Dublin Event Guide 474: Rose Festival, Canal Bank Market, Liberties Festival, Festival of Curiosity

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

The 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
+ St. Anne’s Park, Raheny, Dublin 5
+ Father Collins Park, Donaghmeade/Clongriffin, Dublin 13
+ Tymon Park, Tallaght, Dublin 24

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.

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.

Pace Pilates are inviting to a free open air pilates class and a talk by a life coach following the talk.

If you are interested, but can’t make it today, check their Facebook page, there will be more opportunities: www.facebook.com/PacePilates/

The yearly Rose Festival in St. Anne’s Park is a great event for the whole family.

This is a family festival with a mix of music, market stalls, food vendors, living history displays, falconry, biodiversity events (with Beekepers, Birdwatch Ireland, Irish Wildlife Trust and a lot of other contributors), the Wooly Wards Petting Zoo and more. There are lots of child friendly attractions on site including a really great playground, but the grown ups also have enough entertainment. ;-)

In recent years, the roses weren’t in best state for the festival (due to the weather before the weekend), so if that is your main reason to go, maybe don’t expect too much, but there is more to do and admire in St Anne’s Park.

Admission to the festival is free. Many might also remember that parking was free, that has changed this year: A EUR 3 charge for parking your car on site for the day will be raised.

The Music and Dance programme on Satuday and Sunday is
11:00-12:00 Ballet Fusion
12:00-13:00 Traditional Music
14:00-16:00 Mongoose Band
16:00-18:00 Prairie Dawgs
Please note that the “official” times above don’t fully work for two reasons: There is an unexpected gap between 13:00 and 14:00 and also elsewhere the end time for the festival is listed as 17:30, not 18:00. So I expect that the start time for the Mongoose Band and the Prairie Dawgs is at least 30 minutes earlier.

I like the Rose Festival and have been there in most years. It has a very relaxed vibe with plenty of activities and I also like the Mongoose Band and the folk & bluegrass band Prairie Dawgs, so I will be there again! ;-)

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.

Explore the untold stories and forgotten heroes of 1916. This event will involve a visit of the “Proclaiming a Republic: The 1916 Rising” exhibition followed by craft-making, weaving and conversations with fashion designer Alison Conneely and weaver Katie Hanlan.

The workshop (suitable for adults) will explore colour, texture and textiles as a means to how we think about our histories. No previous experience is needed. Booking required via 01-6777444

“These Are a Few of My Favourite Things” is the title of a Walking Tour that Emily Gallagher runs every Saturday. It is 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!”

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

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.

Dublin Fire Brigade Historian and serving Firefighter/Paramedic Las Fallon is giving tours of Dublin Fire Brigade 1916 exhbition in City Hall Dublin every Saturday in July. Tours take place at 11:30, 13:00 and 15:00 and are suitable for all ages.

Admission is free.

A free Family drop-in workshop will take place on most days of the coming weekend and week for children aged 4-10. Find all the details on the website below.

The themes are
Saturday: Impressionism
Monday: Renaissance
Tuesday: Cubism
Wednesday: Pointillism
Thursday: Baroque
Friday: Abstract Art

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.

The next Thomas House Record Market is happening this Saturday. There will be thousands or records across all genres and DJs will entertain you all day.

Admission is free.

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 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.

A Ceremonial Military Guard will parade at the site of the “National Memorial to Members of the Defence Forces who died in the Service of the State”, at Merrion Square during July and August. Ceremonies will take place at the pyramid at Merrion Square opposite the back entrance to the Dail, every Saturday from 16 July to 20 August 2015.

Units from different sections of the Defence Forces (Army, Air Corps and Naval Service) will participate in this Military Guard Ceremony to remember their comrades. Every week different units will be involved and the ceremony and the participating units are described on the website below.

The exhibition “SEEING – What are you looking at?” (24 June – 25 Sept 2016) in the Science Gallery is exploring the sensory experience of vision, understanding and perception. It looks at how us human beings see by using eye tracking technology, eye tests and colour perception, but it also shows how machines see and what their limitations are.

It is a great exhibition full of intriguing exhibits, some are very clear, others need some more explanation or you should at least read the explanatory labels that every exhibit has.

Like all Science Gallery exhibitions, SEEING is suitable for all ages with a particular focus on the age group of 15-25, but I would say that children from 10 years of age can understand the whole exhibition if they get some additional explanations and there are even some exhibits that would work for younger children.

When you go to see the exhibition, get help from the Science Gallery mediators! They 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 and it will help you soo much more to have a better experience

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.

Watch calligrapher, Mustafa Ja’far demonstrate his exquisite calligraphy technique. Mustafa learned his craft in Baghdad in 1969 and studied painting and design in Rome. He has conducted numerous workshops, demonstrations and talks in various cultural institutions in the UK and is the author of the book “Arabic calligraphy: naskh script for beginners”.

Admission is free and no booking required.

The Royal Horticultural Society of Ireland’s Annual Sweet Pea Show in the National Botanic Gardens will take place on Saturday and Sunday.

See a “display of sweet pea grown on ‘cordons’ by the leading growers in the country. On Saturday morning over a dozen growers will arrive in the Teak House to transform it into a sweet pea wonderland before the plants are judged. From midday on Saturday all are welcome to view the prizewinning sweet peas.”

Opening times: Saturday 12:30-17:30 Sunday: 10:00–17:00

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 Bernard Shaw Flea Market is a weekly market (every Saturday) with approx 16 stalls, music, pizzas from the Big Blue Bus and the Bernard Shaw Garden Bar. Expect vintage clothes, shoes, jewellery, art, records, bric-a-brac and more and DJs will provide the entertainment.

Admission is free.

Every Saturday a kid’s book will be read in 27 Eason’s stores all over Ireland. In O’Connell Street the reading takes place at 14:00. In the other Eason Stores, the times vary between 11:00 and 15:00 (see website below). Suitable for age 0-6 with their parents.

