Dublin Event Guide 361: Docklands Summer Festival, Family Day Festival, FAT – Science Gallery, Dublin Writers Festival

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.

Bird Watch Ireland invites you to a walk around Killiney Hill to listen to and observe birds living in the park.

Admission is free and no booking required.

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 Green Door Market is a new indoor food/Farmer’s Market that takes place just a few doors down from the Dublin Food Co-op at Newmarket in Dublin 8. Admission is free.

Opening hours are Thu-Fri 12:00-19:00 and Sat 09:30-16:00.

Every year in May, the Bealtaine Festival takes place. It is called a festival “celebrating creativity as we age”. From dance to cinema, painting to theatre, Bealtaine showcases the talents and creativity of both first-time and professional older artists.

Each year, Age & Opportunity invites local authorities, arts centres, libraries, Active Retirement groups, care settings, community groups and clubs, associations from every part of the country to run Bealtaine events and it is a popular month-long festival with lots and lots of events: www.bealtaine.com/bealtaine-2014/programme/listing/Dublin

There are events taking place nearly every day in May, so have a look at the programme if you are an ageing creative person. :-)

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.

The Commissioning Ceremony for the new Navy ship “LE Samuel Beckett” will take place on Saturday morning.

The EUR 54mio ship is 90 metres long and will have a crew of 54 people. It’s duty will mainly be fisheries patrol and Search & Rescue and it was ordered in 2010. If you are interested in ships, check the details here.

The Taoiseach and Minister for Defence, Enda Kenny, will host the naming and Commissioning Ceremonies for the L.É. Samuel Beckett. Caroline Murphy, niece of Samuel Beckett, will perform the naming ceremony and Enda Kenny will then present the Commissioning Warrant to the ship’s Captain, Commander Ken Minehane.

You won’t be able to get onto the ship, but you should be able to watch the ceremony from the quay.

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.

Do you know what sport “Touch” is? I didn’t! So when I saw that the Ireland Touch Association will have a tournament, I had to find out first what the whole thing is about. …and it wasn’t easy! I found out that it is nothing else than what was some while back called “Touch Rugby”. And that’s why I called this event “Touch Rugby Tournament” so that at least you get it right away!

The tournament in Herbert Park on Saturday is not for you to participate, but to watch if you are interested. Watching is free. and the schedule of the tournament is on the Facebook page below.

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 yearly Calcutta Run will take place on Saturday. It is a big fund raiser that has strong support in law profession circles and has collected a significant amount of money over the last few years. The run is a 5 km or 10 km run from the Law Society in Blackhall Place to Phoenix Park and back and it is not free.

However, the more than 1000 runners will be cheered on by the Guinness Jazz Band and afterwards there is a big barbeque in the garden of the Law Society. Admission to the garden is free and you can buy a burger there as well if you want and listen to the DJ.

On SAturday a Car Boot Sale in aid of the Gaelscoil Shliabh Rua takes place. There will be a bouncy castle and face painting for the kids. Admission for buyers is free.

The Docklands Summer Festival will take place this weekend on Saturday and Sunday from 11:00-17:00. The event will be mainly outdoors on Grand Canal Square and Hannover Quay and in the Grand Canal Basin, but there will also be a few indoor workshops in the Waterways Visitor Centre.

The programme for Saturday will have:
Children’s Workshops “Decorate Your Duck!”, Street Performance World Championship Acts, DJ, Open Air Markets, Family Funfair Attractions, Maldron Hotel Golf Water Challenge, FM104 Corporate Raft Challenge (at 12:00), Irish Wakeboarding Displays (at 13:00+15:00-17:00), Raft Races (14:00-16:00), Gibson Hotel Charity Duck Race (16:30)

And on Sunday, this will be waiting for you:
Children’s Workshops – Decorate Your Duck!, Street Performance World Championship Acts, DJ, Open Air Markets, Family Funfair Attractions, Maldron Hotel Golf Water Challenge, International Wakeboarding Extravaganza (12:00-16:30), Gibson Hotel Charity Duck Race (16:30)

Admission is free and you can find a downloadable PDF brochure here.

A Gruffalo Birthday Party takes place in the Gutter Bookshop as part of the Dublin Writer’s Festival. There will be stories and activities and all kinds of fun at this family event. Suitable for children of 1-5yrs who must be accompanied by an adult. Admission is free.

On National Drawing Day we are all encouraged to investigate and use drawing skills, from the simple to the complex, under the helpful guidance of experienced artists.

This year Farmleigh will host a series of creative art sessions for both children (Age 5+) and adults that investigate the art of drawing, with the artists Cian O’ Sullivan, Órla Kelly and the Early Childhood Creativity team.

The detailed programme is here www.farmleigh.ie/media/National%20Drawing%20Day%202014.pdf the children’s workshops start at 11:00, 12:15, 14:15 and 15:45 and at 11:00 is a parent and child (Age 4+) workshop and from 14:15-16:00 the only adult workshop will take place. Children at age 6 and under must be accompanied by a parent at all times.

The event will take place in the marquee at the back of Farmleigh House.

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 “FAT – It’s Delicious” and it will run from 16 May – 29 Jun. The exhibition is a “lab in the gallery” event, which means that it is not just an exhibition to watch, but there are some interaction and real research elements to the exhibition.

