Dublin Event Guide 441: Christmas Markets, Dublin Flea Market, O’Connell Street Christmas Tree Lighting, First Wednesday

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.

To help you with your Christmas entertainment and Christmas shopping, the Dublin Event Guide (for Free Events) has a comprehensive list of all (free) Christmas Markets in Greater Dublin for you!

The first markets start on 22 Nov and the longest run is until 03 January.

Check it out at www.dublinchristmasmarkets.com and tell all your friends!

If you are involved with any Christmas Market that is not listed there, just send a mail to dublineventguide@gmail.com with the subject XMAS and I will look at your event and include it in the list if it fits.

This is not the typical type of event that you normally find in the Dublin Event Guide. It is not really a cultural event, but it is a pure sale. BUT the Musicmaker Sale is legendary with extremely long queues and genuine bargains. So for Musicians or if you are looking for musical Christmas presents, this pre-Christmas sale could be perfect.

On Friday and Saturday (27+28 Nov) a Christmas Craft Fair will take place in the County Library in Tallaght.

On Friday there will be Christmas Carols and 11:00 and Christmas Cooking at 13:00. On Saturday the Library Drama Group will perform at 11:30, and Santa will be there from 14:00-15:30.

On both days you can watch Craft Demonstrations and you can buy handmade Christmas Gifts.

Admission is free.

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.

A whole range of Parkruns take place every week (and if you know some more, please tell me):
+ Malahide Park, Dublin Road, Malahide, Co. Dublin
+ Cabinteely Park, Old Bray Road, Cabinteely, Dublin 18
+ Shanganagh Park, Shankill, Co. Dublin
+ Marlay Park, Grange Road, Rathfarnham, Dublin, Co. Dublin

The People’s Housing Forum is a result from the “‘Housing Emergency and Rights Conference” on 03 Oct in Liberty Hall. The People’s Hosuing Forum will focus on the issues raised in the last conference and any public submissions made between now and the forum.

The topics will be Social Housing, Private Rental, Homelessness, Mortgages & Evictions, Traveller Accomadation and Migrants & Direct Provision.

In January a further meeting will follow.

Admission is free.

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.

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.

The Christmas Kingdom Market in Malahide will run until 03 January on the following dates 27-29 Nov/4-6 Dec/11-13 Dec (Fri 14:00-20:00, Sat+Sun 10:00-20:00) and then daily 18-23 Dec (10:00-20:00) and 26 Dec-03 Jan (10:00-20:00).

Visiting the Craft Village and the Food Village is free, Ice Rink and Santa Visit cost money.

At the Christmas on Merrion Square event, the doors of many buildings around Merrion Square will open and you will find Irish design, craft, culture, food and drink, in some of the Georgian houses around the Square.

Admission is free but some of the events did require pre-booking and they are all booked out now.

No tickets are required for the following markets:
+ Christmas Craft Drinks House at No 8 (Royal Institute of Architects)
+ Irish Craft, Gift and Food Market at No 45 (Irish Artchitectural Archive)
+ Luncheonette Pop-Up Cafe at No 58 (O’Connell House – Notre Dame)
+ Irish Designers Black Friday Sale at No 63 (Royal Society of Antiquaries)

Number Twenty Nine, the ESB Georgian House Museum, will also be open (11:00-16:00) and admission is free the whole day. Have a look at it if you never were there, it is very interesting.

The Dalkey Christmas Fair will run in Saturday and Sunday (10:00-17:00) in Dalkey Town Hall.

The Fair showcases products and gifts made by Local Artisan Craftspeople, Designers & Makers from around South Dublin and is brought to you by The Design Loft Gallery which is based in Powerscourt House, Enniskerry.

Admission is free

“Design it” is an exhibition exploring design in a child’s world and it is part of Irish Design 2015.

The exhibition and a range of (non-free) events will introduce children to the process of design, illustrating how designers take an idea and then make it a reality.

The Ark have challenged five Irish designers to create new products for children, taking inspiration from iconic children’s toys, furniture and textiles.The Design It exhibition recreates each designer’s individual studio giving us a glimpse at their working practices, using their sketches, photographs and working prototypes, to reveal how they get from an initial idea to the final product.

Admission is free and no booking is required.

The exhibition will be open every Saturday from 7 Nov – 16 Jan (closed Sat 26 Dec) from 10:00-17:00. It will also open on Sundays 22 Nov & 6, 13, 20 Dec from 12:00-16:00.

The Dun Laoghaire Christmas Festival is this year taking place at the new location near the Maritime Museum. It runs from Thursdays to Sundays every week until 24 Dec.

With 20 stalls selling food and crafts, it is not one of the bigger markets but nestled between the new LexIcon library and the Maritime Museum it might have a better chance to create some Christmas atmosphere than the location at “The Metals” (near the Pavilion Theatre) was able to. Admission is free.

The Maritime Museum will also be involved this year and will host some events, but it seems that none of these events are free.

The outdoor children’s amusements that comes with Christmas in Dun Laoghaire will be on Harbour Plaza.

Opening hours of the market are: Thu+Fri 17:30-20:30, Sat+Sun 10:00-18:00

At George’s Dock and at the side of the CHQ building will be this year’s main Christmas market for Dublin. There is a Christmas Village (elsehwere you call that a Christmas Market!) and admission to it is free.

The market runs every day from 26 Nov-23 Dec (Mon-Fri: 11:00-21:00, Sat: 10:00-21:00, Sun 10:00-20:00).

The Christmas Market will be on the platform in George’s Dock and at the side of the CHQ building. There are also a small number of pop-up-shops and some activities in the CHQ building.

There is a lot of good, but also bad about that market and you will find more in this week’s “This is Odd!” about it. Importantly: It is not the worst and has potential, so I suggest you check it out and decide for yourself!

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 County Council Market (CoCo) in Marlay Park is taking place every Saturday and Sunday. You will find a wide range of products. There will be food to eat there and food to cook at home but also crafts and arts and books and lots more.

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.

To mark the 750th anniversary of the birth of Dante Alighieri, a public reading of the entire poem “Inferno”, one of the greatest works of world literature, is taking place. The reading of the 34 Cantos of Inferno is expected to last up to six hours!!

The Cantos will be read mainly in Italian but also in several other languages by a broad spectrum of individuals from Ireland, Italy and other countries. Dante’s original text, accompanied by a selection of versions in English, will be projected on a large screen during the performance.

Admission is free.

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

Home Decor and Design Shop “Lyón Loring” got together with like-minded companies in food and other sectors to create a boutique Christmas Market for you. It will run on 27-29 Nov, 03-05/11-13 Dec (Fri: 17:30-21:30, Sat: 11:00-17:00, Sun 12:00-16:00).

Admission is free.

A Poetry workshops for children (Age 8+) with local writer Lucinda Jacob will take place.

Admission is free. To book and for more information, contact Deansgrange Library on 01- 2850860 or deangrangelib@dlrcoco.ie

The Terenure Village Market has moved to Bushy Park and is from now on a weekly market.