Admission is free.

It’s a jungle out there…and inside The Dead Zoo. Join this tour of the exhibition “Mammals of the World” and find out about jungle animals and their habitats. SUitable for Ages 8+.

Admission is free and no booking required but places are limited.

“Caravaggio and his Followers” is part of a free lecture series throughout the months of July & August taking a closer look at different aspects of the National Gallery of Ireland’s collection.

Flaneur By Dublin brings the works of two contemporary photographers to Smithfield Plaza. Their photos are displayed in a series of large cubes, dispersed over a metal pathway installed in Smithfield Square. These large cubes become lightboxes at dusk, creating a unique display and extending the enjoyment of this open-air gallery until 21:00.

The two selected artists for Flaneur By Dublin are Esther Teichmann (Germany) and Rik Moran (UK). They were for a residency in Ireland earlier this year, engaging with the urban and rural landscape and producing the present body of work.

Flaneur By Dublin is part of a larger project called Flâneur – New Urban Narratives. This is a new, European Union funded, 2 year long project, transforming photographers into fla?neurs and requesting them to apply a new approach to their work within the urban territory. The project involves an international network of some 20 organisations from 11 different countries, and it will be presented in the 13 partner cities.

The art installation will be on show from 02-24 July

The Gangsters will play a Ska / Rocksteady gig in the Harbour Bar.

Admission is free.

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.

Ska Bands Interskalactic (21:00) and Bionic Rats (19:30) will play a gig in the bandstand in Bray.

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.

Irish Rockabilly Band “Skinny Elvis” will play a gig in Whelan’s.

Admission is free.

The wedding and party band The Retronauts will play on Saturday in the Mezz. Their music is Funk, Rock, Disco, Blues, Reggae.

Admission is free.

In addition to the Saturday Car Boot Sale in Tallaght, Irish Car Boot Sales run a weekly Sunday Car Boot Sales in Ballymun.

Admission for buyers is free.

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 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.

The yearly Rose Festival in St. Anne’s Park is a great event for the whole family.

This is a family festival with a mix of music, market stalls, food vendors, living history displays, falconry, biodiversity events (with Beekepers, Birdwatch Ireland, Irish Wildlife Trust and a lot of other contributors), the Wooly Wards Petting Zoo and more. There are lots of child friendly attractions on site including a really great playground, but the grown ups also have enough entertainment. ;-)

In recent years, the roses weren’t in best state for the festival (due to the weather before the weekend), so if that is your main reason to go, maybe don’t expect too much, but there is more to do and admire in St Anne’s Park.

Admission to the festival is free. Many might also remember that parking was free, that has changed this year: A EUR 3 charge for parking your car on site for the day will be raised.

The Music and Dance programme on Satuday and Sunday is
11:00-12:00 Ballet Fusion
12:00-13:00 Traditional Music
14:00-16:00 Mongoose Band
16:00-18:00 Prairie Dawgs
Please note that the “official” times above don’t fully work for two reasons: There is an unexpected gap between 13:00 and 14:00 and also elsewhere the end time for the festival is listed as 17:30, not 18:00. So I expect that the start time for the Mongoose Band and the Prairie Dawgs is at least 30 minutes earlier.

I like the Rose Festival and have been there in most years. It has a very relaxed vibe with plenty of activities and I also like the Mongoose Band and the folk & bluegrass band Prairie Dawgs, so I will be there again! ;-)

The Royal Horticultural Society of Ireland’s Annual Sweet Pea Show in the National Botanic Gardens will take place on Saturday and Sunday.

See a “display of sweet pea grown on ‘cordons’ by the leading growers in the country. On Saturday morning over a dozen growers will arrive in the Teak House to transform it into a sweet pea wonderland before the plants are judged. From midday on Saturday all are welcome to view the prizewinning sweet peas.”

Opening times: Saturday 12:30-17:30 Sunday: 10:00–17:00

The next Rathmines Record Fair in The Mart will happen on Sunday. There will be vinyl, CDs, DVDs and Memorabilia. All music genres will be represented and if you are into music, you want to check this market out!

Admission is free.

The next Canal Bank Market will be in Portobello this Sunday.

You will find stalls with Vintage Clothing, Vinyl Records, Crafts, Arts, Jewellery, Food & Beverages, Tea & Coffee and there will also be Live Buskers.

Admission is free.

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.

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.

The next Family Market for Babys and Toddlers will take place on Sunday.

There will be furniture, prams, toys, clothes, books and lots more for babies and children.

Admission is free. www.facebook.com/events/645226472308141/

A Feltmaking Workshop with Gabriella McGrath will take place in the Visitor CEntre in Phoenix Park.

Admission is free, but booking is suggested through 01-6770095

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 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.

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 exhibition “SEEING – What are you looking at?” (24 June – 25 Sept 2016) in the Science Gallery is exploring the sensory experience of vision, understanding and perception. It looks at how us human beings see by using eye tracking technology, eye tests and colour perception, but it also shows how machines see and what their limitations are.

It is a great exhibition full of intriguing exhibits, some are very clear, others need some more explanation or you should at least read the explanatory labels that every exhibit has.

Like all Science Gallery exhibitions, SEEING is suitable for all ages with a particular focus on the age group of 15-25, but I would say that children from 10 years of age can understand the whole exhibition if they get some additional explanations and there are even some exhibits that would work for younger children.

When you go to see the exhibition, get help from the Science Gallery mediators! They 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 and it will help you soo much more to have a better experience

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 remarkable event at London’s National Gallery assembled the largest ever collection of Leonardo’s surviving paintings for a unique exhibition “Leonardo da Vinci: Painter at the Court of Milan”.

The film captures the excitement of the opening night occasion and provides a fascinating exploration of Leonardo’s great works. Art historian and broadcaster Tim Marlow explains the great masterpieces. An biography and reflections on Leonardo’s influence since his death 500 years ago is also included in the film.

Admission is free.

