farrell.
www.museum.ie/en/list/calendar-of-events.aspx?eventID=367
* No My Museum Family Event and NO Family Tour in either of the museums today.

NATIONAL GALLERY TALK
On Sun 17 May from 15:00 the National Gallery will invite to the lecture “Drawings from the Collection: Dante Gabriel Rossetti” by Lecturer Dr John Gilmartin, Freelance Art Historian. www.nationalgallery.ie/html/programevents4.html

FAMILY EVENT – HUGH LANE GALLERY
“Sunday Sketching”, the weekly workshop in Hugh Lane Gallery (Parnell Square) for 7+ year olds from 15:00-16:00 is this week entitled “Shadows from objects – looking at Hayley Tompkins”. www.hughlane.ie/whats_on_detail.php?id=282

BIODIVERSITY WEEK 2009
Danny Walsh from the Irish Environmental Network informed me about the Biodiversity Week 2009 where at nearly 30 events in Dublin alone biodiversity is explained and celebrated. Explore the biodiversity around you with  nature walks, marine surveys, bat watching, a dawn chorus, and more.
A week of events celebrating biodiversity starts this Sunday. The Irish Environmental Network has published a calendar and map of all the planned events at www.ien.ie.
Biodiversity Week is Ireland’s contribution to a global celebration of biodiversity which aims to increase awareness of the importance of biodiversity and promote action to tackle the loss of many of our species and habitats. It will take place from 17 to 24 May 2009, and coincides with United Nations International Day for Biodiversity on May 22.
The week will be launched at the National Botanic Gardens on Saturday, May 16, by Trevor Sargent TD, Minister of State for Food, and will feature a display of over one hundred varieties of potato. It was the reliance on only one variety of potato which left millions of people vulnerable to the blight which ravaged Ireland 160 years ago. The famine illustrates how maintaining our biodiversity gives us options to respond to unforeseen and changing environmental conditions. Failure to conserve our biodiversity puts future options, flexibility and economic opportunities at risk.
The Irish Environmental Network website is here www.ien.ie and if you go to www.ien.ie/?page_id=830 you can see all the events on the left (scroll down to DUBLIN for the Dublin events) and on the right you see all the environmental groups that are involved. A map of the events is here: www.ien.ie/?page_id=903

REGULAR SUNDAY EVENTS
* Sunday Market & Car Boot Sale at Kart City
Old Airport Road, Santry, Dublin 9. The Kart City Weekend Market is open every Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday from 08:00-16:00 and until the end of May all car boot sellers can sell for free. The website of the market is sundaymarket.ie/
* The Mary Stokes Band (Blues) from 18:30 in Bruxelles near Grafton Street and near the Westbury Hotel. I listened to them a few times and they are brilliant! It is not clear to me if the band is currently playing every two weeks or only once a month. I will try to find out.
*Jazz in The George in George’s Street from 16:30-18:00: Jazz Band Zrazy.
*Sunday Roast is the event in Thomas Reads “The Oak” in Dame Street/Parliament Street every Sunday from 21:00. Provided are free live music, games & roast potatoes.
* “Loose Change” play in Gibneys Pub, New St., Malahide every Sunday from 18:00-20:00.
* The Tangenteers (Rock/Reggae) are playing from 18:00 in Peadar Kearney’s in 64 Dame Street, Dublin 2. Francois G reported that this 18:00 performance is not taking place. I am trying to find out more.
Ro Byrne (Acoustic/Rock/Indie – www.myspace.com/earthquakehair) is playing there from 21:00. Admission is free.
* The Brazilian Samba Rock Band +55 is playing every Sunday at the Odeon in Harcourt Street from 20:00-22:00, followed by a DJ playing Forro, Axe, and a mixture of Brazilian rhythms and salsa beats. Admission is free before 21:00 and EUR 5 after that.
* Songs of Praise, a Rock Karaoke is taking place every Sunday from 21:00 in The Village in Wexford Street, Dublin 2. www.getpraise.com
* The Burning Effigies are playing afrobeat, jazz, funk and soul every Sunday from 23:00 in Turk’s Head in Parliament Street. www.turkshead.ie
* Gardiner Street Gospel Mass in St. Francis Xavier Church at the top of Gardiner Street near the junction with Dorset Street every Sunday at 19:30. Everybody is welcome independent from your level of religiousness. www.gardinerstreetgospelchoir.com
* Ballymun Gospel Choir Mass at 19:00 in Vir gin Mary Church, Shangan Road, Ballymun.