The market has now grown to 40 stalls offering a whole variety of foods and crafts.

Admission is free.

Three free Yoga sessions take place in MVP in Dublin 8 every Saturday and every Sunday. The times are 12:00, 13:00 and 14:00 and the duration is 1 hour. At every session only 8 places are available, so get your bookings in early (you can book weeks in advance).

The sessions can be booked following these links:

+ 11:00-12:00
+ 12:00-13:00
+ 13:00-14:00

Classes are open level, so everyone is welcome. The Yoga Union is run by Love8.

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.

Aisling McDermott & Laura Kennedy, Irish Times journalists, beauty consultants and your new best friends, will be signing copies of their new book “About Face”. Admission is free.

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.

How does trauma affect the brain, the body, the national psyche or all three? How do buildings, bodies, artworks and stories record the traumas of our past? How do we bounce back after a trauma?

The exhibition “Trauma – Built to Break” (20 Nov – 21 Feb) in the Science Gallery is exploring the biological, psychological and societal aspects of trauma. As a sudden, violent, stressful event, trauma can be short-lived or long-lasting with impacts that range from deeply personal to universal.

Like all Science Gallery exhibitions, TRAUMA is suitable for all ages and while younger children might need some further explanation, there are lots of exhibits that can easily explained.

The Science Gallery mediators are helpers (usually students or graduates) that know the whole exhibition inside out and are very happy to help with a lot more information than the little labels at the exhibits can provide. Use their excellent service!

The Science Gallery has very visitor friendly opening hours of Tue-Fri 12:00-20:00 and Sat+Sun 12:00-18:00.
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.

The Back Page Pub is running a flea market for Sports article and clothes.

Admission is free.

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

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

Learn about the types of jewellery worn by men and women in medieval times and get the chance to make your own medieval ring brooch to wear yourself. Museum archaeologist Donna Gilligan will lead the activities.

Admission is free, but booking is required via 01 648 6332. The event will take place in the Learning Resource Room, first floor.

The short film “Santa & The Starkeeper” (5 min) will be screened every day at Dundrum Town Centre and the remarkable difference to other screening is that it will be screened on Ireland’s only Waterscreen (!!), which is the Mill Pond at Dundrum Town Centre.

The screening will happen every 20 minutes from 16:40 until Christmas. Admission is free.

The first Jameson Black Barrel Craft Market will take place from Friday until Sunday. It is a craft market with handmade gifts and there will also be live bands, a Jameson Black Barrel Bar (with complimentary tasting), Cooperage (barrel making) demonstrations and “Meet the Masters” sessions.

On Friday the market will run from 17:00-22:00 and on Saturday and Sunday it will go from 14:00-20:00.

The full programme is on the website below. The live music line up is Corner Boy (Fri), Young Folk (Sat), Cry Monster Cry (Sun).

Admission is free and no booking required.

This is a weekly Saturday night live music event event downstairs in the Wine Cave of KC Peaches Cafe. Food will be served until 21:30 and wine, minerals & music will be available until later. Admission is free and a donation into a hat at the end of the evening is appreciated.

The 6-piece band The Dodgy Few from Dublin will play ska and rocksteady.

Admission is free.

Robert Coyle is performing his show “Being Wrong is Right with Robert Coyle” in Accents Cafe. Robert describes it as a “Feel Good Talk about finding what is right by embracing being wrong”.

Doors open at 20:00, the show starts at 20:30 and finishes at 22:00.

Admission is free, but donations are welcome.

Jazz on the Green is now provided every Saturday in the bar of the Fitzwilliam Hotel. Admission is free.

This week Liza Nelson (vocals) and August Korsgaard (piano) will perform.

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.

The Jazz Cafe has live Jazz, Blues and Soul music performances every Saturday from 21:00-23:30. This week Lisa Jameson (vocals) and Dario Rodighiero (paino) will perform.

The Nightmare Singers will play a gig in the Mezz.

Admission is free.

Soul & Party Band Santoria will play a gig in the Raheny Inn. Admission seems to be free.

State Lights are performing in the Midnight Slot in Whelan’s.

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

The U2 Tribute Band “The Joshua Tree” will play at a U2 After-show party in The Church. Admission is free.

Earlier, from 16:00-18:00 a DJ and acoustic sets are getting U2 show goers in the mood.

The Lee Mahon Band will play a gig in the midnight slot at the Mezz.

Admission is free.

To help you with your Christmas entertainment and Christmas shopping, the Dublin Event Guide (for Free Events) has a comprehensive list of all (free) Christmas Markets in Greater Dublin for you!

The first markets start on 22 Nov and the longest run is until 03 January.

Check it out at www.dublinchristmasmarkets.com and tell all your friends!

If you are involved with any Christmas Market that is not listed there, just send a mail to dublineventguide@gmail.com with the subject XMAS and I will look at your event and include it in the list if it fits.

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.

The Christmas Kingdom Market in Malahide will run until 03 January on the following dates 27-29 Nov/4-6 Dec/11-13 Dec (Fri 14:00-20:00, Sat+Sun 10:00-20:00) and then daily 18-23 Dec (10:00-20:00) and 26 Dec-03 Jan (10:00-20:00).

Visiting the Craft Village and the Food Village is free, Ice Rink and Santa Visit cost money.

The Dalkey Christmas Fair will run in Saturday and Sunday (10:00-17:00) in Dalkey Town Hall.

The Fair showcases products and gifts made by Local Artisan Craftspeople, Designers & Makers from around South Dublin and is brought to you by The Design Loft Gallery which is based in Powerscourt House, Enniskerry.

Admission is free

The Dun Laoghaire Christmas Festival is this year taking place at the new location near the Maritime Museum. It runs from Thursdays to Sundays every week until 24 Dec.

With 20 stalls selling food and crafts, it is not one of the bigger markets but nestled between the new LexIcon library and the Maritime Museum it might have a better chance to create some Christmas atmosphere than the location at “The Metals” (near the Pavilion Theatre) was able to. Admission is free.

The Maritime Museum will also be involved this year and will host some events, but it seems that none of these events are free.

The outdoor children’s amusements that comes with Christmas in Dun Laoghaire will be on Harbour Plaza.

Opening hours of the market are: Thu+Fri 17:30-20:30, Sat+Sun 10:00-18:00

At George’s Dock and at the side of the CHQ building will be this year’s main Christmas market for Dublin. There is a Christmas Village (elsehwere you call that a Christmas Market!) and admission to it is free.

The market runs every day from 26 Nov-23 Dec (Mon-Fri: 11:00-21:00, Sat: 10:00-21:00, Sun 10:00-20:00).

The Christmas Market will be on the platform in George’s Dock and at the side of the CHQ building. There are also a small number of pop-up-shops and some activities in the CHQ building.

There is a lot of good, but also bad about that market and you will find more in this week’s “This is Odd!” about it. Importantly: It is not the worst and has potential, so I suggest you check it out and decide for yourself!