As part of the 1916-2016 Centenary Commemorations, a free tour will take at Arbour Hill Cemetery every Sunday at 14:00. (from March until end of October).

No booking necessary. The meeting point is at the 1916 Memorial Wall towards the back of the cemetery.

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!

Record Label Little Gem Records invite to a gig/showcase on the Bandstand in Phoenix Park. The line-up is:

14:00 Fuzzy Hell
15:00 Cobra Truth
16:00 Roslyn Steer
17:00 Patrick Kelleher

Admission is free.

Every Sunday 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.

The Pearse Butler Band is playing in the bandstand of Farmleigh House on Sunday.

Admission is 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

Join Yvonne Woods for a tour of frames from the current IMMA exhibitions including The Passion According to Carol Rama and Patrick Hennessy De Profundis. This tour will look at the values of framing and how it can change our view of the works it holds.

Admission is free and no booking required. Meet at the reception.

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.

The New Breadwinners are a 3-piece Bluegrass band and they are playing every Sunday in the Leeson Longe.

Admission is free, donations are appreciated.

Every Sunday evening from 18:00-20:00, the Wiley Fox is hosting a trad session, where some of Ireland’s finest traditional musicians will play for you.

Admission is free.

The Dixeland Jazzmen play a weekly gig in Sin E. Admission is free.

Flaneur By Dublin brings the works of two contemporary photographers to Smithfield Plaza. Their photos are displayed in a series of large cubes, dispersed over a metal pathway installed in Smithfield Square. These large cubes become lightboxes at dusk, creating a unique display and extending the enjoyment of this open-air gallery until 21:00.

The two selected artists for Flaneur By Dublin are Esther Teichmann (Germany) and Rik Moran (UK). They were for a residency in Ireland earlier this year, engaging with the urban and rural landscape and producing the present body of work.

Flaneur By Dublin is part of a larger project called Flâneur – New Urban Narratives. This is a new, European Union funded, 2 year long project, transforming photographers into fla?neurs and requesting them to apply a new approach to their work within the urban territory. The project involves an international network of some 20 organisations from 11 different countries, and it will be presented in the 13 partner cities.

The art installation will be on show from 02-24 July

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

“I am Niamh” is a gig by singer/songwriter Niamh Parkinson.

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 Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. 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).

Three Nirvana Tribute Bands will celebrate the 25 year anniversary of the release of Nirvana’s classic album Nevermind.

Admission is free.

“Rhythm Rocker at The Globe” is a weekly event on Sunday night in The Globe with live music (Rockabilly) and DJs. Admission is free.

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

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

The Rock ‘n’ Rockk and Swing Band “The Jive Cats” will perform in the Mercantile every Sunday from 22:00.

Admission is free.

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.

“Pete Pamf and the Late Sunday Service” will play a gig in the Mezz.

Admission is free.

The Liberies Festival is one of Ireland’s oldest and longest running community festivals and with 80% of the events being free (according to the organisers claim) family-friendly, sporting and arts events, this should appeal to everybody.

The festival will run from Mon 18 – Sat 23 July and the events that take place every day are

+ The Liberties 1980-1986 – Photography exhibition in Teelings Distillery
+ Liberties All Sports – Games, competitions, tournaments and activities from 11:00 Mon-Thur in St Catherine’s Sports Centre
+ Pop-up Poetry in cafes and bars around the Liberties
+ Blues, Jazz & Roots – Live music from Tues-Sat in Arthur’s Pub

In addition there are many more events that take place during the week and some of them will be listed in this Dublin Event Guide separately, however, I strongly suggest that you have a look for the full programme on the website below.

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 chooseyourowntracksphototrail@gmail.com or 085-2725095

A free Family drop-in workshop will take place on most days of the coming weekend and week for children aged 4-10. Find all the details on the website below.

The themes are
Saturday: Impressionism
Monday: Renaissance
Tuesday: Cubism
Wednesday: Pointillism
Thursday: Baroque
Friday: Abstract Art

The National Maritime Museum in Dun Laoghaire is inviting to a free guided tour every Monday at 11:00 until 29 August.

Admission is free, but places are limited so booking is required via bookings@mariner.ie

On the tour you will be will brought on a voyage of discovery “enthralling you with stories of discovery, heroism, war and disasters at sea. Learn about maritime history, exploration, navigation, deep-sea cable technology and marine wildlife all relevant to the school syllabus.”

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 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 National Portrait Collection” is part of a free lecture series throughout the months of July & August taking a closer look at different aspects of the National Gallery of Ireland’s collection.

Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday in July and August there will be free drop-in drawing classes. These workshops are for adults and teens and all materials will be provided. Places are limited to 25 participants on a first come first served basis.

No booking required.

Meet at the South Porch entrance of St. Patrick’s Cathedral and walk, talk and sing your way through the historic Liberties area. The tour is guided by Reg McCabe and Jerry O’Reilly.

Admission is free.

The launch of the Liberties Festival will take place on Monday in Teelings Distillery and it will coincide with the launch of the Photography exhibition “The Liberties 1980-1986” that night in the same venue.

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 Circle Sessions is an “Open Mic” that provides an opportunity for up and coming musicians, spoken word artists, poets and comedians to perform.

Come to this weekly show to perform or to simply watch a great mix of music, poetry, spoken word and comedy.

Admission is free.

Every Monday the Woolshed Bar hosts “The Comedy Shed”, usually with 3 headline acts.

Admission is free.

The Comedy Crunch is a free Stand Up comedy event every Sunday, 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).

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 Anto Drennan 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.

Aimed at students who are taking History as a subject for the Leaving Certificate, this one day workshop will introduce students to research methods while exploring what the collections of the NLI have to offer the Leaving Cert history student.

Admission is free, but places are limited, so booking is required via learning@nli.ie or 01 3030259

The Liberies Festival is one of Ireland’s oldest and longest running community festivals and with 80% of the events being free (according to the organisers claim) family-friendly, sporting and arts events, this should appeal to everybody.