WEEKEND EVENTS
If you are just looking for Sunday events, please check the event list for Saturday as well. A good few events are taking place on Saturday AND Sunday, but it wouldn’t make sense to list them twice.

______________________________
______Next Week_______________

———Monday————————–

WRITING WEEK – IRISH WRITER’S CENTRE
The Irish Writers’ Centre is inviting to the first in its series of Writing Weeks. These weeks are designed to offer people the chance to come along and participate in creative writing courses, seminars, literary events and workshops. The weeks will also offer the chance for participants to meet authors, discuss literary matters with leading industry professionals, meet the Centre’s Creative Writing facilitators and staff.
The first of the Writing Weeks will take place between 18 and 22 May 2009 and many events (all readings and most workshops and seminars) are free. A fee is charged for the courses and the free and non-free events are listed below.
— Writing Courses
* Mon 18- Fri 22 May from 10:30-13:30: Togra na Bealtaine in Áras na Scríbhneóiri / Bealtaine Project at The Writer’s Centre. Ceardlann filíochta á stiúrú ag Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill Ceadlann próis á stiúrú ag Jack Harte (Fee: ??)
* Mon 18 – Fri 22 May from 10:30-12:30: Crimefest with Shelia Barrett (EUR125)
‘Crimefest’ is five mornings of writing and discussion for those who love crime fiction and would like to start writing their own.
* Thur 21 – Fri 22 May from 10:30- 16:30: Creative Writing with Emer Martin (EUR 125) Learn how to write creatively in this 2-day workshop with leading author Emer Martin.
* 21+22 May @ 18:30: Self Publishing workshop with Roslyn Fuller (EUR 50)
Have you ever wanted to self publish your own work? This two evening workshop will guide you through the pros and cons of self publishing.
— Workshop (Admission free):
* Mon, 18 May @ 13:00: Scribblers Corner, a writing workshop
The aim is to gather writers together for a short writing session. It will run for approximately 1 hour, and all that is needed is a pen and paper.
— Seminars (Admission free):
* Thurs 21 May @15:00: Copyright, PLR & The Google Book Settlement with Samantha Holman, Executive Director of ICLA
* Thurs 21 May @16:00: The Irish Writers’ Union
— Readings (Admission free):
* Mon 18 May @ 18:30: A Reading by Juliet Bressan
* Tues 19 May @ 13:15: A Reading by Jean O’Brien
* Tues 19 May @ 18:30: A Reading by Helen Dwyer & Brendan Nolan
* Wed 20 May @ 18:30: Poetry Ireland Introduction Series 2009 a reading by Mark Baker, Olive Broderick, Jane Clarke & Miceál Kearney
All events take place in the Irish Writers’ Centre, 19 Parnell Square, Dublin 1 and more detail can be found here www.writerscentre.ie/writingweek.htm .

YEATS AND ITALY – NATIONAL LIBRARY
Prof. Enrico Reggiani, Department of Linguistic Sciences and Foreign Literatures, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Milan, (Italy), will give a lecture entitled “In Italy perhaps writing poems: Yeats, Italy and Italian Culture”. This lecture is part of the program ‘Irish – Italian Connections at the National Library’ and is related to the exhibition ‘Yeats: The Life and Works of William Butler Yeats’.
Admission free. Pre-booking not required. The event takes place from 19:00-20:00 on Mon 18 May in the National Library of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. www.nli.ie

REGULAR MONDAY EVENTS
* From 21:30 in the International Bar, Wicklow Street: An acoustic singer-songwriter session hosted by Jacqueline Tuck. Entry is free. The music styles vary from pop to folk to traditional. www.myspace.com/jacquelinetuck
* From 21:30 a traditional Irish music session is taking place in Kennedy’s Pub in Drumcondra. Admission is free.