The exhibition will show you the good and and the bad sides of fat. There will be soap that has been made from human fat (gained during a liposuction), animal fat is being cured in alcohol and a delicious meal will be made from it at one of the events, the benefits of plant oils are mentioned and the risks of obesity are pointed out. In addition you can contribute to research through tests and experiments about BMI, agility, body image and blood quality.

I like lab in the gallery events because it is not “just” an exhibition but you also are invited (you don’t have to!) to contribute to research. Kids will get the exhibition, but need some help from the parents with it. You should definitely bring them! However, kids will not be able to do the research elements and might get bored, so plan your trip well.

As always I strongly recommend to have a look at the exhibition, but you only have until 29 June!

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

A free Fencing Taster Class will take place in the Moden Pentathlon Centre on the National Sports Campus, which is near Blanchardstown.

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.

Saturday is National Drawing Day and the Hugh Lane Gallery invites to two events and to all day self-guided activities.

The two events are:
12:00-13:00 Tape Drawing Class with artist Aoife Flynn
14:00-15:00 Sketching the Collection with artist Olive Knox

All day the Drawing Station is also open with sketching boards, plenty of drawing materials and worksheets.

Admission is free and all are welcome.

A storytelling session for children takes place. The stories covered are “Dientín and his Filthy Teeth / Dientín de los dientes sucios” and “The Ugly Duckling / El patito feo”. 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.

An In Focus tour with the focus on “Icons” (with Jack Fitzgerald) is taking place in the Chester Beatty Library. The tour is limited to the first 15 participants. Meeting point is the atrium in the library. Admission is free and no booking required.

“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

“Aibítir – The Irish Alphabet in Botanical Art” by the Irish Society of Botanical Art is an exhibition from 02-25 May. Artists have created portraits of native plants accompanied by the first letter of their Irish name. Over 70 botanical artists, each with their own distinctive style, have participated in this project. This has resulted in the creation of three eighteen-letter Irish alphabets.

Free demonstrations in Botanical Art will take place during the exhibitio on Saturdays, Sundays in May and on Bank Holiday Monday (05 May).

“Be inspired… see how these beautiful pieces of art have been created. Watch the techniques and the skills used to depict our native plants. See how science and art merge in this fascinating art form. Members of the Irish Society of Botanical Art will give demonstrations in the Visitor Centre.”

Admission is free.

The Inkstorm Poetry Depot is a team of poets who will write you a poem based on whatever you decide to share with them. For the Dublin Writers Festival they will be in a VW Campervan at South King Street and on Barnardos Square (next to City Hall) and will write a poem about your life. The poem can be about anything.

Come along, fill in a brief questionnaire and then sit down with a poet in the VW Campervan. Your poem will be written on the spot, and when you come back your poet will read it out to you and give you a copy to take away. And you get this all for free.

Drop in to Collins Barracks on National Drawing Day to discover what a source of inspiration the Museum can be for budding artists and designers of all ages. There’s a free Drawing Day Activity Book you can pick up at the Museum’s reception. Pencils are provided.

Admission is free and no booking required.

Spoken-word artist Steven Camden (aka Polarbear) from Birmingham is a storyteller and his work has featured on BBC Radio and he has performed around the world from Kuala Lumpur to Poland to California.

For the Dublin Writers Festival he will give a free Writing and Performance Masterclass. If you have an interest in spoken word, hip hop and storytelling you won’t want to miss this rare opportunity. Suitable for everyone with a commitment to furthering your existing writing and performing skills, age 15+.

Admission is free, but you need to book and the event could be booked out already. To book send a mail to info@axisballymun.ie

An Intercultural Tour with Community Ambassador with Jack FitzGerald in Irish will take place. Meeting point is in the atrium of the Library. Admission is free and no booking required.

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.

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.

Super Happy Fun Times is back with a great line-up for a night of music, merriment. The Line up is Joe Lynch, JoséPedro Jobim, Sugar Cane Flame, Bob Glynn, The OurZ, Pyramid Hill. Admission is free.

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.

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.

InkStorm Poetry Depot presents an opportunity to experience co-created poetry, as well as hearing a rich variety of the poets’ own work. The poets share the work they created earlier that day and invite the participants to share their thoughts on the experience.

The poets will also read and perform some of their own poetry and spoken-word pieces and, as a finale, Depot director Dave Rock will co-create spontaneous spoken-word poetry right on the spot, using thoughts, feelings, images and anything else the crowd can throw at him. Poetry Depot will be joined by singer/songwriter Sinead White.

Admission os free, but there is limited space available, so arrive early. Doors open at 21:15 and the event starts at 21:30.

The Lost Poetry Squad will be in St. Patrick’s Park (next to St. Patrick’s Cathedral) for some late-night mayhem as part of the Dublin Writers Festival.

The park is full of hidden poetry that has to be discovered before it’s too late. To rescue the poems you and your teammates will have to use all the ingenuity at your disposal to find them before other poetry lovers get there, read them, and broadcast them via walkie-talkie to the poetry expert. Whichever team rescues the most poems wins.

Admission is free, but booking is required and there are limited places available.

The event takes place twice on Saturday 17 May (21:30 + 22:15) and twice on Friday 23 May (21:30+22:15). At the time of writing this, there were still some places available, but expect that this event will book out soon!

Book via the website below.

Tetratonic Quartet are a four piece group from Dublin. They are playing mostly jazz, from standards to free form, but they also include elements of rock and funk.