The festival will run from Mon 18 – Sat 23 July and the events that take place every day are

+ The Liberties 1980-1986 – Photography exhibition in Teelings Distillery
+ Liberties All Sports – Games, competitions, tournaments and activities from 11:00 Mon-Thur in St Catherine’s Sports Centre
+ Pop-up Poetry in cafes and bars around the Liberties
+ Blues, Jazz & Roots – Live music from Tues-Sat in Arthur’s Pub

In addition there are many more events that take place during the week and some of them will be listed in this Dublin Event Guide separately, however, I strongly suggest that you have a look for the full programme on the website below.

Feel calm & relaxed and discover new technics to release stress in your daily life. A Zen Walk will help you to get the positive effects. The walk will last about 20-30 minutes and is suitable for everyone who simply wants to find calmness, relaxation and harmony in their busy lives.

The walks take place in a variety of locations in Dublin and Dun Laoghaire and at different times. Check the website below for details about the walk and then check the dates and times and register here: www.xiufengshui.com/en/events/zen-walk/dates-and-registration

The walks in Blackrock Part will take place at 10:30, 11:00 and 12:00.

“These Are a Few of My Favourite Things” is the title of a Walking Tour that Emily Gallagher runs on Tuesday and Saturday. It is 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!”

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

A free Family drop-in workshop will take place on most days of the coming weekend and week for children aged 4-10. Find all the details on the website below.

The themes are
Saturday: Impressionism
Monday: Renaissance
Tuesday: Cubism
Wednesday: Pointillism
Thursday: Baroque
Friday: Abstract Art

Drop into the Discovery Zone to meet a Museum Educator and some new specimens in the handling collection including a panda, hyena and anaconda skull.

Admission is free and no booking required.

Storyteller Róisín Murphy will bring children on a magical, mystical journey into the worlds of The Children of Lir, Setanta the hound of Culann and Fionn and his Salmon of Knowledge. The sessions are suitable for children from 6-10 years.

Admission is free, but booking is required via the phone numbers below.

The schedule is:
Tue 12 July – 11:00 – Inchicore Library 01-4533793
Tue 12 July – 14:30 – Dolphin’s Barn Library 01-4540681
Tue 19 July – 11:00 – Phibsboro Library (BOOKED OUT)
Tue 19 July – 14:30 – Drumcondra Library 01-8377206

This is a family workshop at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral for ages 4-10. Have a go at making your own version of the beautiful St Patrick’s Cathedral tiles using art and craft.

Admission is free, but a contribution for materials of EUR 5 is raised. But I have great news for you: if you use the Discount Code “eventguide” (without the “”) when you buy your tickets, the EUR 5 will be waived!!

Look at some of Ireland’s greatest archaeological treasures including the Broighter Hoard, the Tara Brooch and the Ardagh Chalice on this tour.

Admission is free and no booking required. Meet at Reception and places will be allocated on a first come first served basis. Suitable for Ages 8+.

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.

“Costumes in Art” is part of a free lecture series throughout the months of July & August taking a closer look at different aspects of the National Gallery of Ireland’s collection.

Come to Coolock Library for The Big Friendly Giant (BFG) Read-a-long and Dream Trumpeting. And to get into the spirit of the read-a-long, ask a member of staff for a set of Big Ears….they might be able to assist.

Admission is free and booking is not required.

The tour of the Yeats exhibition “Yeats: the Life and Works of William Butler Yeats” will be looking in particular at his great contribution to the Irish Cultural Revival. Highlights will include his involvement in the foundation of the Abbey Theatre and partnership with Lady Gregory, the influence of Douglas Hyde and the Literary Revival, and his promotion of Irish history, culture, art and folktales throughout his life.

After the tour you can enjoy a ‘mini-afternoon tea’ in the Joly café (EUR 9.50).

Admission is free, but booking is required via learning@nli.ie or contacting 01 6030 34. It is not clear if the afternoon tea is a compulsory element to the tour or if you can just book the tour and opt out from the tea.

Storyteller Róisín Murphy will bring children on a magical, mystical journey into the worlds of The Children of Lir, Setanta the hound of Culann and Fionn and his Salmon of Knowledge. The sessions are suitable for children from 6-10 years.

Admission is free, but booking is required via the phone numbers below.

The schedule is:
Tue 12 July – 11:00 – Inchicore Library 01-4533793
Tue 12 July – 14:30 – Dolphin’s Barn Library 01-4540681
Tue 19 July – 11:00 – Phibsboro Library (BOOKED OUT)
Tue 19 July – 14:30 – Drumcondra Library 01-8377206

“The Harry Clarke Collection at the National Gallery of Ireland” is part of a free lecture series throughout the months of July & August taking a closer look at different aspects of the National Gallery of Ireland’s collection.

The Terns (birds!) have returned to the Dalkey islands for another season and the new Tern Warden will be running a ‘Dalkey Tern Watch’ to watch the terns and all the wildlife we can see from the pier. The event will run throughout the summer every Tuesday evening from 17:00-20:00 at Coliemore Harbour. You can drop in at ay time.

Admission is free.

Meet at the South Porch entrance of St. Patrick’s Cathedral and walk, talk and sing your way through the historic Liberties area. The tour is guided by Reg McCabe and Jerry O’Reilly.

Admission is free.

A new weekly Board Games night is taking place in the Black Sheep Pub. Lots of games are available and you can also bring your own.

Admission is free.

History Ireland editor, Tommy Graham and panel Jennifer Wellington (UCD), Lar Joye (National Museum), David Murphy (Maynooth), and Tom Burke (Royal Dublin Fusiliers Association) will discuss the Battle of the Somme.

Fought between 1 July and 1 November 1916 the Somme Offensive was one of the bloodiest battles in history, costing the lives of more than 1.5 million men. On the first day alone the British Army suffered c. 60,000 casualties.

Admission is free.