———Tuesday————————

SITUATING IRISHNESS – UCD CONFERENCE
University College Dublin presents a one day symposium in the John Hume Institute for Global Irish Studies, entitled ‘Situating Irishness’. What is Irishness? It is possible to identify local practices and customs; patterns of internal migration; periods of emigration and immigration; processes of colonization and decolonization; and experiences of occupation and resistance as moments that have forged a collective and durable Irish identity on this island and beyond. And yet at each point, temporal and spatial, where identity formation has taken place, the contours of what we call ‘Irishness’ are being continuously negotiated, contested and reshaped. This symposium brings together new research and approaches within and across disciplines as diverse as archaeology, history, politics, and literary and cultural studies to situate ‘Irishness’ in these multiple spaces and places and to explore the making and remaking of Irish identity. This symposium will address four key issues: Excavating, Irish identity, Fashioning, identity in the Irish Diaspora, Gendered spaces, Irish identity and conflict.
The event will take place in GII Building, UCD, Belfield on Tues 19 May from 09:00-16:30. Admission is free. +353 1 7161565 www.ucd.ie/johnhume/

CONFLICT RESOLUTION COURSE
“Conflict Resolution in Early Years Settings” is the name of a seminar provided by the The Childcare Focus Group for Childcare Providers. It is free to attend this training, which will take place over two mornings. Places must be booked in advance and attendance at both sessions is required. For further information on the training and how to book, check www.dublin.ie/uploadedFiles/City_Development_Board/Conflict%20Resolution%20Poster.pdf The first part of the training will take place on Tues 19 May from 09:30-13:00 in Whitefriar Street Community Centre, 56 Aungier Street Dublin 2. The second part of the seminar will be on 02 June.
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TAKE ME TO YOUR CEANNAIRE: MARY KEATING – ABBEY TALKS
Mary Keating, TCD, invites you to consider, what makes an Irish leader?
The event will take place on Tues 19 May from 18:00-18:45 at the Abbey Theatre. Admission is free, but reserving a place is essential. www.abbeytheatre.ie/whatson/talks.html

DOCKLANDS FUN RUN 2009
The Docklands Fun Run is taking place on 19 May from 19:45 in Dublin’s Docklands area. You will not be able to participate since registration is already closed for some times, but apart from that it was not a free event anyway. However, it is free to watch the up to 2000 participants. The route will start at Grand Canal Square, then go to Ringsend, across the East Link bridge then past the Point Depot along the quays to the chq building, across the Matt Talbot Bridge and back to Grand Canal Square will complete the 8km run. www.dublindocklands.ie/funrun

REGULAR TUESDAY EVENTS
* In the Bankers Inn on Trinity Street (off Dame Street) at 21:30: An acoustic singer-songwriter session hosted by Dave Murphy. A contribution is requested but not required. This is a listening club so is very quiet and features a lot of experienced songwriters trying out new material. www.myspace.com/davemurphyandfriends