Admission is free.

The Whelan’s Midnight Hour will feature the three bands

Verona Riots
2Minutes2Midnight and
Beach

Admission is free if you arrive before 22:30 or if you sign up for the guest list via the website below.

Funk-coverband Wonderlust will be playing in Sweeney’s. Admission is free.

This is the event for all the early birds and insomniacs AND for everyone who enjoys this singing of birds in nature.

The National Dawn Chorus Day takes place on Sunday and begins at 04:00. Meet at the car park of Cabinteely Park. The event is lead by Bird Watch Ireland.

Admission is free and booking is not required.

Every year in May, the Bealtaine Festival takes place. It is called a festival “celebrating creativity as we age”. From dance to cinema, painting to theatre, Bealtaine showcases the talents and creativity of both first-time and professional older artists.

Each year, Age & Opportunity invites local authorities, arts centres, libraries, Active Retirement groups, care settings, community groups and clubs, associations from every part of the country to run Bealtaine events and it is a popular month-long festival with lots and lots of events: www.bealtaine.com/bealtaine-2014/programme/listing/Dublin

There are events taking place nearly every day in May, so have a look at the programme if you are an ageing creative person. :-)

Join author and Botanic Gardens guide Glynn Anderson for a guided bird walk. Come and discover what birds are in the Botanic Garden, so bring binoculars if you can and see what you can discover.
Admission free, but booking is required via 01-857090.

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 Brocante Market will take place on Sun. It is a collection of antiques, furniture, vintage jewellery, collectables and curiosities from the past and present, second-hand, refurbished, antique and hand-crafted stuff for your house and garden.

If you are an interior designer or just have and eye for style and are looking for a special piece or maybe a bargain then this is the market for you. The market is held every 3rd Sunday of the month. Admission is free.

The Docklands Summer Festival will take place this weekend on Saturday and Sunday from 11:00-17:00. The event will be mainly outdoors on Grand Canal Square and Hannover Quay and in the Grand Canal Basin, but there will also be a few indoor workshops in the Waterways Visitor Centre.

The programme for Saturday will have:
Children’s Workshops “Decorate Your Duck!”, Street Performance World Championship Acts, DJ, Open Air Markets, Family Funfair Attractions, Maldron Hotel Golf Water Challenge, FM104 Corporate Raft Challenge (at 12:00), Irish Wakeboarding Displays (at 13:00+15:00-17:00), Raft Races (14:00-16:00), Gibson Hotel Charity Duck Race (16:30)

And on Sunday, this will be waiting for you:
Children’s Workshops – Decorate Your Duck!, Street Performance World Championship Acts, DJ, Open Air Markets, Family Funfair Attractions, Maldron Hotel Golf Water Challenge, International Wakeboarding Extravaganza (12:00-16:30), Gibson Hotel Charity Duck Race (16:30)

Admission is free and you can find a downloadable PDF brochure here.

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.

This is a free Family Storytime event and is part of the Dublin Writers Festival. There will be readings from a great selection of picture books for young children. All children Age 3-6) should be accompanied by an adult. No booking required.

The event will take place on Saturdays 18+24 May and on Sunday 25 May.

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 Terenure Village Market will take place again on Sunday. There will be live music, irish dancing, and kids entertainment (e.g. face painters, balloon makers or magician) and food and craft stalls. The market takes place every 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month.

There is also a 5 mile run on in Terenure this Sunday (terenure5mile.com).

Admission is free.

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.

One Family is an organisation for one-parent families in Ireland and on Sunday, One Family’s Family Day Festival takes place in Iveagh Gardens. It is inspired by the UN Day of Families (15 May).

There will be a packed programme of free entertainment, workshops, talks, information and more for all ages.

There will be a main stage with Comedian Aidan Bishop and Magician Brian Daly, a Roma children’s choir, a Nepalese Culture Group, the Young Orchestral Pops Chamber Group and singer Sinead White. In the Talking Tent there will be talks throughout the day and workshops for Yoga and acting will be provided. Games for the whole family are also in the park.

The full programme can be downloaded here www.familyday.ie/wp-content/uploads/Family-Day-Festival-Prorgamme-20141.pdf Admission is free and everybody is welcome.

In addition to the activity programme, a variety of organisations working for and with families and children in Ireland will share information about their services and will also run activities. The organisations are One Family, GLEN, Marriage Equality, Treoir, BeLong To, New Communities Partnership, ISPCC and Children’s Rights Alliance.

The Festival is to highlight of One Family’s ongoing campaign for a nationally celebrated Family Day, similar to Mother’s Day or Father’s Day, but which would include all children irrespective of their family make-up. Because we all have a Mother and a Father (maybe even more than one) I never realised that Mother’s Day or Father’s Day could be seen as a negative thing and I don’t know why a Family Day in the calender is necessary, but a Family Day like the one in Iveagh Gardens is always very welcome and it is great that One Family is running it!

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.

Have you ever wished you were so big you could stomp across the city in a few small steps? At the “What’s your story: Building the City” Family Event you can.

Come along and help build a mini Dublin City. Get busy making giant card-board structures of all your favourites places. Bring your imagination and unleash your inner super-hero!

This is a free family event as part of the Dublin Writers Festival. Booking is required via the website below and at the time of writing this, there were still spaces available.