EveryTuesday at 19:00, The Dublin Language Exchange takes place in the Czech Inn. It is the biggest free meeting of people from all around Dublin that are interested in learning languages and communicate with speakers of other languages.

Admission is free and the meetup is completely informal. No booking required.

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.

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.

A weekly gig night for new bands is running in Arthur’s Pub. It is called “Anocht” and happens every Tuesday. The line-up can be found on the Facebook Page below.

In addition to the music, there is usually also a visual show.

Admission is free.

The Comedy Crunch is a free Stand Up comedy event every Sunday, 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).

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.

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.

The Liberies Festival is one of Ireland’s oldest and longest running community festivals and with 80% of the events being free (according to the organisers claim) family-friendly, sporting and arts events, this should appeal to everybody.

The festival will run from Mon 18 – Sat 23 July and the events that take place every day are

+ The Liberties 1980-1986 – Photography exhibition in Teelings Distillery
+ Liberties All Sports – Games, competitions, tournaments and activities from 11:00 Mon-Thur in St Catherine’s Sports Centre
+ Pop-up Poetry in cafes and bars around the Liberties
+ Blues, Jazz & Roots – Live music from Tues-Sat in Arthur’s Pub

In addition there are many more events that take place during the week and some of them will be listed in this Dublin Event Guide separately, however, I strongly suggest that you have a look for the full programme on 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.

A free Family drop-in workshop will take place on most days of the coming weekend and week for children aged 4-10. Find all the details on the website below.

The themes are
Saturday: Impressionism
Monday: Renaissance
Tuesday: Cubism
Wednesday: Pointillism
Thursday: Baroque
Friday: Abstract Art

A walking tour of the Victorian Walled Kitchen Garden will take place and admission is free.

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.

“Irish Artists in France, 1860-1915” is part of a free lecture series throughout the months of July & August taking a closer look at different aspects of the National Gallery of Ireland’s collection.

Dr Rióna Ní Fhrighil, lecturer in Modern Irish at NUI Galway, gives the second of two lectures looking at the portrayal of Jews and Jewishness in Irish literature. The lecture accompanies the exhibition ‘Representations of Jews in Irish Literature.’

Admission is free.

This is a free public tour for parents, guardians and carers of infants and young children that happens on one Wednesday per month.

The route of the tour is suitable for prams and/or strollers.

The author of the Vroom-Town series of books Emer Conlon will come to a number of libraries on July. Kids from 3-7 are invited to this fun and interactive storytelling session and meet the characters from the Vroom-Town series. Listen to the adventures of Sparkle, Bullydozer and Screech.

Admission is free, but booking is required. The relevant phone numbers are listed below.

The schedule is:
Wed 13 July – 11:00 in Pembroke Library 01-6689575
Wed 20 July – 14:30 in Ringsend Library 01-6680063
Thu 21 July – 11:00 in Ballymun Library 01-8421890
Thu 21 July – 14:30 in Finglas Library 01-8344906
Wed 27 July – 11:00 in Coolock Library 01-8477781
Wed 27 July – 14:30 in Marino Library 01-8336297

“The BFG (Big Friendly Giant)” is a children’s book by Roald Dahl and Baldoyle Library will run a “Bfg Workshop” with Sarah Tully for 5 – 8 year olds. Learn about Roald Dahl, listen to stories from the book and make your own dream catching and mixing.

Admission is free, but booking is required via 01-8908793.

Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday in July and August there will be free drop-in drawing classes. These workshops are for adults and teens and all materials will be provided. Places are limited to 25 participants on a first come first served basis.

No booking required.

The Temple Bar “Night” Market is more an afternoon and evening market (15:00-20:00) and it takes place every Wednesday until September.

You can buy Arts & Crafts at this market.

In previous years the missing food and drink stalls (probably to protect the pubs and restaurants in Temple Bar) was mentioned by visitors as a critique.

“Circus Without Animals” is a craft workshop with John Carpenter.

Draw, cut and glue your circus acts and arrange them in your own big top tent. Suitable for ages 7-12 years.

Admission is free, but book is required via 01 8905026 or howthlibrary.library@fingal.ie

Theatre Royal Remembered is a nostalgic look at the Theatre Royal with theatre historian Conor Doyle.

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 is a walk between Parnell Square and Mountjoy Square. Discover the stories of famous characters, institutions and an abundance of history associated with the area.

Meeting point is outside the Gate Theatre. Admission is free.

Speaking Words “…and I will Sing Burt Bacharach to You” is a reading of a selection of his own poetry by Arthur Sheridan.

Admission free and no booking required. Light refreshments will be provided from 18:00.

For one night only, join the artist Aideen Barry for a late gallery opening and viewing of the Carol Rama exhibition and “watch unfold a playful exploration of objects, materials, live performance, word and a series of in-situ fictious films that animates the uncanny, surreal and the macabre in the galleries.”

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

The yearly Liberties Festival football match Garda vs Street Traders will take place again. The match will be on the Oliver Bond Football Pitch and the celebration and prize giving afterwards will be in the Clock Pub in 111 Thomas Street.

Admission is free.

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

Burlesque for Beginners is a cheerful and fun choreography workshop suitable for all levels.

Admission is free.

The King Kong Club is a weekly music game-show in Whelan’s.

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. Admission is free.

The Anseo Comedy Club 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.

Comedy Crunch host Danny O Brien and Stuart Mitchell from Scotland will perform a preview of the solo shows that they will bring to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Admission is free.

The next Inn Jokes Comedy Club will bring Comedy troupe Foil Arms and Hog to Kilmainham. Hosted by Comedian Colm O’Regan.

Admission is free.

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

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 Harleys are a popular coverband and they will be in the Mezz every Wednesday at midnight.

Admission is free.

The hugely popular Festival of Curiosity will be back from 21-24 July. It is a (family) festival that celebrates science, arts, design and technology and I already included for the last two weeks it in the “Upcoming Events” section of the Dublin Event Guide, because tickets for free events go like hot cakes!