———Wednesday———————-

YOUNG ENVIRONMENTALIST AWARDS
Young People Head to Dublin to Show that it Is Easy Being Green! The ECO-UNESCO’s Young Environmentalist Awards showcase the Top Environmental Projects in Ireland and Northern Ireland and this year a record 50 projects from young people all across Ireland and Northern Ireland will be honoured for their outstanding environmental action projects during the 10th anniversary of ECO-UNESCO’s Young Environmentalist Awards.
From Climate Change to guerrilla gardening, bird watching to engineering solar powered iPod chargers – and everything in between – it’s all covered by this year’s talented batch of Young Environmentalists.
The Lord Mayor of Dublin, Cllr. Eibhlin Byrne will launch ECO-UNESCO’s Young Environmentalist Awards Showcase on Wed 20 May in the Round Room of the Mansion House in Dawson Street. All are invited to view the showcase during the free exhibition from 11:30-3:30.
There will be many exciting green-themed activities, including a special BioZone in honour of Biodiversity Week where young people with little green fingers can get tips on how to start their own gardening projects on a shoestring.
Check out ECO-UNESCO’s blog ecounesco.wordpress.com or visit www.ecounesco.ie for more information.
ECO-UNESCO (www.ecounesco.ie) is Ireland’s environmental education and youth organisation. The organisation aims to raise environmental awareness, promote the protection and conservation of the environment, and promote the personal development of young people.

CHAPTERS AND VERSE – POETRY LUNCHTIME READING
A Chapters and Verse Lunchtime Reading is taking place on Wed 20 May from 13:15-13:55 in Chapters and Verse, Parnell Street. This lunchtime reading will present Alma Brayden, Eamonn Lynskey and Eileen Keane. www.seventowers.ie/cms/index.php?option=com_extcalendar&Itemid=27&extmode=view&extid=287

WOODPIGEON – TOWER RECORDS IN STORE
Tower Records are inviting to an In Store event with “Woodpigeon” on Wed 20 May from 17:00. entertainment.ie/venue_information/Tower-Records/32057.htm

SPANISH CINEMA – INSTITUTO CERVANTES
The Instituto Cervantes, the Spanish Cultural Institute, wants to take you on a journey through Spanish cinema, from its inception to more recent productions, at the hands of directors that may be described as young, mythical, exceptional and internationally renowned… You can enjoy the best of Spanish comedies, drama, animation and documentaries. Every week a film will be screened in the Café Literario of the Instituto Cervantes, Lincoln House, Lincoln Place, Dublin 2 (near the National Gallery). The next film on 13 May at 18:30 is “En la ciudad sin límites” (2002) by Antonio Hernández. All films are in Spanish with English subtitles. dublin.cervantes.es/FichasCultura/Ficha53691_16_1.htm

THE FUTURE OF MEN – RCSI LECTURE
The Royal College of Surgeons runs an outreach programme that invites everybody to an annual lecture. This year’s event is taking place on Wed 20 May at 19:00 and you have to request tickets as soon as possible if you want to attend the event. Professor Jennifer Graves will talk about “The Decline and Fall of the Y Chromosome and the Future of Men”. If you would like to attend this lecture please contact outreach@rcsi.ie This event promises to be extremely popular – so book your tickets now! The event will take place in the O’Flanagan Lecture Theatre, RCSI, www.rcsi.ie/index.jsp?1nID=93&2nID=96&pID=129&nID=1082

HEDIGAN’S, PHIBSBOROUGH – TRAD MUSIC
On Wed 13 + Wed 20 May a traditional irish music session will take place in Hedigan’s (The Brian Boru) in Phibsborough from 21:30. Admission is free. This event may continue each Wednesday if it attracts a crowd so come along if you’re interested in trad music. If you play an instrument you are especially welcome (all levels are welcome). If you go there, ask for Cathy and say HI from me! :-)

REGULAR WEDNESDAY EVENTS:
* CoCo Markets at Docklands. Every Wed from 15 Apr-28 Aug from 12:00-14:30 a CoCo food market is taking place at Excise Walk in the IFSC. www.dublindocklands.ie/index.jsp?p=94&n=341&i=26
* The “Havana International Language Exchange” is taking place every Wed from 17:30-19:30 in Havana Tapas Bar in George’s Street. The majority of people there are Spanish or English-speaking, but French, Italians, Polish and Chinese are sometimes coming to and everybody is welcome to meet for a chat to improve your Spanish or English.
* “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. www.thezodiacsessions.com/
* “The Song Room” is another open mic event. It takes place in The Globe in George’s Street at 20:30 on SOME Wednesdays. The frequency got less predictable in recent weeks/months and you should check the website before going. www.myspace.com/thesongroom
* The Covers play Indie Rock and Alternative from 22:00-01:30 every Wednesday in the Turk’s Head in Parliament Street. (www.turkshead.ie)