The newest Science Gallery exhibition has the theme “FAT – It’s Delicious” and it will run from 16 May – 29 Jun. The exhibition is a “lab in the gallery” event, which means that it is not just an exhibition to watch, but there are some interaction and real research elements to the exhibition.

The exhibition will show you the good and and the bad sides of fat. There will be soap that has been made from human fat (gained during a liposuction), animal fat is being cured in alcohol and a delicious meal will be made from it at one of the events, the benefits of plant oils are mentioned and the risks of obesity are pointed out. In addition you can contribute to research through tests and experiments about BMI, agility, body image and blood quality.

I like lab in the gallery events because it is not “just” an exhibition but you also are invited (you don’t have to!) to contribute to research. Kids will get the exhibition, but need some help from the parents with it. You should definitely bring them! However, kids will not be able to do the research elements and might get bored, so plan your trip well.

As always I strongly recommend to have a look at the exhibition, but you only have until 29 June!

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

“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 “Vignettes – Sound Pictures for A Gallery…..” with Michael Buckley, saxophones, flute, Joe O’Callaghan, guitar, Ronan Guilfoyle, bass.

Looking for a new series to delve into? Feeling uninspired by your bookshelves at home? Do you need a prescription for an exciting new read? Then come along to the Book Clinic to meet the Book Doctor and get a free prescription for your next read.

Admission is free and no booking required, but there might be some waiting required. The event is part of the Dublin Writers Festival.

“Aibítir – The Irish Alphabet in Botanical Art” by the Irish Society of Botanical Art is an exhibition from 02-25 May. Artists have created portraits of native plants accompanied by the first letter of their Irish name. Over 70 botanical artists, each with their own distinctive style, have participated in this project. This has resulted in the creation of three eighteen-letter Irish alphabets.

Free demonstrations in Botanical Art will take place during the exhibitio on Saturdays, Sundays in May and on Bank Holiday Monday (05 May).

“Be inspired… see how these beautiful pieces of art have been created. Watch the techniques and the skills used to depict our native plants. See how science and art merge in this fascinating art form. Members of the Irish Society of Botanical Art will give demonstrations in the Visitor Centre.”

Admission is free.

An intercultural tour in Japanese with Community Ambassador Hiromi Anzai will take place. Meeting point is in the atrium of the Library. Admission is free and booking is required.

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!

The Inkstorm Poetry Depot is a team of poets who will write you a poem based on whatever you decide to share with them. For the Dublin Writers Festival they will be in a VW Campervan at South King Street and on Barnardos Square (next to City Hall) and will write a poem about your life. The poem can be about anything.

Come along, fill in a brief questionnaire and then sit down with a poet in the VW Campervan. Your poem will be written on the spot, and when you come back your poet will read it out to you and give you a copy to take away. And you get this all for free.

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

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

Join award-winning songwriter and musician Gerry Paul for his musical adventure about ancient oceans, forgotten battles and the rise and the fall of the great seafaring Vikings.

Admission is free, but places are limited. Booking is required via 01 648 6339 or educationarch@museum.ie.

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

Brian Keary is a classically trained guitar player who also has experience of different styles / genres of music ranging from ragtime and folk to baroque and contemporary. He will perform in Sweeney’s (Ground Floor) on Sunday afternoon.

House Dublin is a restaurant and bar in Leeson Street and for the month of May, they will have the Camembert Quartet playing in their garden from 17:00-19:00 every Sunday. Admission is free.

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). In short, the line-up is Ana Gog, Raphaels, Ian O’Doherty, Penrose, Waiting for Wednesday, Stephanie Rainey.

This weekly Latin Music event will take place every Sunday. You will be able to dance salsa, bachata, merengue, cumbia and reggeaton. Live music, food tasting and free admission, what more could you want?

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 it will be Cash Is King, The Temps, Joe Lynch, C-Fit, Tony Power, The Meanderers, Kerenicia.

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 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 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. Admission is free.

The Pavement Kings play Rockabilly from 21:00 and
DJs Popocorn Peete and Little Dakota follow from 23:00-01:30 with a white variety of styles (Rockabilly, Calypso, Soul, Rock ‘n’ Roll, etc).

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.

Every year in May, the Bealtaine Festival takes place. It is called a festival “celebrating creativity as we age”. From dance to cinema, painting to theatre, Bealtaine showcases the talents and creativity of both first-time and professional older artists.

Each year, Age & Opportunity invites local authorities, arts centres, libraries, Active Retirement groups, care settings, community groups and clubs, associations from every part of the country to run Bealtaine events and it is a popular month-long festival with lots and lots of events: www.bealtaine.com/bealtaine-2014/programme/listing/Dublin

There are events taking place nearly every day in May, so have a look at the programme if you are an ageing creative person. :-)

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.

If you regularly or occasionally buy books online, you can help the Dublin Event Guide hugely even without having to pay cent directly. In fact you even save money this way:

Buy your books from The Bookdepository and get better prices and free (!!) delivery for all orders independent from the volume and when you click on the picture here before you buy, then 5% of what normally The Bookdepository would get, they give back to the Dublin Event Guide. Everybody wins!

www.bookdepository.com?a_aid=dubevg

Are you curious about the National Library? – In this introduction to the Library, you will learn about the collections there, how to get a reader’s ticket and what the NLI offers you.

Admission is free and booking is not required.