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 County Council Market (CoCo) in Marlay Park is taking place every Saturday and Sunday. You will find a wide range of products. There will be food to eat there and food to cook at home but also crafts and arts and books and lots more.

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.

Ireland’s biggest Music, Cd & Record Fair takes place this weekend in Block B at Smithfield. From Friday until Sunday, you will find there Vinyl, CDs, DVDs and even cassettes from all musical genres. Nearly 100 stalls are expected.

There is an admission charge on Saturday (EUR 2) that will also get you admission on Sunday or you can go on Sunday only and use the special Free Entry voucher for Dublin Event Guide readers at www.irishrecordfairs.com/concession%20page.htm You can print it or just show it on your phone to get in on Sunday for free.

You could buy all your Christmas at this market!? ;-)

The Drumcondra Village Market is an arts and crafts fair in the centre of Drumcondra. There will be Food Stalls, Flea Market, Vintage Clothing, Arts&Crafts and a Pop-Up Record Store.

Admission is free.

The next Dublin Flea Market is taking place in the Food Co-op, 12 Newmarket, just off Cork Street, Dublin 8 on Sun from 11:00-17:00. The flea market takes place every last Sunday of the month and admission is free. For more information or if you want to sell your own stuff, check out www.dublinflea.ie

“A bizarre bazaar of vintage clothing, bric-a-brac and what nots, old and new. Stalls include hand-made goods, art, jewelry, furniture, records and lots more unwanted items that may just be your treasure!”
The Co-op Hall is wheelchair accessible and lots of free parking spaces are right outside the door.

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

Home Decor and Design Shop “Lyón Loring” got together with like-minded companies in food and other sectors to create a boutique Christmas Market for you. It will run on 27-29 Nov, 03-05/11-13 Dec (Fri: 17:30-21:30, Sat: 11:00-17:00, Sun 12:00-16:00).

Admission is free.

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.

A Christmas Craft Market is taking place in St Enda’s Park.

There will be Wooden Christmas gifts, Felt decorations and other pieces, Babys patchwork cot quilts, Bird houses, Stained glass pieces, Beeswax candles & Honey, Handmade soaps & beauty products, Painted room plaques and more….

There will be letterbox for posting your letter off to Santa at the North Pole, but Santa will be there even in person to meet and greet the children. Music and Christmas Carols form a local Ukelele group will entertain you.

Admission is free.

Three free Yoga sessions take place in MVP in Dublin 8 every Saturday and every Sunday. The times are 12:00, 13:00 and 14:00 and the duration is 1 hour. At every session only 8 places are available, so get your bookings in early (you can book weeks in advance).

The sessions can be booked following these links:

+ 11:00-12:00
+ 12:00-13:00
+ 13:00-14:00

Classes are open level, so everyone is welcome. The Yoga Union is run by Love8.

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.

Christmas at the Phoenix Park Visitor Centre means that at weekends from 28 November to 20 December, you can visit the live crib and on Sundays at 14:00 and on Saturday 19 Dec at 14:00, there will be choirs performing (On 29 Nov: Garda Ladies Choir). Storytelling will take place on Sundays at 12:00 and Woodturning demos are also there.

Admission is free.

Every Sunday, the National Botanic Gardens invite to two guided walks. The first one is at 12:00 and the second one at 14:30.

Admission is free.

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 feature the RTÉ Contempo Quartet with the 3rd edition of their Dublin Song series.

How does trauma affect the brain, the body, the national psyche or all three? How do buildings, bodies, artworks and stories record the traumas of our past? How do we bounce back after a trauma?

The exhibition “Trauma – Built to Break” (20 Nov – 21 Feb) in the Science Gallery is exploring the biological, psychological and societal aspects of trauma. As a sudden, violent, stressful event, trauma can be short-lived or long-lasting with impacts that range from deeply personal to universal.

Like all Science Gallery exhibitions, TRAUMA is suitable for all ages and while younger children might need some further explanation, there are lots of exhibits that can easily explained.

The Science Gallery mediators are helpers (usually students or graduates) that know the whole exhibition inside out and are very happy to help with a lot more information than the little labels at the exhibits can provide. Use their excellent service!

The Science Gallery has very visitor friendly opening hours of Tue-Fri 12:00-20:00 and Sat+Sun 12:00-18:00.
Admission is free.

A giant snow globe, balloon modellers, Santa’s Postbox, face painters and more are going on a Christmas Roadshow to Henry Street (near Debenhams) and Grafton Street (near Stephen’s Green Shoppinc Centre) over four Sundays from 13:00-16;00.
This is the schedule:

+ 29 Nov: Henry Street
+ 06 Dec: Grafton Street
+ 13 Dec: Henry Street
+ 20 Dec: Grafton Street

Shankill will have a one-day Christmas event this year and there will be music/singing from the Bray Gospel Choir and from Tumblweed, a mini fun fair, kids entertainment, storytelling for children, a petting farm, a free visit to Santa, market stalls and food and drink.

Admission to the market is free.

Christmas at Collins Barracks will feature song and music, festive talks on the history of Christmas food and the Christmas Crib, Christmas trails and artist Emmet Kane gives a demonstration of the craft of wood-turning. Check out www.museum.ie/Events for a full programme.

The full event programme is meant to be at www.museum.ie/Events, but the National Museum recently changed their website and it seems this full programme got lost.

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!

Every Sunday until 05 December, a free tour takes place in the Hugh Lane Gallery.

Admission is free and booking is not required, but places are limited, so early arrival is recommended.

On 30 November, world leaders meet in Paris to start negotiating the next global climate deal and on the day before, people around the world are coming together to send their leaders with a strong message to Paris. The Facebook Page below outlines the expectations and demands of the protest movement.

The march will start at Custom House Quay, will cross the Liffey at Talbot Memorial Bridge, then follow City Quay, up Lombard Street and Westland Row, onto Nassau St. Then to Frederick St and it will finish across from the Dail in Molesworth Street.

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

We have high expectations nowadays for the quality of our lives: full health for the body, a calm and positive mind and a serene spirit. Are our hopes for 100% health too ambitious? Nick Gent talks about “Ways into Wellbeing”.

Admission is free,

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 this Breton Dance Session to learn or perform Breton steps. You dont need experience or special attire. Everyone is welcome.

Admission is free.

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.

“Father and Son – John & William Butler Yeats at the National Library of Ireland” with Katherine McSharry (National Library of Ireland) is the Sunday lecture in the National Gallery.

This talk is part of a free lecture series during the month of November on the theme of ‘A glance at the portraits of John Butler Yeats (1839-1922).

Admission is free.

During these workshops for 4 to 12 year olds, they will explore paintings, sculpture and architectural features through discussion and drawing.

Admission is free and no booking is required, but numbers are limited.

In parallel with the events for the O’Connell Christmas Tree Lighting, the yearly Geansai Nollag World Record Attempt will take place again.

O’Connell Street will host the biggest gathering of Christmas jumper wearers to raise money for Debra Ireland and attempt to break the world record for the most Christmas Jumpers in the same place at the same time.