The festival starts on Thursday and a lot of free events that needed tickets are booked out, but there are still some tickets available and there are also drop-in events. Also: Many non-free events are very low priced (EUR 2 or EUR 4), so you should definitely check out the full programme to see if you find anything that appeals to you.

I will list in this Dublin Event Guide some of the free events that are not booked out yet (at the time of writing this!), but as I said, check the full programme!!! ;-)

Some of the free continual events on every day during thefestival are:
+ Continuous Drift – Sound installation in Meeting House Square in Temple Bar
+ Urban Escape – Pop-up experience across four rooms with different experiences exploring how the brain, the body and the mind reacts to a series of immersive rooms, environments, activities, colours and sounds. (12:00-18:00 in Temple Bar Gallery + Studios, Age: 12+)
+ Earthlings in Outer Space – A short history of non-human astronauts (An online streamed audio documentary that will be available for the four days of the festival via the link here.)
+ Memory of Place – An interactive story map of Dublin via a downloadable app.

The Liberies Festival is one of Ireland’s oldest and longest running community festivals and with 80% of the events being free (according to the organisers claim) family-friendly, sporting and arts events, this should appeal to everybody.

The festival will run from Mon 18 – Sat 23 July and the events that take place every day are

+ The Liberties 1980-1986 – Photography exhibition in Teelings Distillery
+ Liberties All Sports – Games, competitions, tournaments and activities from 11:00 Mon-Thur in St Catherine’s Sports Centre
+ Pop-up Poetry in cafes and bars around the Liberties
+ Blues, Jazz & Roots – Live music from Tues-Sat in Arthur’s Pub

In addition there are many more events that take place during the week and some of them will be listed in this Dublin Event Guide separately, however, I strongly suggest that you have a look for the full programme on the website below.

Seilmide or Snail: an animal that carries his home on his back. This workshop uses movement, drama,visual art and a transparent umbrella to explore the idea of home through the life of a snail. The event is suitable for children aged 3 to 5 years and parents are requested to engage with their child during the workshop. With artist Helen Barry.

Admission is free, but booking is required via 01-4540681

A free Family drop-in workshop will take place on most days of the coming weekend and week for children aged 4-10. Find all the details on the website below.

The themes are
Saturday: Impressionism
Monday: Renaissance
Tuesday: Cubism
Wednesday: Pointillism
Thursday: Baroque
Friday: Abstract Art

Every Thursday a free tour of Grangegorman Military Cemetery on Blackhorse Avenue takes place. Meet inside the Cemetery Gates. Admission is free and everybody is welcome. Ring 01-6770095 for more information and to check if the tour is going ahead.

The author of the Vroom-Town series of books Emer Conlon will come to a number of libraries on July. Kids from 3-7 are invited to this fun and interactive storytelling session and meet the characters from the Vroom-Town series. Listen to the adventures of Sparkle, Bullydozer and Screech.

Admission is free, but booking is required. The relevant phone numbers are listed below.

The schedule is:
Wed 13 July – 11:00 in Pembroke Library 01-6689575
Wed 20 July – 14:30 in Ringsend Library 01-6680063
Thu 21 July – 11:00 in Ballymun Library 01-8421890
Thu 21 July – 14:30 in Finglas Library 01-8344906
Wed 27 July – 11:00 in Coolock Library 01-8477781
Wed 27 July – 14:30 in Marino Library 01-8336297

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.

“Impressionism at the National Gallery of Ireland” is part of a free lecture series throughout the months of July & August taking a closer look at different aspects of the National Gallery of Ireland’s collection.

This is a family-friendly tour for all ages of the “Proclaiming a Republic: The 1916 Rising” exhibition, looking at some of the highlights of the Museum’s extensive Easter Week collection.

Admission is free and no booking required, places will be allocated on a first-come first served basis 15 minutes before the tour starts.

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 Wood Quay Summer Sessions are back, a series of four lunchtime open air gigs/concerts in the Amphitheatre at Wood Quay. This year, the four weeks will bring four different musical styles.

The third session on Thursday is curated by “First Music Contact” and the performers are hip hop act Profound and Indie Rock band MKAI.

Admission is free.

At this Drop-in activity in the Ceramics Room you will design and create your own Viking home and help build up the Viking town of Dublin.

Admission is free and no booking required.

In the Steiner/Saoirse Waldorf School a Puppet Factory event and a Street Dance Workshop will take place on Thursday and on Friday.

+ Puppet Factory – Create your own handmade characters (14:00-16:00)
+ BUSTA Move – Street Dance Workshop (Age 10+) (16:00-18:00)

Admission is free, but spaces are limited and booking is required via e-mail to info@libertiesfestival.ie or text message to 083 8506289

Rising is a photographic exhibition in the National Photographic Archive that showcases the National Library’s rich imagery of the events and locations of 1916.

This tour takes place on the 3rd Thursday every month.

Admission is free.

“Depictions of Childhood in the National Gallery of Ireland’s Collection” is part of a free lecture series throughout the months of July & August taking a closer look at different aspects of the National Gallery of Ireland’s collection.

At the event “Roald Dahl: The Bfg”, children from 9-12 will learn about Roald Dahl the author and listen to extracts from his children book “The BFG”. Kids will then discuss the extracts and re-tell in their own words and will create their own dream catching & mixing.

Admission is free, but booking is required via swords.library@fingal.ie or 01 8905582.

You are invited to come to a Whiskey Tasting evening in the Kilkenny Shop on 07, 14, 21 or 28 July, where you will experience the finest Single Pot Still Irish Whiskeys from Redbreast to Green Spot, Powers and Midleton.

There will be a complimentary tastings and hors d’oeuvres in association with Pernod Ricard and Waterford Crystal (10% off Waterford Crystal Connoisseur range on the evening)

Admission is free, but space is limited (first come first served).

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.