Crime novelists Arne Dahl, Sinead Crowley and Brian McGilloway will discuss the state of crime writing with chairperson Declan Burke. They will look at the dark arts of the crime thriller and will explain what makes a thriller stand out, and how you keep the reader turning the pages.

Admission to this Dublin Writers Festival event is free, but booking is required via centrallibrary@dublincity.ie or 01 8734333.

The Pint of Science Festival is a science festival that is making four interesting science subjects more accessible by bringing 39 talks into pubs over three nights this week.

The themes are: Mind, Human Body, Physics and Technology and the pubs are The Stag’s Head, Odessa, 4 Dame Lane & Mercantile.

Great idea and really interesting talks, but there is also seriously bad news: It looks as if there are soo few places available that ALL events are booked out. Great achievement for the organisers, but they probably could fill the pubs many times over.

I am mentioning the event because I think it is a super event and I want to tell you about it. but I will only list it on Monday. It wouldn’t be fair to give false hope by listing it on all three days.

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.

David O’Donoghue will present an illustrated talk on his book “Hitler’s Irish Voices”, the first detailed study of the Nazis’ wartime propaganda message to neutral Ireland. It includes pen-pictures of the broadcasters, details of how the service began and how its message evolved as the war turned inexorably against the Third Reich. David O’Donoghue is an author and historian specialising in Irish-German relations (both official and covert) in the 1933-1945 period of Nazi rule.

Admission is free.

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

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.

Every year in May, the Bealtaine Festival takes place. It is called a festival “celebrating creativity as we age”. From dance to cinema, painting to theatre, Bealtaine showcases the talents and creativity of both first-time and professional older artists.

Each year, Age & Opportunity invites local authorities, arts centres, libraries, Active Retirement groups, care settings, community groups and clubs, associations from every part of the country to run Bealtaine events and it is a popular month-long festival with lots and lots of events: www.bealtaine.com/bealtaine-2014/programme/listing/Dublin

There are events taking place nearly every day in May, so have a look at the programme if you are an ageing creative person. :-)

“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.

The Music Library in conjunction with the National University of Ireland, Maynooth invites to the Lunchtime Concert:

Gretta Herbert (Mezzo-Soprano) & Cormuin Ó Raghallaigh(Accompanist) featuring selections from Vivaldi, Handel, Faure, Wolf, Quilter, Baker & Elgar

Admission is free, but booking is recommended via 01 8734333.

Mark Graham talks about his year of visiting three festivals per week and his book about that experience. Admission is free but booking is required via the website below. The event is part of the Dublin Writers Festival.

The Rosie Hackett Bridge is the new bridge next to O’Connell Bridge and the official opening takes place on Tuesday. The bridge will be only for Luas, buses, bicycles and pedestrians, not for cars and it seemed to take a long long time to build it. Dublin’s Mayor will open the bridge and will officially call it “Rosie Hackett Bridge”. The bridge will be open for public use from the next morning.

The exhibition “War from the Victims’ Perspective” with Photographs by Jean Mohr will be in the Gallery of Photography from 20-26 May (daily: 11:00-18:00). The exhibition celebrates the 150th anniversary of the First Geneva Convention and shows sixty of Swiss photographer Jean Mohr’s images and addresses the issues of victims of conflicts, refugees and communities suffering from war and those still under threat.

In conjunction with the exhibition the Swiss Embassy will also presents four panel discussions related to the issues that lie at the heart of the exhibition, ranging from international humanitarian law and humanitarian assistance to the ethics of war photography.

The Panel Discussions start at 16:00 and they are:
+ Tue 20 May: Compliance with International Humanitarian Law
+ Wed 21 May: Challenges of Humanitarian Assistance
+ Thurs 22 May: Current Challenges of International Humanitarian Law
+ Fri 23 May: Ethics of War Photography

On Thurs 20 May the Panel discussion will be followed by the Opening Reception from 17:30-19:30.

Admission to exhibition, opening reception and to the panel discussions is free.

Temple Bar needs your help! A round-table discussion takes place to discuss the future of Temple Bar.

This is an open call for all those interested in Temple Bar to share their thoughts on how the area could be at its best in the future. So, whether you live, work or play in Temple Bar, whether you come to the area a lot or are just passing through, whether you are a local or a tourist, Dublin City wants to hear your vision for Temple Bar.

Admission to the event is free, but you need to register by sending an e-mail to imaginetemplebar@dublincity.ie

If you can’t make it to the event, but still want to help with your opinion, please fill in this questionnaire: consultation.dublincity.ie/projects/imagine-temple-bar

Curated by Aoife Tunney Vestibule is a festival celebrating the work of contemporary artists Aleana Egan, Daniel Gustav Cramer and Eva Rothschild. Sculptures by the artists will show in Merrion Square Park with satellite shows at The Goethe Institut, The Irish Architectural Archive and the National Gallery of Ireland.

On Tuesday a talk with Declan Long, Aoife Tunney, Eva Rothschild and Aleana Egan about the exhibition will take place.

Admission is free, but booking via vestibulemerrionsqprojects@gmail.com is required.

In this talk with authors Mary Lawson and David Parks, they will discuss how they look at “intricacies of human relationships with great exactitude and compassion” in their work. Vanessa O’Loughlin will lead the discussion.

Admission is free to this Dublin Writers Festival event, but booking is required via pearsestreetlibrary@dublincity.ie or 01 6744888.