Last year 1297 “horrible” jumpers were counted and that’s the number to beat. The charity this year is Debra Ireland and they willget all donations. However, participation in the World Record Attempt is free.

If you don’t have a Christmas jumper, the Metro Herald will have a pop up ‘Make your own’ Christmas jumper stand with all the baubles and bows that you will need.

Registration in O’Connell Street is required to be counted for the world record attempt.

The O’Connell Street Christmas Tree Lighting event starts at 15:30 and will feature performances by Melanie McCabe, the Dublin Gospel Choir, the Olympia Panto Freezin with Al Porter & Dustin The Turkey and the band Hometown.

The exact time for the switching on of the Christmas Tree is this year not announced, but I would expect that it is either at 17:00, 17:30 or at 18:00.

O’Connell Street will be closed for cars for the event, which will start at 15:30 with the yearly Christmas Jumper (Geansaí Nollag) World Record Attempt (listed separately in this Dublin Event Guide).

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.

The short film “Santa & The Starkeeper” (5 min) will be screened every day at Dundrum Town Centre and the remarkable difference to other screening is that it will be screened on Ireland’s only Waterscreen (!!), which is the Mill Pond at Dundrum Town Centre.

The screening will happen every 20 minutes from 16:40 until Christmas. Admission is free.

The first Jameson Black Barrel Craft Market will take place from Friday until Sunday. It is a craft market with handmade gifts and there will also be live bands, a Jameson Black Barrel Bar (with complimentary tasting), Cooperage (barrel making) demonstrations and “Meet the Masters” sessions.

On Friday the market will run from 17:00-22:00 and on Saturday and Sunday it will go from 14:00-20:00.

The full programme is on the website below. The live music line up is Corner Boy (Fri), Young Folk (Sat), Cry Monster Cry (Sun).

Admission is free and no booking required.

The Palestinian Culture Night is an evening of Palestinian food, film, music, poetry and prose, a film screening of ‘When I Saw You’ by Annemarie Jacir (at 20:00) and an exhibition of posters from the IPSC archive.

Admission is free, but space is limited. The film screening is free, but ticketed and only 66 seats are available. Tickets are available from 18:00.

The event is hosted by the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) and The New Theatre.

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

At the Jawbone Gig night in Arthur’s Pub, Acoustic Folk & Blues will be performed every Sunday. Admission is free.

www.facebook.com/pages/Jawbone-Dublin-Acoustic-Folk-Blues-Commune/724102984268967

The Gardiner Street Gospel Choir sings every Sunday from September to June at their “Gig in God’s Gaff”, a Mass in St. Francis Xavier Church at the top of Gardiner Street near the junction with Dorset Street.

The Gardiner Street Gospel Choir, one of the best known gospel choirs in Ireland will give you a chance to experience a mass with a difference. It is uplifting and inspiring and everybody is welcome independent from your level of religiousness or your relationship with the Catholic Church in other contexts.

Disclaimer: I am involved with the Gardiner Street Gospel Choir, so the description above MIGHT not be totally unbiased. But just take it from me, they are brilliant! ;-)

Vocalist, guitarist and performer, Lee Meehan, joins guitarist and composer Hugh Buckley for a jazzy, soulful gig.

Admission is free.

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.

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).

“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.

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.

To help you with your Christmas entertainment and Christmas shopping, the Dublin Event Guide (for Free Events) has a comprehensive list of all (free) Christmas Markets in Greater Dublin for you!

The first markets start on 22 Nov and the longest run is until 03 January.

Check it out at www.dublinchristmasmarkets.com and tell all your friends!

If you are involved with any Christmas Market that is not listed there, just send a mail to dublineventguide@gmail.com with the subject XMAS and I will look at your event and include it in the list if it fits.

Emily Gallagher will run a weekly “just for fun” photo trail where you get instructions to hunt for specific snaps around the city centre. Afterwards the symbolic significance to the snaps will be shared. The overall theme is “Get a glimpse of directions you may wish your life to take and discover decisions you may desire to make.”

Meeting point is the Meeting House Square.

Participation in the photo trails is free but donations are welcome and booking is required via egaldog@gmail.com or 0852725095

At George’s Dock and at the side of the CHQ building will be this year’s main Christmas market for Dublin. There is a Christmas Village (elsehwere you call that a Christmas Market!) and admission to it is free.

The market runs every day from 26 Nov-23 Dec (Mon-Fri: 11:00-21:00, Sat: 10:00-21:00, Sun 10:00-20:00).

The Christmas Market will be on the platform in George’s Dock and at the side of the CHQ building. There are also a small number of pop-up-shops and some activities in the CHQ building.

There is a lot of good, but also bad about that market and you will find more in this week’s “This is Odd!” about it. Importantly: It is not the worst and has potential, so I suggest you check it out and decide for yourself!

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.

“France’s last ‘crusade’? Louis XIV and the Ottoman Empire” with Phil McCluskey (University of Hull) is the next event in the “Centre for Early Modern History Seminar Series 2015-16”. Admission is free.

The Music Department of Trinity College Dublin invites to the lecture ““It just seemed to go out of fashion” [Adrian Boult] The mysterious disappearance of orchestral string portamento” with Dr Simon Trezise (Trinity College Dublin).

Admission is free.

Dr. Jarlath Killeen (Trinity College Dublin) will look at what biographers and critics have said about Bram Stoker and evaluate these perspectives.

Admission is free, but booking is required via 01 8336297.

The public meeting “End Rape Culture & Violence Against Women” with Tom Meagher (who has campaigned against violence against women since the murder of his wife Jill Meagher), Niamh NiDhomhnaill (anti-rape campaigner), Ruth Coppinger TD and Joanna Orr (ROSA activist) will take place.

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.

Dr Susan McKenna-Lawlor will speak on her involvement with the current Rosetta Mission to comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, and with its lander module Philae.

McKenna-Lawlor is an Emeritus Professor at Maynooth University’s Department of Experimental Physics and she is also Managing Director of Space Technology Ireland Ltd (STIL).

Admission is free.

Every Monday the Woolshed Bad hosts “Al Porter’s Comedy Shed”. Admission is free.

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).

Every Monday 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).

An Open Trad Music Session is taking place every Monday in Mother Reilly’s. Admission is free.

Donal Kirk and Jimmy Smith are playing music from Lowell George Little Feat, Bonnie Raitt, Free, Bad Company, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Beatles, Bobby Bland, Vince Gill, Ray Charles, Etta James, Elvis, Ry Cooder, Dobie Gray, Guy Clarke, early ZZ Top, Dave Edmunds, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Willie Nelson.

Admission is free.

To help you with your Christmas entertainment and Christmas shopping, the Dublin Event Guide (for Free Events) has a comprehensive list of all (free) Christmas Markets in Greater Dublin for you!

The first markets start on 22 Nov and the longest run is until 03 January.

Check it out at www.dublinchristmasmarkets.com and tell all your friends!