———Thursday————————

OTHER VOICES: MARINA WARNER – ABBEY TALKS
Novelist, mythographer and cultural historian, Marina Warner talks about contemporary stories, magic and words. The event will take place on Thurs 21 May from 18:00-18:45 at the Abbey Theatre. Admission is free, but reserving a place is essential. www.abbeytheatre.ie/whatson/talks.html

IDENTITY PARADE – TOWER RECORDS IN STORE
Tower Records are inviting to an In Store event with “Identity Parade” on Thurs 21 May from 17:00. entertainment.ie/venue_information/Tower-Records/32057.htm

MEXICAN FOOD FESTIVAL
A very strange event notification reached me a few days ago: “The Embassy of Mexico presents “A Taste of Mexico”, a Mexican Food Festival with renowned Mexican chef Margarita Carrillo at the restaurant of the Hilton Hotel, Grand Canal, Dublin, from May 21 to 28, 2009. With this event, the Embassy would like to give the Dublin public the opportunity of tasting delicious Mexican haute cuisine prepared by one of the true stars in Mexican cuisine in the relaxed ambiance of the Grand Canal Hilton.” That sounds interesting, I thought, but tell me more. When do I have to be there and what will happen over the 7 days (!!!) of the festival? The press release continues talking about the good food and variety of food in Mexico and praises the chef Margarita Carrillo, but there is NO other information provided about the what and when! Could it be that the restaurant in the Hilton just sells some Mexican Food for the next 8 days? I.e. this is not at all a festival in the normal sense? If that was the case then certainly there is nothing exciting about it and certainly nothing free! And does that mean that the Mexican Embassy is just promoting a single person, Margarita Carrillo, in a totally over-exaggerated way? A little further down the press release claims that Carrillo “will conduct a Mexican Haute Cuisine cookery lesson (in a date to be confirmed). Moreover, during the festival, traditional Mexican products will be promoted in individual events targeted to representatives of the food and drinks sector.” But no website or similar is provided where more details could be found about the cookery lesson or the promotion of Mexican products. A little strange and it has the slight smell of disingenuity. :-(

JAN BÖTTCHER – READING/CONCERT
Jan Böttcher will be in the Goethe Institut, 37 Merrion Square, Dublin 2 for a reading/concert on Thurs 21 May from 19:00. Admission is free. Jan Böttcher has lived in Berlin since 1993 as a musician and author. For ten years he sang and composed as the front man of the band “Herr Nilsson” and released his first solo CD in 2008. In 2003 Jan Böttcher published his warmly received debut “Lina oder: Das kalte Moor” (Lina or: The cold bog). After two more novels he published his novel “Nachglühen” (Afterglow) in 2008. It is moving between pre- and post-unification periods and was on the longlist of the German Book Prize 2008. At the reading/concert Jan Böttcher will read passages from his novel “Nachglühen” and will talk about the situation in Berlin 20 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Besides, he will perform various songs from his first solo album “Vom anderen Ende des Flures”. www.goethe.de/ins/ie/dub/kue/en4514569v.htm