The first ever illustrated version of James Joyce’s ‘The Ondt and the Gracehoper’ is launched by Irish artist Tom McNally. The launch will take place at the Royal Irish Academy. Admission is free and everybody is welcome.

A series of public Talks commemorating the 25th anniversary of the defeat of communism in Poland is taking place in the Long Room Hub. In the series 4 different guests who, back in the Communist era, were leading personalities in Polish public life will talk.

The second public interview will be with independent Senator W?odzimierz Cimoszewicz. He was a post-communist Prime Minister and Foreign Minister and was associated with the reform wing of the communist party before 1989. He was a leading member of the Democratic Left Alliance and was Foreign Minister when Poland joined the European Union.

Admission is free. The talks will be in English.

“Word” is a a new series of Spoken Word, Live Literature, Performance Poetry, Discussion, Debate, Chats, Rants, Bants, Word, events.

Admission is free.

The Alliance Française Choir will give its last concert before the summer break.

It will include music by Gounod, Josquin Des Prez, a traditional Japanese piece, and traditional and well known French songs arranged for a 4 part choir. There will also be a small instrumental ensemble playing Frescobaldi and other early baroque chamber music.

Admission is free, but booking is required by sending a mail to rsvp@alliance-francaise.ie with the subject RSVP AF CHOIR.

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 Folk Club in Whelan’s will bring you the best in Trad, Ballads, Americana & World Music every Tuesday. The line-up this week is Johnny Moynihan (folk/trad/americana). 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

Every year in May, the Bealtaine Festival takes place. It is called a festival “celebrating creativity as we age”. From dance to cinema, painting to theatre, Bealtaine showcases the talents and creativity of both first-time and professional older artists.

Each year, Age & Opportunity invites local authorities, arts centres, libraries, Active Retirement groups, care settings, community groups and clubs, associations from every part of the country to run Bealtaine events and it is a popular month-long festival with lots and lots of events: www.bealtaine.com/bealtaine-2014/programme/listing/Dublin

There are events taking place nearly every day in May, so have a look at the programme if you are an ageing creative person. :-)

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.

The exhibition “War from the Victims’ Perspective” with Photographs by Jean Mohr will be in the Gallery of Photography from 20-26 May (daily: 11:00-18:00). The exhibition celebrates the 150th anniversary of the First Geneva Convention and shows sixty of Swiss photographer Jean Mohr’s images and addresses the issues of victims of conflicts, refugees and communities suffering from war and those still under threat.

In conjunction with the exhibition the Swiss Embassy will also presents four panel discussions related to the issues that lie at the heart of the exhibition, ranging from international humanitarian law and humanitarian assistance to the ethics of war photography.

The Panel Discussions start at 16:00 and they are:
+ Tue 20 May: Compliance with International Humanitarian Law
+ Wed 21 May: Challenges of Humanitarian Assistance
+ Thurs 22 May: Current Challenges of International Humanitarian Law
+ Fri 23 May: Ethics of War Photography

Admission to exhibition, opening reception and to the panel discussions is free.

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.

A current exhibition in The Lab, one of Dublin City’s art galleries, shows Geraldine O’Reilly’s pictures of deserted houses on Achill Island in an interesting combination with Margo McNulty’s large-scale lithographs and exploration of the personal history from people from Achill Island.

At this event, which is part of the Dublin Writers Festival, John F. Deane and Geraldine O’Reilly will discuss their experiences of Achill Island and how the place and its history has influenced their work.

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

The documentary “Pepe el andaluz” tells the story about Pepe from Andalucia who emigrated to Argentina for a better life, leaving his wife and three children behind. His grand children were told that he died. This documentary will be in Spanish with English subtitles. The website below gives more background about the story, but watch out: The first sentence is wrongly translated!

Admission is free.

Jay Bourke will talk about Café Culture as part of the Rathmines Discourses. Admission is free.

The Christ City Church runs a 6-week long Intro Course and they asked me if I could let you know. The first two evenings already took place, but you are still very welcome to join.

“The course gives you an opportunity to ask the big questions of life, as well as explore the life Jesus offers. Each evening starts with some light refreshments, then a short talk, followed by discussion over drinks. No question is too feisty nor too simple and the course is free of charge.

Intro is facilitated by Christian groups in Dublin and led by Steve Vaughan. Everyone’s welcome. Each week has a focus for discussion – it’s great if you can come along to all the sessions but no problem to come to a single week, or a few of them.”

A free outdoor performance of “Smashed”, a show which will run from 22-24 May in the Pavillion Theatre, will take place and it is part of the Dublin Dance Festival.

4 crockery sets, 9 jugglers, 80 apples are the ingredients for this funny and inventive mix of skills and theatricality with a soundtrack featuring music from Tammy Wynette to Music Hall to Bach. A series of filmic scenes explore conflict, tense relationships, lost love and quaint afternoon tea in a fusion of choreography, circus and theatre.

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 Green Door Market is a new indoor food/Farmer’s Market that takes place just a few doors down from the Dublin Food Co-op at Newmarket in Dublin 8. Admission is free.

Opening hours are Thu-Fri 12:00-19:00 and Sat 09:30-16:00.

Every year in May, the Bealtaine Festival takes place. It is called a festival “celebrating creativity as we age”. From dance to cinema, painting to theatre, Bealtaine showcases the talents and creativity of both first-time and professional older artists.