If you are involved with any Christmas Market that is not listed there, just send a mail to dublineventguide@gmail.com with the subject XMAS and I will look at your event and include it in the list if it fits.

“These Are a Few of My Favourite Things” is the title of a Walking Tour that Emily Gallagher runs on Tuesdays 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 myfavouritesdublincitywalktour@gmail.com or 085-2725095

At George’s Dock and at the side of the CHQ building will be this year’s main Christmas market for Dublin. There is a Christmas Village (elsehwere you call that a Christmas Market!) and admission to it is free.

The market runs every day from 26 Nov-23 Dec (Mon-Fri: 11:00-21:00, Sat: 10:00-21:00, Sun 10:00-20:00).

The Christmas Market will be on the platform in George’s Dock and at the side of the CHQ building. There are also a small number of pop-up-shops and some activities in the CHQ building.

There is a lot of good, but also bad about that market and you will find more in this week’s “This is Odd!” about it. Importantly: It is not the worst and has potential, so I suggest you check it out and decide for yourself!

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.

A series of lunchtime concerts presented by the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland in collaboration with Conservatoires Ireland wioll take place.

It is an exciting showcase of emerging talent from the CIT Cork School of Music, DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama and the Royal Irish Academy of Music.

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

“The Origins of the Ethnographic Collections in the National Museum of Ireland” is a lecture by Fiona Reilly (Assistant Keeper, Irish Antiquities Division, National Museum of Ireland).

The lecture will focus on the Ethnographical collections of the Irish Antiquities division which date mostly from the late 18th to the early 20th century. They have their origins in the collections of Trinity College Dublin and the Royal Dublin Society and include objects collected by Irish men and women, from the Pacific, North and South America, Africa and South and East Asia.

Admission is free, but booking is required via 01 648 6334 or email educationarch@museum.ie

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 Book Depository 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 Book Depository would get, they give back to the Dublin Event Guide. Everybody wins!

www.bookdepository.com?a_aid=dubevg

If you prefer Amazon to buy your books (for free postage you need to order a minimum of GBP 25), then use this Amazon link to help the Dublin Event Guide. Thanks!

Fortune’ s Wheel is a true story about Bill Stephens, his lions and the 1951 Fairview Lion escape. It will be screened next on 01 Dec at 17:45 in Raheny Library.

Admission is free, but booking is recommended on 01-8315521

01 December is the one year anniversary of the tragic death of homeless man Jonathan Corrie and despite government promises to solve the housing crisis things got worse. This protest wants to point out that

“There are now at least 1,500 children living in emergency accommodation, rents are escalating beyond affordable levels, there are ‘economic’ evictions, mortgage arrears, repossessions, 100,000 households on the housing waiting lists, substandard accommodation and the growing numbers of those unable to buy a home.”

Anf the goal of the protest is to show solidarity to demand action to address the housing and homeless crisis as a matter of urgency.

Supporting organisations are:
Help 4 The Homeless Ballyfermot, Peter McVerry Trust, Focus Ireland, Dublin Simon Community, Br Kevin Crowley – Capuchin Day Centre, Housing Action Now, Merchants Quay, SIPTU, Right2Change Trade Unions, Sinn Fe?in, Anti-Austerity Alliance, People Before Profit, Social Democrats, Young Workers Network, IMPACT, Mandate, Unite, CWU, Opatsi, DCTU, MRCI, Uplift, Pavee Point, Irish Traveller Movement, United Against Racism, Irish Refugee Council, North Dublin Bay Housing Crisis Community, The Workers Party, The ICTU Youth Committee and more.

The book launch “Everything to Play For – 99 Poems about Sport” with special guest readers Elaine Feeney, Iggy McGovern, John O’Donnell and Enda Wyley will take place in Hodges Figgis.

The anthology of sports poems has been edited by poet John McAuliffe and a long list of poet have contributed to it.

Admission is free. Booking via media@poetryireland.ie was requested by 27 November, but if you want to go to this event, I would still try it on Monday to send a mail and hope for the best.

Lifelogging is using technology to log life activities with the potential for benefits for healthcare, productivity, learning and social interactions and the people that come to this get together are all active lifeloggers or want to know more about how to do it and what you can do. The Meet-Up group is here: www.meetup.com/Lifelogging-Dublin/events/226217550/

The next meeting will have the following guest speakers:

+ Dr. Peter Briggs (HeyStaks) will talk about the commercial value of personal data and describe how his company uses personal data.
+ Zaher Hinbarji (DCU) returns to present his LoggerMan semantic memory software that is freely available for mac at loggerman.org.
+ Humberto Corona (Zalando and ex UCD) will talk about the use of personal (lifelog) data for recommender systems.

Admission is free, but registration is required here.

Parents, Teachers, Educators, Grandparents, Aunties, Uncles and Friends are invited WITH their kids to this launch of the Travel Kids Club, that will give children aged 6-11 a chance to travel vicariously around the world making a difference with their choices. THe travel is happening through a monthly artistic package delivered by mail that is full of stories and adventures from far away places and an activity pack.

On Tuesday there will be snacks, activities for the kids, goody bags and admission is free.

Registration is required: Call 083 849 4052 or tell the organisers via the Facebook Page below how many adults and children will be coming with you.

The Fondation Alliance Française International Photography Contest was this year dedicated to the topic of climate change and for the opening of the Green Week in the Alliance Francaise, some of the photographs from the 105 Alliances françaises in 43 countries who participated in the contest will be shown.

Admission to the opening of the Green Week is free, but booking is required via rsvp@alliance-francaise.ie with subject “Green Week Opening”.

The book “James Joyce and the end of the novel” by Enrico Terrinoni will be launched. Dr. Enrico Terrinoni is Associate Professor of English Literature at the University for Foreigners, Perugia and he holds a PhD in Anglo-Irish literature from UCD.

He will be in conversation with Derek Hand (Head of the English Department of St Patrick’s College, Drumcondra).

There will also be a musical performance by Antóni O’Breskey (composer, pianist, singer, trumpet player and writer).

Admission is free, but booking is required via iicdublino@esteri.it

The First World War was the first ‘total war’ where entire populations were mobilised and demonised. How did that affect the popular culture (music, cinema, fashion, slang, etc.) of the societies involved and of subject nations like Ireland in particular?
And how was the war represented in popular culture?

These and related questions will be discussed by History Ireland editor Tommy Graham, Maurice Walsh, John Horne, Angus Mitchell and Jennifer Wellington

Admission is free and booking is not required.

Richard Collins will speak and discuss birds and their various habits and behaviours in his talk “Birds, Quirks and Foibles”. Dr Richard Collins is a Naturalist and contributor to the Mooney Goes Wild Show.

Admission is free. The event is part of the DLR Biodiversity Events.

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 improv comedy troupe. Splendid Lunatics are performing in the Generator Hostel again and admission is free. Improv Comedy is popular at the moment in Dublin, but there are not many free shows out there, so the Splendid Lunatics already stand out!

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.