The Mexican film “Vertigo” from 1946 will be screened in Spanish with English subtitles.

Admission is free.

Let’s Make a Scene is similar to an “Open Mic” event for musicians and spoken word artists, just for actors, comedians and imrovisers.

It is a live platform to actors, comedians, improvisers, slammers, etc… for free to present, test, showcase or display their work to an audience (scene, monologue, sketch, reading, new material or in production, etc…) and create a momentum prompting exchange & collaboration in between artists of different media sharing a passion.

Admission is free, but booking is required via MeisnerIreland AT gmail.com

The event is a monthly open platform and on Thursday you will discover the work of Barry McBrien, Cherley Kane, Graham Molloy, Jenny-Lee Masterson, Paula McGlinchey, Rory O’ Flynn, Rosemary O’Loughlin, Sophie Campbell, Thomas Matthew Byrne and Wayne Davis, who are presenting their work or favourite monologues, scenes, improv’, reading, in preview or in production.

The “Sound Factory – DJ Workshops & Live Music & Film Screening” will take place on Thursday as part of the Liberties Festival. It is suitable for over 15s.

Admission is free, but booking is required via 01-4536674 or info.swicnclubhouse@gmail.com

Through “White Sorrow – A true story of marital abuse and survival”, Andrea Aviet tells her story of five years of abuse, at the hands of her husband Mark and his entire family. She is speaking out to motivate women in the position of domestic violence and hopes to raise funds that she can donate to the charity Refuge.

Admission to the launch is free.

“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

United Against Racism is building a campaign to abolish the Direct Provision System (DPS). Introduced more than 15 years ago as a 6-month temporary solution to address the accommodation needs of asylum seekers, the DPS has become a permanent inhumane entrapment for many.

There are currently around 5,000 people in DPS centres with 15% there more than 8 years. The average time asylum seekers spend in DPS is 38 months. Asylum seekers in the DPS are not allowed to work and don’t have access to 3rd Level education. A weekly allowance of EUR 19.10 per adult and EUR 16.60 per child is payable to asylum seekers living in direct provision. The DPS is an oppressive discriminatory system and the asylum seekers, adult and children, isolated in DPS centres face serious physical and mental difficulties.

The speakers at the events will be:
+ Gary McFarlane (Stand Up to Racism – UK)
+ Ellie Kisyombe (Anti-Racism, Asylum Seeker Activist)
+ Memet Uludag (United Against Racism)
+ TBA

Admission is free.

An expatriate or expat is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country other than that of their citizenship.

And this is a weekly meeting for all Expats in Dublin (new and old!). If you are new to the city, this is an excellent way to meet people.

Admission is free (no booking required!), but you are asked to give the same kind of welcoming to new members as is given to you.

And this is the third (!) Board Gaming night in Dublin! They are taking over! ;-)

It is a weekly event and on Thursday the focus is on Introductory Board Games, so if you haven’t for a while (or ever) played Board Games, this is for you.

Admission is free.

Wailers Tribute Band “Catch A Fire” will play a gig in the Harbour Bar.

Admission is free.

New York singer/songwriter Emily Mure who got stuck in Galway as a busker for a while and met her husband there, is back in Ireland to launch her first album “Where I Began”.

She will perform in the Workman’s Club and admission is free.

Support will come from special guest Owen Denvir.

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.

Admission is free.

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 hugely popular Festival of Curiosity will be back from 21-24 July. It is a (family) festival that celebrates science, arts, design and technology and I already included for the last two weeks it in the “Upcoming Events” section of the Dublin Event Guide, because tickets for free events go like hot cakes!

The festival starts on Thursday and a lot of free events that needed tickets are booked out, but there are still some tickets available and there are also drop-in events. Also: Many non-free events are very low priced (EUR 2 or EUR 4), so you should definitely check out the full programme to see if you find anything that appeals to you.

I will list in this Dublin Event Guide some of the free events that are not booked out yet (at the time of writing this!), but as I said, check the full programme!!! ;-)

Some of the free continual events on every day during thefestival are:
+ Continuous Drift – Sound installation in Meeting House Square in Temple Bar
+ Urban Escape – Pop-up experience across four rooms with different experiences exploring how the brain, the body and the mind reacts to a series of immersive rooms, environments, activities, colours and sounds. (12:00-18:00 in Temple Bar Gallery + Studios, Age: 12+)
+ Earthlings in Outer Space – A short history of non-human astronauts (An online streamed audio documentary that will be available for the four days of the festival via the link here.)
+ Memory of Place – An interactive story map of Dublin via a downloadable app.

The Liberies Festival is one of Ireland’s oldest and longest running community festivals and with 80% of the events being free (according to the organisers claim) family-friendly, sporting and arts events, this should appeal to everybody.

The festival will run from Mon 18 – Sat 23 July and the events that take place every day are

+ The Liberties 1980-1986 – Photography exhibition in Teelings Distillery
+ Liberties All Sports – Games, competitions, tournaments and activities from 11:00 Mon-Thur in St Catherine’s Sports Centre
+ Pop-up Poetry in cafes and bars around the Liberties
+ Blues, Jazz & Roots – Live music from Tues-Sat in Arthur’s Pub

In addition there are many more events that take place during the week and some of them will be listed in this Dublin Event Guide separately, however, I strongly suggest that you have a look for the full programme on the website below.

“The Art of Dying” with Ivor Williams is part of the Festival of Curiosity talk series on Friday.

Most of us don’t have a very good relationship with death. At least not in the West, where one in three Americans say they would ask doctors to do anything possible to keep them alive and only one in three UK adults have prepared a will.

How can design help us cope with the realities of death and dying? Ivor Williams works at the Helix Centre, a unique design studio embedded in a London hospital, where he asks and attempts to answer this question everyday.

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

A free Family drop-in workshop will take place on most days of the coming weekend and week for children aged 4-10. Find all the details on the website below.