Each year, Age & Opportunity invites local authorities, arts centres, libraries, Active Retirement groups, care settings, community groups and clubs, associations from every part of the country to run Bealtaine events and it is a popular month-long festival with lots and lots of events: www.bealtaine.com/bealtaine-2014/programme/listing/Dublin

There are events taking place nearly every day in May, so have a look at the programme if you are an ageing creative person. :-)

There is a Biodiversity Day at the Waterways Ireland Visitor Centre, but unfortunately I have no idea who it is for or what it is about. The website doesn’t even seem to list that event and where I found the information about the event, there was not much usable information either. Or is the following enough for you?

“Our Biodiversity programme will cover elements of environmental awareness and interrelationships including using the waterway environmkent for leisure activities.
Also covered will be Science and the Environment – investigating aspects of human activities that may have a positive or adverse effect on the waterway, such as the effects of alien invasive species.”

Community and Family Training Agency (CAFTA) in Axis in Ballymun is regularly running free courses and thex accept participants from all parts of Dublin. Most courses are free.

On Thursday a 6-week course “Parents Plus – Parenting When Separate”. It is a free course one morning a week and all course details and content are explained on the website below.

If you want to join that course, contact Marion or Marie at 01-8832159/0872967921 or e-mail info@cafta.ie

The Hugh Lane Gallery hosts a series of Bealtaine Seminars in May. Admission to all talks is free.

The talk on Thursday is entitled “Ageing Agitators: Social and Political Engagement in Older Artists” with contributors Robert Ballagh (Artist), Brian Maguire (Artist), Margaretta D’Arcy (Writer) Dr. Martha Doyle (TCD) Chair: Dylan Tighe (Theatre Maker)

The event will ask what the roles are for older artists as political activists through their art. Artists will discuss their own practices and how their political consciousness has changed over the course of their careers.

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.

This year’s theme for International Biodiversity Day is Island Biodiversity. Join zoologist Geraldine Breen and explore the ground floors displays, the Irish Room, and our island’s unique wildlife. Admission is free and no booking required.

Two lunch time lectures “Power and Politics in late Viking-Age Denmark” by Dr Anne Pedersen (National Museum of Denmark, Copenhagen) and “Ireland, Norway and Iceland in the second half of the 13th century” by on Vidar Sigurdsson (NUI Maynooth) will take place on Thursday.

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

Nicolas Puyane (Piano) will be in St. Ann’s Church for a lunchtime recital. Admission is free, donations are welcome.

The Central Library’s ‘Career Direction and Development’ programme continues with a talk wondering if it is Time for a career change? “Career Transitions: A career talk” by Clare Mulligan (Work & Organisational Psychologist) is the next event.

Admission is free, but booking is recommended via 01 8733996

Discover the award-winning exhibition Yeats: The life and works of William Butler Yeats and enjoy afternoon tea in the Joly cafe (10% discount in the cafe).

Admission is free, but you should book a place at learning@nli.ie

This is an opportunity to get behind the scenes at the Museum to see how artefacts are conserved for the future. Includes a look at furniture and textile conservation and archaeological conservation. Admission is free, but booking is required via 01-6777444

The exhibition “War from the Victims’ Perspective” with Photographs by Jean Mohr will be in the Gallery of Photography from 20-26 May (daily: 11:00-18:00). The exhibition celebrates the 150th anniversary of the First Geneva Convention and shows sixty of Swiss photographer Jean Mohr’s images and addresses the issues of victims of conflicts, refugees and communities suffering from war and those still under threat.

In conjunction with the exhibition the Swiss Embassy will also presents four panel discussions related to the issues that lie at the heart of the exhibition, ranging from international humanitarian law and humanitarian assistance to the ethics of war photography.

The Panel Discussions start at 16:00 and they are:
+ Tue 20 May: Compliance with International Humanitarian Law
+ Wed 21 May: Challenges of Humanitarian Assistance
+ Thurs 22 May: Current Challenges of International Humanitarian Law
+ Fri 23 May: Ethics of War Photography

Admission to exhibition, opening reception and to the panel discussions is free.

This lecture by Colin Graham explores the post-colonial politics, histories and the shared rural and urban experiences of Ireland and India. Colin Graham (critic, writer, Lecturer, NUI Maynooth) draws on his research interest in photography, literary and cultural theory in which to discuss the social political legacies and peculiarities of colonial identities that have transpired in both countries.

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

The Launch of “In My Own Light: A Memoir” by Raymond Deane will take place and admission is free.

In this lyrical memoir, classical composer, author and political activist Raymond Deane evokes his near idyllic childhood on Achill Island, his adolescence in Dublin, and his rapid descent into alcoholism. In an alternately humorous and horrific narrative moving swiftly from Ireland to Italy, England, Switzerland, Germany and France, Deane shows us how a lovingly protected childhood is no bulwark against disaster. While no ‘misery memoir’, Deane does show how memory can seize upon and exaggerate painful experiences to provide a convenient but spurious explanation for irrational behaviour.

“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

Two of Korea’s most prominent authors are in Smock Alley Theatre for an exchange of ideas with their Irish counterparts. This event is part of the Dublin Writers Festival. Jeong Mi-kyeong, Lee Kiho, Christine Dwyer Hickey, Colin Barrett and chairperson Kevin Breathnach will be in conversation.

The evening starts with a reception at 19:00 and the main event then takes place at 20:00.

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

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.

Mid Term are playing live in Whelan’s. Admission is free.