DUBLIN CITY SOUL FESTIVAL
The much awaited (by me! ;-) ) Dublin City Soul Festival is starting on Thursday 21 May and will run until Sun 24 May. www.dublincitysoulfestival.ie The main programme components this year are quite a number of free concerts from Thursday until Sunday and then the main event of the Soul Picnic in Merrion Square on Sunday 24 May. I am absolutely looking forward to Sunday…in the last two years, the Soul Picnic was a brilliant event. But the Soul Picnic is something for the next Event Guide, today I want to tell you about the events in the run up to the Soul Picnic.
The free Dublin City Soul Festival events are:
21.05.2009 – 24.05.2009 Trad Soul Farrington’s, Temple Bar
21.05.2009 – 24.05.2009 Festival Club @ Cassidy’s, Westmoreland St. (18:00-00:30)
21.05.2009 Rising Stars Hedigan’s The Brian Boru, Glasnevin
21.05.2009 The Moog 69’s, Auld Dubliner, Temple Bar from 21:00
21.05.2009 The Ratzingers, Porterhouse, Temple Bar from 23:00
22.05.2009 The Goods, a soul funk groove, Porterhouse, Temple Bar from 23:00
22.05.2009 Everyday People, Auld Dubliner, Temple Bar from 23:00
23.05.2009 Padraig Rushe & His Soul Band, Porterhouse, Temple Bar from 23:00
23.05.2009 The Goods, a soul funk groove, Auld Dubliner, Temple Bar from 23:00
24.05.2009 The 9 Bar Band, Porterhouse, Temple Bar from 18:00
And then there are the two Indoor main events:
22 May + 23 May (19:30-23:00) Soul Jam, Sugar Club, Leeson Street
So there is definitely a good range of gigs and you should try some! I will definitely be at the Ratzingers Gig on Thurs 21 May from 23:00 in the Porterhouse. This is in the middle of my “Event Guide night” so I am not sure yet how to solve that problem, but I will try my best to go to the gig. The Ratzingers are brilliant and if you have never heard them, you should go on Thursday!
In addition I will goto the Festival Club on Friday and Saturday and will try some of the other later concerts on these days.
Find out more details about the line-up and especially about the Soul Jam in Sugar Club. The tickets for this concert are available from the Soul Festival web site and you will find information about Movie Screenings, a Photography exhibition, some Soul Festival Comedy events in the Laughter Lounge and Soul Food Restaurant Trail there. Check out www.dublincitysoulfestival.ie

REGULAR THURSDAY EVENTS:
* The Bionic Rats play live Reggae and Ska every Thursday in Turk’s Head from 22:00. Admission is free. www.turkshead.ie

———Friday————————

CLIMATE CHANGE LECTURE – UCD EARTH SYSTEMS INSTITUTE
The UCD Earth Systems Institute is inviting to a weekly seminar about climate change. The next public lecture will take place on Fri 22 May from 12:30-13:30 in The Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, 6 Kildare Street, Dublin 2. The topic is “Using evolution to understand the past and predict the future” by Dr. Emma Teeling, UCD School of Biology and Environmental Science. An overview over the whole seminar programme until June 2009 including links to abstracts is here www.ucd.ie/earth

INTERNATIONAL BIODIVERSITY DAY – GUIDED TOUR BOTANIC GARDEN
The National Botanic Gardens cultivates and conserves more than 400 rare and endangered plants from around the world. To mark ‘International Biodiversity Day’ a special guided tour of some of these threatened plants will be presented on Fri 22 May at 14:30. Come and see the plant listed in the Guinness Book of Records as “possibly the rarest plant in the world” and hear other stories of the work being undertaken by the Gardens to safeguard biodiversity around the globe. Admission is Free. Meet at the Education and Visitor Centre. (Venue Details: National Botanic Garden, Glasnevin, Dublin 9, www.botanicgardens.ie, Open: Winter (mid-Nov to 16 Feb): Mon-Sun 09:00-16:30, Summer (17 Feb to mid-Nov): Mon-Sun 09:00-18:00, Admission is free)

ALBUM LAUNCH – TOWER RECORDS IN STORE
Tower Records are inviting to an In Store event for an Sound Training Centre Album Launch on Fri 22 May from 17:00. entertainment.ie/venue_information/Tower-Records/32057.htm

———Pre-Announcements————————
This section contains lots of events this week that happen in the future but where free tickets are required, please check if you are interested in any of the events and request your tickets or book as soon as possible:

CARLOS RUIZ ZAFON – BOOK SIGNING
On 04 June Carlos Ruiz Zafon will be in Hughes&Hughes in Dundrum. This event with the author of the worldwide bestseller “Shadow of the Wind” will most likely be extremely popular, so you should pre-order tickets from info@hughesbooks.com
www.hughesbooks.com/

DUBLIN CITY SOUL FESTIVAL
Sunday 24 May will be Soul Picnic Day, it was a brilliant event in previous years and I have reason to believe that it will be great again this year. SO come to Merrion Square to hear great music. www.dublincitysoulfestival.ie/

AFRICA DAY
Unfortunately two great festivals are competing with each other on the same weekend! It is a pity, but I would suggest that you try to go to both events for a little while. The Africa Day (every year on 25 May) will this year be celebrated on Sun 24 May in the wonderful Iveagh Gardens off Harcourt Street. I will tell you more about the line-up next week, but if you want to see the some information already, check it out here: africaday.irishaid.org/iveagh-gardens/main-stage.aspx

WOMANS WORLD SHOW
From Fri 29 – Sun 31 May the Woman’s World Show will be in the RDS in Ballsbridge. Tickets will be EUR 12 on the day, BUT if you register now on www.womansworldshow.com you will get your tickets for free. Have a look if this event is something for you!

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______This is odd!!______________

GOLD FISH MEMORY IN TAXIS???
In 1978 the Irish Government decided to restrict and limit the taxi licenses and by 2000, when this non-sensical limitation was lifted, only 2722 taxi licenses (and 3500 hackney licenses) were granted on Dublin Streets. At that time a taxi license would have cost you up to EUR 120,000!! Liberalisation meant that lots more people got a license (the price was now EUR 6350 per license) by 2003 a total of 9900 cabs were on the streets of Dublin and today there are approx. 13000 cabs on Dublin streets.
(www.taxiregulator.ie/files/publications/Economic_Review_March_2009.pdf) Today taxi drivers are demanding that the number of licenses will be limited and to make their point they have protested numerous times in recent weeks and have caused huge inconvenience to their customers and to other road users. The curious and odd thing is that many of the protesting taxi drivers from the organisation “Taxi Drivers for Change” have taxi plate numbers with numbers well above 2722, which means they only got in because the taxi market was liberalised. It is odd that these taxi drivers now use their gold fish memory (it was mythbusted that gold fish have only a 3 second memory span, but it has been proven that the memory span is approx. 3 months en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goldfish#Memory ) and forget that the only reason they do have a job is that the limits were lifted. Or is it a matter of “I am in, now quickly close the door!”? The taxi protest is to put a limit on the number of taxis so that taxi drivers can earn more or need to work less to earn enough. I wonder what all the people that were made redundant recently think of this. Who cared about their wish to earn enough to make a good living?
www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2009/0509/breaking21.htm

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I hope you have enjoyed the 100th Event Guide! Oh and if you want to send congratulations or presents :-) feel free to do so, I will happily give you my address to get all the presents to me!! ;-)

Have a good weekend!

–Joerg

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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 non-free events have the money to pay for advertisement. The Guide is a _guide_ and not just a listing and is therefore at times quite extensive. It is sent for free to anybody who is interested and 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 with the Subject “Subscribe”.
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BTW: I am not paid or otherwise rewarded for compiling and distributing this Event Guide it is purely a hobby. However, I won’t say No to donations ;-) and if you want to help me with the running of it (no minimum amount!) just send a mail to dublineventguide@gmail.com with the word “Donation” in the subject and I will reply with a link that will allow you to make your donation by PayPal or per credit card or follow the link just above this section. Advertisement in or sponsorship of the Dublin Event Guide (for Free Events) is possible and very welcome, please contact me for more information.
Please note: The Dublin Event Guide (for Free Event) is not related or connected to the former fortnightly printed publication “the event guide” that you found until the beginning of 2009 in pubs and other venues.
Copyright 2009 by Joerg Steegmueller.
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