Live sessions with the Blue Moon Folk and Blues Collective are taking place every Tuesday at the Beerhouse. Admission is free.

An Open Mic Night with full band set up will take place in Arthur’s Pub. It is organised by the students of the BIMM Music College course at DIT.

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 on the Facebook Page below. Admission is free.

The Comedy Crunch is a free Stand Up comedy event every Sunday and Monday AND Tuesday. 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).

Pete Cummins, Grammy award winning songwriter will play songs from his album “Crooked Highways”. Every Monday he and his band will be in the Leeson Lounge. Admission is free, donations are welcome.

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 week there is a free pub quiz in Sober Lane, the new-ish pub in Irishtown. There are lots of other weekly events happening there too, check them out here.

The Lounge Quintet plays this gig every Tuesday: Jazz Standards, Latin and Bebop. Often guest musicians and singers join them. Admission is free, donations are welcome.

A totally unplugged Singer/Songwriter night (no PA, no microphones) with original music is taking place upstairs in Anseo every Tuesday from 21:30.

Please check on the Facebook Page below if the event is going ahead as it seems to get cancelled every now and then and if you want to play a 15-30 min set or just want to play one song make yourself heard via the same Facebook Page.

Admission is free.

Every Tuesday and Thursday the International Bar invites to a Jazz night in the Lounge.

Groups led by Cote Calmet, Sean Maynard Smith, Dominic Mullan, Paddy Groenland, Georgia Cusack & Alex Mathias are performing regularly with occasional guest players, but there are also other bands from all over.

Admission is free, with a suggested donation of EUR 5. The website clearly says that there is no entry fee, but – and that makes a lot of sense – that your donations are very much appreciated (Musicians need to pay for rent and food too!) Be generous after the gig if you liked it, but if someone wants to charge an admission charge, please point out that the “rules” as described on their website are like I have explained.

To help you with your Christmas entertainment and Christmas shopping, the Dublin Event Guide (for Free Events) has a comprehensive list of all (free) Christmas Markets in Greater Dublin for you!

The first markets start on 22 Nov and the longest run is until 03 January.

Check it out at www.dublinchristmasmarkets.com and tell all your friends!

If you are involved with any Christmas Market that is not listed there, just send a mail to dublineventguide@gmail.com with the subject XMAS and I will look at your event and include it in the list if it fits.

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

Most OPW owned sites can already be visited for free, but the sites that normally charge a fee will be free every first Wednesday as well. In the (extended) Greater Dublin Area this means you can visit the following sites for free:
+ The Casino, Marino (closed from 01 Nov-13 March)
+ Dublin Castle, State Apartments
+ Kilmainham Gaol
+ Rathfarnham Castle
+ Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre at Newgrange
+ Glendalough Visitor Centre in Wicklow

As you can imagine, this event is very popular and therfore it is strongly recommended to arrive early at the venues. In most locations, once the day’s tickets are given out, you will not get access anymore. Dublin Castle allowed continued access for self-guided tours over the summer and if that system continues even in winter, Dublin Castle will probably be the most accessible of all the locations.

This event is an opportunity for Sarcoma Patients to meet others who are or who have been in similar situations, learn more about this group of diseases and learn how and where they are treated in Ireland.

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

Did you ever want to give drawing a go? Or maybe you are a budding artist looking for like-minded people to draw with? The Creative Den in Rua Red runs free weekly drawing sessions on Wednesdays at 11:00

At George’s Dock and at the side of the CHQ building will be this year’s main Christmas market for Dublin. There is a Christmas Village (elsehwere you call that a Christmas Market!) and admission to it is free.

The market runs every day from 26 Nov-23 Dec (Mon-Fri: 11:00-21:00, Sat: 10:00-21:00, Sun 10:00-20:00).

The Christmas Market will be on the platform in George’s Dock and at the side of the CHQ building. There are also a small number of pop-up-shops and some activities in the CHQ building.

There is a lot of good, but also bad about that market and you will find more in this week’s “This is Odd!” about it. Importantly: It is not the worst and has potential, so I suggest you check it out and decide for yourself!

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.

Diarmaid Ó Catháin will talk about “Dr John Fergus: eighteenth-century doctor and book collector” in the talk series “Gaelic Medical Learning and its Cultural Afterlife”.

Admission is free.

The Dublin City Public Libraries continue their Career Direction and Development Programme with the free talk “Climbing the Career Ladder: From First Steps to Ongoing Progress and Success” with Career Consultant Martin Moore.

Admission is free. Booking is recommended via 01 873 3996

“‘Another Irish-Kenyan thank God!’ The Irish contribution to the colonial legal service in Kenya” by Dr Helen O’Shea, University of Dundee is the next lexture in the “Centre for Contemporary Irish History Seminar Series 2015-16”.

Admission 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.

This event is a discussion with participants on the Kooshk / IMMA residency exchange programme for critical writers.

“IMMA resident Siamak Delzendeh explores contemporary Iranian art, drawing on multiple references from classical art to various dynasties throughout history. This presentation prompts an open discussion, where Barry Kehoe and Anne Mullee (Irish partcipants) join Siamak Delzendeh in a conversation to explore their collective experiences and observations after a three week residency at Kooshk in Tehran.”

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

The Dublin City Library and Archive celebrates the 750th anniversary of Dante’s birth:

The evening will consist of readings from Dante’s masterpiece, the Divine Comedy in English with actress Derbhle Crotty, in Italian with Dr. Adriana Lo Franco and as gaeilge with Dr. Ciaran O Coigligh. The readings will be interspersed with music.

Written in Italian, the Divine Comedy is regarded as a masterpiece of world literature and has inspired artists and poets in their own interpretation of Heaven and Hell.

Admission is free, but places are limited.

This is an open mic night every Wednesday. Arrive, sign up and play. Admission is free.

The Bretzel Bakery & Real Bread Ireland are inviting to “The Real Bread Gathering”, where the best craft bakers and campaigners in Ireland come together for a talk and a panel discussion on all things real bread. There will also be great breads to taste and to take home.

Guest speaker Andrew Whitley, baker, writer and real bread campaigner will talk about “The Rise of Real Bread in Ireland brings opportunities to make bread better for our health, our communities and the planet. How can we make the most of them?”

There will also be a panel discussion, with members of Real Bread Ireland, which will include Chef, Restaurateur and food activist, Jp McMahon.

Admission is free.

The Roots Band “Brand New Switcharoo” will perform in the Harbour Bar. Admission is free.

The Des Hopkins Dixieland Bandwill perform a programme of traditional, swing dixieland and mainstream standards.

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.

Check the Facebook Page below for the line-up.

The Anseo Comedy Club, run by comedian Aidan Killian, takes place every Wednesday in Anseo (upstairs).

Admission is free, donations are welcome.

“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 two weeks, Comedy Kitchen, a stand-up comedy event comes to Crowbar (in the same building as the Button Factory) in Temple Bar. There will be 6 stand-up comedians performing.