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.

Trad/Folk band “The Bonny Men” will perform and admission is free.

Storymap will be in the Liquor Rooms an evening of live storytelling and music featuring storytellers Paul Timoney, Laura Cleary, Graham Tugwell and Deirdre Sullivan and you will aslo be entertained by jazz/folk combo Mongoose.

Storymap is an online multimedia project that captures the personality of Dublin through its stories. People that have a story to tell tell their stories where they happened and the films are uploaded to a live map.

This event is part of the Dublin Writers Festival.

Admission is free.

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 Green Door Market is a new indoor food/Farmer’s Market that takes place just a few doors down from the Dublin Food Co-op at Newmarket in Dublin 8. Admission is free.

Opening hours are Thu-Fri 12:00-19:00 and Sat 09:30-16:00.

Every year in May, the Bealtaine Festival takes place. It is called a festival “celebrating creativity as we age”. From dance to cinema, painting to theatre, Bealtaine showcases the talents and creativity of both first-time and professional older artists.

Each year, Age & Opportunity invites local authorities, arts centres, libraries, Active Retirement groups, care settings, community groups and clubs, associations from every part of the country to run Bealtaine events and it is a popular month-long festival with lots and lots of events: www.bealtaine.com/bealtaine-2014/programme/listing/Dublin

There are events taking place nearly every day in May, so have a look at the programme if you are an ageing creative person. :-)

This is an event that presents and talks about spaces for children that inspire, engage and excite and are spaces for children’s and young people’s engagement with literature and arts.

There are some amazing venues in other countries and you will find out about a venue in the UK and in Sweden. Find outmore information and also book your place for this event on the website below. Admission is free.

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.

21 Outs will be in HMV Grafton Street for a gig. Admission is free.

Eva Rothschild and Michael Dempsey will be in conversation on Friday. Admission is free.

If you regularly or occasionally buy books online, you can help the Dublin Event Guide hugely even without having to pay cent directly. In fact you even save money this way:

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Silvia Lombardi and Rory Musgrave (voice) with Dearbhla Collins (piano) will perform a lunchtime recital in St. Ann’s Church. Admission is free, donations are welcome.

The exhibition “War from the Victims’ Perspective” with Photographs by Jean Mohr will be in the Gallery of Photography from 20-26 May (daily: 11:00-18:00). The exhibition celebrates the 150th anniversary of the First Geneva Convention and shows sixty of Swiss photographer Jean Mohr’s images and addresses the issues of victims of conflicts, refugees and communities suffering from war and those still under threat.

In conjunction with the exhibition the Swiss Embassy will also presents four panel discussions related to the issues that lie at the heart of the exhibition, ranging from international humanitarian law and humanitarian assistance to the ethics of war photography.

The Panel Discussions start at 16:00 and they are:
+ Tue 20 May: Compliance with International Humanitarian Law
+ Wed 21 May: Challenges of Humanitarian Assistance
+ Thurs 22 May: Current Challenges of International Humanitarian Law
+ Fri 23 May: Ethics of War Photography

Admission to exhibition, opening reception and to the panel discussions 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.

The Progressive Film Club invites to a screening of “The Happy Lands” (2012), a true story about a mining strike in Scotland and a group of working-class heroes who fought valiantly for better conditions for miners.

Admission is free, but booking via info@progressivefilmclub.ie is recommended.

The idea behind Mixed Messages is to try something out that is completely different from the usual format of performance nights. There will be no stage, no host and no introductions. Instead the idea is to make the acts an organic part of the audience and to see what novel ways the performers come up with to use the space without having a single focal point, and grab the audience’s attention without being introduced by a host.

Poems, drama, music, comedy, anything goes.

Admission is free.

Otis will perform in the “Live from the Window” slot in Whelan’s. Admission is free.

“Electric Fridays with DUB” is a weekly gig/open mic night in the basement of The International Bar. Admission is free.

Musicians, artists, bands who want to play a 25 min set should contact the organisers via the Facebook page below. A PA and some equipment is available.

“Left, Right & Centre” are bringing their Blues & Soul to Arthur’s Pub again. 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.

Rockabilly band The Cravingz are performing and admission is free.

This is a late-night literary and music event featuring some of the most interesting voices in Irish music and literature and comedy. The line-up is Women’s Christmas, Patrick McCabe, Groom, Dónal Lunny, Barry McCormack, Young Hearts DJ’s Peter Toomey, Daragh O’Halloran & Siobha?n Kane and more.

Young Hearts Write Free are a Dublin-based collective that organises music and literary events in unusual spaces since 2008 – raising money for the Simon Community in the process.

Admission to this event is free. The event is part of the Dublin Writers Festival.

The Lost Poetry Squad will be in St. Patrick’s Park (next to St. Patrick’s Cathedral) for some late-night mayhem as part of the Dublin Writers Festival.

The park is full of hidden poetry that has to be discovered before it’s too late. To rescue the poems you and your teammates will have to use all the ingenuity at your disposal to find them before other poetry lovers get there, read them, and broadcast them via walkie-talkie to the poetry expert. Whichever team rescues the most poems wins.

Admission is free, but booking is required and there are limited places available.

The event takes place twice on Saturday 17 May (21:30 + 22:15) and twice on Friday 23 May (21:30+22:15). At the time of writing this, there were still some places available, but expect that this event will book out soon!

Book via the website below.