The themes are
Saturday: Impressionism
Monday: Renaissance
Tuesday: Cubism
Wednesday: Pointillism
Thursday: Baroque
Friday: Abstract Art

The talk “Machines, Humanity & the Future of Communication – The future of art, design, and how we teach our computers to listen” is part of the Festival of Curiosity programme.

A future is coming where we will no longer program computers, but we will teach them about the world. A large part of this training will fall under the remit of surveillance, recognizing images or videos for security purposes. But what if instead we taught computers how to become more human?
Join Alex Rothera & Chris G.Thompson to explore the future of art, design, and how we teach our computers to listen as they
introduce the basics & history of machine learning, demonstrate how a computer can recognize faces, yawns or body movements and experiment how a computer can make music based on how our faces move and gesture.

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

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.

The talk “‘Scenes of gaiety now filled with beds’: Dublin Castle as a Red Cross Military Hospital, 1915-1919” will take place on Friday. Admission is free, but booking is required via DublinCastleEducation@opw.ie

At the instigation of Lady Aberdeen, wife of the viceroy and president of the first Dublin branch of the Red Cross, Dublin Castle became and auxiliary hospital in January 1915. ‘For the first time in its life’, she later wrote, ‘it seemed the Castle was going to be popular.’ It is widely known that James Connolly, a wounded prisoner, was court martialled here after the Easter Rising. But by 1919 when it closed, 6,000 men had been treated in it.

Gavin Friday will reflect on his new sonic work The Casement Sonata, the development of the work and his research into Roger Casement.

Admission free, no booking necessary.

Get a cup of tea, gather the last bit of energy and then bring this work week over the line! And for next week, get some special teas via the ad below and help the Dublin Event Guide while you are doing that. ;-)

Click on the picture below or use this link and if you order any teas that way, you help the Dublin Event Guide because Twinings will pay a small reward if you order after clicking on the picture or link above.

Orders over GBP 35 are free in the UK and if you use Parcelmotel’s Belfast to Dublin service, you can get it delivered for just EUR 3.95 of postage.

This film by Liam Gillick is a personal examination of the work of Richard Hamilton.

Particular focus is placed upon an Exhibit, a work that has had a strong influence on the development of Liam Gillick’s method and practice. Animation, computer modelling, live action footage and first person narrative are combined to show Hamilton’s work from multiple perspectives.

Admission is free.

“The Dutch Golden Age” is part of a free lecture series throughout the months of July & August taking a closer look at different aspects of the National Gallery of Ireland’s collection.

Summer Music at Sandford is a series of lunchtime concerts at Sandford Parish Church. Every Friday in July and August these classical concerts will take place.

The next one is with David Tobin (Violin) and Shirin Goudarzi-Tobin (Piano).

Admission free, but donations in aid of the Sandford Organ Restoration Fund are appreciated.

In the Steiner/Saoirse Waldorf School a Puppet Factory event and a Street Dance Workshop will take place on Thursday and on Friday.

+ Puppet Factory – Create your own handmade characters (14:00-16:00)
+ BUSTA Move – Street Dance Workshop (Age 10+) (16:00-18:00)

Admission is free, but spaces are limited and booking is required via e-mail to info@libertiesfestival.ie or text message to 083 8506289

“The Art & Science of TV Production” is a talk with BBC’s Dr. Penny Palmer as part of the Festival of Curiosity.

Are you interested in a career in science & TV? Find out more from Dr. Penny Palmer, who has been making science TV programmes (e.g. Horizon, Science Club, The Sky At Night, Tomorrow’s Food) for over 13 years and she has covered a wide variety of subject matters from archaeology to outer space.

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

Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday in July and August there will be free drop-in drawing classes. These workshops are for adults and teens and all materials will be provided. Places are limited to 25 participants on a first come first served basis.

No booking required.

“HACKING THE RUNWAY – Fashion, Technology & Future Couture” is discussion with the Directors of Make.Fashion Canada.

Imagine a world where your clothes regulate your body temperature, monitor your vital signs and your necklace begins to glow when the sun goes down. Join this Festival of Curiosity talk hosted by journalist Claire O’Connell with the directors of Make.Fashion Canada an initiative that introduces designers, engineers, and makers to cutting edge new technologies: fusing high-tech and high-fashion on the runway.

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

Feel calm & relaxed and discover new technics to release stress in your daily life. A Zen Walk will help you to get the positive effects. The walk will last about 20-30 minutes and is suitable for everyone who simply wants to find calmness, relaxation and harmony in their busy lives.

The walks take place in a variety of locations in Dublin and Dun Laoghaire and at different times. Check the website below for details about the walk and then check the dates and times and register here: www.xiufengshui.com/en/events/zen-walk/dates-and-registration

The walks in Blackrock Part will take place at 18:30 and 19:30.

Come to this late night celebration of curious perspectives and visionary viewpoints in the Science Gallery. Tickle your visual cortex, spark your curiosity and change your viewpoint but believe only half of what you see, as neuroscience collides with machine vision, and artistic aesthetic meets image processing.

“FOR YOUR EYES ONLY” is an event in collaboration with The Festival of Curiosity and it will give you after hours access to the Science Gallery exhibition “SEEING: WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT?”

In addition to enjoying the exhibition, you can dance to indie band’s Neon Wolf’s music and enjoy a sing-a-long session with Aoife McElwain or get creative with some exclusive experiments.

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

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.

“After the Ibis” is a 8-piece roots reggea band with dub, jazz and soul influences.

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.

Blues and Rock Diva Mama Martin will be with her band in the Patriot’s Inn.

Admission is 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.

Hold up is a cover band made up of experienced session musicians and they will play in Whelan’s on Friday.

Admission is free before 22:30 or if you mention “Hold Up” at the door.

“SPORTS DOPING – Winning at any Cost?”, a BBC HORIZON programme will be screened and this will be followed by a Q&A with Director & Producer Dr. Penny Palmer.

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

This event is part of the Festival of Curiosity.