The next date should be the 02 Dec, but the Facebook Page doesn’t say anything yet about it at the time of writing this. So please check before you go out to this event.

Los Paradiso are playing Rockabilly, Tex Mex, Western Swing, Surf in the Leeson Lounge. Admission is free, but donations are appreciated.

The Jazz Pigs with a classic multi-brass front line play a mix of Lounge, lively sixties Jazz and driving Funk. Every Wednesday downstairs in 4 Dame Lane. 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).

To help you with your Christmas entertainment and Christmas shopping, the Dublin Event Guide (for Free Events) has a comprehensive list of all (free) Christmas Markets in Greater Dublin for you!

The first markets start on 22 Nov and the longest run is until 03 January.

Check it out at www.dublinchristmasmarkets.com and tell all your friends!

If you are involved with any Christmas Market that is not listed there, just send a mail to dublineventguide@gmail.com with the subject XMAS and I will look at your event and include it in the list if it fits.

You have a painting at home and want to know its value? The National Gallery Curators appraise paintings, prints and drawings brought into the Gallery.

The Picture Clinic takes place on the first Thursday of every month (except August and January). No appointments necessary.

Admission is free.

A Christmas Card Workshop will take place in Rua Red, where you will learn how to create your own imaginative screen-printed Christmas cards.

Admission is free, but booking is required. Contact info@ruared.ie to book. The workshop takes place in Thursday and Friday (03+04 Dec) from 10:30-12:00 and from 12:30-14:00.

At George’s Dock and at the side of the CHQ building will be this year’s main Christmas market for Dublin. There is a Christmas Village (elsehwere you call that a Christmas Market!) and admission to it is free.

The market runs every day from 26 Nov-23 Dec (Mon-Fri: 11:00-21:00, Sat: 10:00-21:00, Sun 10:00-20:00).

The Christmas Market will be on the platform in George’s Dock and at the side of the CHQ building. There are also a small number of pop-up-shops and some activities in the CHQ building.

There is a lot of good, but also bad about that market and you will find more in this week’s “This is Odd!” about it. Importantly: It is not the worst and has potential, so I suggest you check it out and decide for yourself!

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 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.

Dr. Michelle O’Sullivan (Lecturer,Kemmy Business School,UL) will talk about “Zero Hours Work: Drivers and Outcomes” at this lunchtime seminar.

At these lunchtime seminars of TASC (Think Tank for Action on Soicial Change) you are invited to bring your own ‘brown bag’ lunch to eat during the seminar. Tea and coffee will be available.

Admission is free, but booking is required via Sylvia Byrne on 01 6169050 or by email to sbyrne@tasc.ie

A Tormbone Quartet with Christopher Nery will perform a lunchtime recital.

Admission is free, but donations are appreciated.

A public tour of the exhibition “Yeats: The Life and Works of William Butler Yeats” is taking place and as this year marks the 150th anniversary of the poet’s birth in 1835, the tour will introduce the life and work of the poet.

Admission is free and booking is not required, however, places are limited.

“Imagining Reconstruction in Western Europe, during and after the First World War” is a lecture/seminar by Dr Pierre Purseigle (University of Warwick/TCD) and Dr Alex Dowdall (TCD) about frontline cities during the First Wolrd War. The event is organised by the TCD Centre for War Studies.

Admission is free,

The Debt and Development Coalition Ireland invites you to attend a panel discussion about the role of the IMF in debt crises all over the world.

Panellists are Sargon Nissan and Aideen Elliott and their background and more details about the event is described on the website below.

Admission is free, and to register contact sian@debtireland.org

The Dun Laoghaire Christmas Festival is this year taking place at the new location near the Maritime Museum. It runs from Thursdays to Sundays every week until 24 Dec.

With 20 stalls selling food and crafts, it is not one of the bigger markets but nestled between the new LexIcon library and the Maritime Museum it might have a better chance to create some Christmas atmosphere than the location at “The Metals” (near the Pavilion Theatre) was able to. Admission is free.

The Maritime Museum will also be involved this year and will host some events, but it seems that none of these events are free.

The outdoor children’s amusements that comes with Christmas in Dun Laoghaire will be on Harbour Plaza.

Opening hours of the market are: Thu+Fri 17:30-20:30, Sat+Sun 10:00-18:00

The book launch of “Medieval Ecclesiastical Buildings in Ireland, 1789–1915: Building on the Past” by Dr Niamh NicGhabhann (University of Limerick) will take place. The book will be launched by Professor Roger Stalley, Professor Emeritus of the History of Art, Trinity College Dublin.

Admission is free, but booking is required via info@fourcourtspress.ie

The Science Gallery Café is inviting to the Irish premiere screening of the film Barista.

This film follows Charles Babinski and other heavyweights of the US coffee scene as they progress through the US Barista Championships, from the dedicated preparation required to put together a world-class routine, to the intense pressure of performing in front of the coffee world’s best and brightest.

Doors will open at 18:00 and the Science Gallery Café will be serving food, drinks and holding a cupping of Cloud Picker Coffee’s latest roasts. The screening will start at 19:30.

The screening is free of charge however places are limited, so booking on the website below is required.

A weekly Forro Night (Brazilian Dance) with a Forro Live Band takes place in the D-One Bar & Brazilian Grill every Thursday.

Admission is free.

Girl Geek Dinners are a chance for ladies in technology to get together, enjoy some nice food and drinks and have fun meeting other women in their field.

Agenda and details are here and you need to register for this free event here. Men are allowed to come but only when invited by a woman, check the rules on the website below.

At the December meeting Andrea Magnorsky will give a brief history of computing.

On Thursdays from 18:00-20:00, the Little Museum of Dublin waives all admission charges thanks to sponsor Guinness.

Visit the museum and find out lots more about Dublin.

Vit Vrecek Dobrin is inviting to an introductory workshop about Traditional Chinese Medicine. You will find out what it is, how it works and what it can be used for.

Vit Vre?ek Dobrin is a Trainee Practitioner at ICTCM College in Dublin and there is a lot more information on the Facebook Event Page below.

Admission is free.

The Paris Climate Conference is taking place at the moment and therefore the Alliance Francaise are running the Green Week. The event on Thursday is a talk called “Raising the City”. It will highlight different initiatives working for a sustainable, green and cooperative society. Artist (Méadhbh O’Connor), a member of an organization (Trocaire) and a start-up (OBEO) will present their different points of view.

Admission is free, but booking is required via rsvp@alliance-francaise.ie with subject “Green Talk”.

“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 myfavouritesdublincitywalktour@gmail.com or 085-2725095

“Celts in the Cosmos” by Professor Werner Nahm (DIAS) is a talk as part of the 75th Anniversary of the Dublin Institute of Advanced Studies (DIAS). Unfortuantely the topic is not explained further.

Admission is free but advance booking is required here.

Every Thursday, the Xchange invites to a Language Exchange (19:00-20:30). Admission is free.

‘Conversazione’ is a relaxed and informal gathering for all and it is organised by the Irish Garden Plant Society. Bring along plants, pictures and your gardening anecdotes.

Admission is free.

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.

A new weekly Table Quiz takes place in the Grand Social. Every Thursdayteams of 4 people (or at least 2 people) will compete against each other over questions from the areas of General Knowledge, Music, Film, Sports & Entertainment.

Admission is free.

The Hardchargers from Belfast are playing Blues/Roots and Rock.

Admission is free.

Every Thursday 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.

A Fun Pub Quiz takes place in Brady’s in Terenure on Thurs. The quiz will be on every Thursday night in the Lounge at Brady’s. Keith McLoughlin is the Quiz Master.

There will be six rounds of the quiz with picture questions, audio questions and general knowledge questions. Admission to the quiz is free and therr will be free drink vouchers for the winning and runner up teams. (No phones to get answers allowed.)

Every Tuesday and Thursday the International Bar invites to a Jazz night in the Lounge.

Groups led by Cote Calmet, Sean Maynard Smith, Dominic Mullan, Paddy Groenland, Georgia Cusack & Alex Mathias are performing regularly with occasional guest players, but there are also other bands from all over.

Admission is free, with a suggested donation of EUR 5. The website clearly says that there is no entry fee, but – and that makes a lot of sense – that your donations are very much appreciated (Musicians need to pay for rent and food too!) Be generous after the gig if you liked it, but if someone wants to charge an admission charge, please point out that the “rules” as described on their website are like I have explained.

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

A weekly Trad Music Night is taking place in McLoughlin’s in Dun Laoghaire. It is an acoustic night and all musicians are welcome. Admission is free.

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

The Woolshed Karaoke is happening every Thursday from 21:30. Anyone can participate! Admission is free.

The Office of the Dublin Commissioner for Startups is inviting to a free Christmas Brekkie (free) on Friday for Startups and people interested.

The office is a one story white building, located opposite the CHQ Building at the foot of the Sean O’Casey pedestrian bridge. There is usually a coffee angel parked outside.

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

To help you with your Christmas entertainment and Christmas shopping, the Dublin Event Guide (for Free Events) has a comprehensive list of all (free) Christmas Markets in Greater Dublin for you!

The first markets start on 22 Nov and the longest run is until 03 January.

Check it out at www.dublinchristmasmarkets.com and tell all your friends!

If you are involved with any Christmas Market that is not listed there, just send a mail to dublineventguide@gmail.com with the subject XMAS and I will look at your event and include it in the list if it fits.

At George’s Dock and at the side of the CHQ building will be this year’s main Christmas market for Dublin. There is a Christmas Village (elsehwere you call that a Christmas Market!) and admission to it is free.

The market runs every day from 26 Nov-23 Dec (Mon-Fri: 11:00-21:00, Sat: 10:00-21:00, Sun 10:00-20:00).

The Christmas Market will be on the platform in George’s Dock and at the side of the CHQ building. There are also a small number of pop-up-shops and some activities in the CHQ building.

There is a lot of good, but also bad about that market and you will find more in this week’s “This is Odd!” about it. Importantly: It is not the worst and has potential, so I suggest you check it out and decide for yourself!

Five times this year the “People’s Art 2015″ exhibition will take place. It is an art exhibition on the rails/fence of St. Stephen’s Green.

(If you want to exhibit at one of the events in the future, check the website for cost and conditions.)

Visiting the People’s Art Exhibition is free and you will be able to admire (and buy) a huge amount of art works. The event starts close to 11:00 and typically finishes around 17:00, it runs from Friday until Sunday with the main activity on Saturday and Sunday.

People’s Art Dublin is a voluntary, part time, non profit making group, brought together by Dublin City Council to promote the visual arts to the public of Dublin. A huge variety of art/paintings are displayed and if the weather is nice it is a great art-filled stroll around Stephen’s Green. Definitely recommended!

Raffaello, the white chocolate free, coconut sweet is bringing 10,000 samples to Dublin and will hand them out on Friday and Saturday (04+05 Dec) near Merrion Square.

In addition they are bringing a Hot Air Balloon to Dublin that will rise up over Dublin for 20 minute trips of a max of 4 people per ride. The Balloon Trip is free, but it seems that “first come, first served” is the chosen method of filling the balloon. And since on the two days only a total of 192 people will be able to enjoy this great experience, you might not bet too much on making it into the basked under the balloon.

But for the 192? Wow! What an experience!

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 Christmas Bazaar will be one of Dublin’s biggest Christmas Markets this year. Not in the sense of “Christmas Market”, but more as a “Market at Christmas”. There will be all sorts of crafts, gift ideas and anything else you (or someone else) might buy around Christmas. It is a great event at Smithfield and the 120 stalls will attract thousands of visitors.

Admission is free.

Last year there was only one of these huge markets in Dublin, but this year we will have two. The first one is the Christmas Bazaar from 04-06 December and the second one will be the Dublin Flea Christmas Cracker Market from 11-13 December.

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.

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 Book Depository 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 Book Depository would get, they give back to the Dublin Event Guide. Everybody wins!

www.bookdepository.com?a_aid=dubevg

If you prefer Amazon to buy your books (for free postage you need to order a minimum of GBP 25), then use this Amazon link to help the Dublin Event Guide. Thanks!

The Contemporary Music Centre perform Musical Tales – a concert series celebrating the music of contemporary Irish composers.

The next performance will be in Rathmines Library.

Admission is free, but booking is recommended via 01- 4973539.

Lianne Pierce is performing a Piano Recital in St. Ann’s Church on Friday.

Admission is free, but donations are appreciated.

The Christmas Kingdom Market in Malahide will run until 03 January on the following dates 27-29 Nov/4-6 Dec/11-13 Dec (Fri 14:00-20:00, Sat+Sun 10:00-20:00) and then daily 18-23 Dec (10:00-20:00) and 26 Dec-03 Jan (10:00-20:00).

Visiting the Craft Village and the Food Village is free, Ice Rink and Santa Visit cost money.

The Dun Laoghaire Christmas Festival is this year taking place at the new location near the Maritime Museum. It runs from Thursdays to Sundays every week until 24 Dec.

With 20 stalls selling food and crafts, it is not one of the bigger markets but nestled between the new LexIcon library and the Maritime Museum it might have a better chance to create some Christmas atmosphere than the location at “The Metals” (near the Pavilion Theatre) was able to. Admission is free.

The Maritime Museum will also be involved this year and will host some events, but it seems that none of these events are free.

The outdoor children’s amusements that comes with Christmas in Dun Laoghaire will be on Harbour Plaza.

Opening hours of the market are: Thu+Fri 17:30-20:30, Sat+Sun 10:00-18:00

Home Decor and Design Shop “Lyón Loring” got together with like-minded companies in food and other sectors to create a boutique Christmas Market for you. It will run on 27-29 Nov, 03-05/11-13 Dec (Fri: 17:30-21:30, Sat: 11:00-17:00, Sun 12:00-16:00).

Admission is free.

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

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

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

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. followed by DJs until late. Admission is free.