Dublin Event Guide 517: Pawsitivity, Pets in the City, Harold’s Cross Community Festival, Fusion Sunday Market

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.

Every May the Bealtaine Festival takes place all over Ireland and it “Celebrates arts and creativity as we age”. This is a difficult description as everybody ages, but the organisers “Age & Opportunity” actually want to address the “older age”. Ok, that helps a little, but not much and nobody still really knows what the target age is. In previous years, a guidance of 55+ was given but that has disappeared. In addition most 55-60 years olds wouldn’t appreciate it being classified as “older age”. ;-)

Where does that leave us? We don’t know but, I guess if you feel older, this festival is for you and if you don’t, then the festival is not for you. ;-)

There will be many events throughout May and a good few of them are free. The website doesn’t have the best search facility, but you can also download the brochure via this page (look for the Download link at the bottom). To find events go to the WHAT’S ON page on the website, but then you will have to click on “SEARCH FOR EVENT” otherwise, you will get a seemingly random list of events. (Very non-intuitive and totally unsuitable for elderly computer users!)

In “Dublin City” there are approx. 60 events, but as I said, not all are free. Oddly, the events that you find are not sorted by date, but seem to be in random order.

Over the coming 4 weeks, I will include a number of free Bealtaine events in the Dublin Event Guide for Free Events, but with such a tricky search facility, I won’t be able to include all events, so please check the Bealtaine website here: www.bealtaine.ie

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
+ Bushy Park, Terenure, Dublin 6

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.

Like Dublin 1 and Dublin 2, Dublin 8 is a HUGE part of Dublin. It reaches from Christ Church to Kilmainham Gaol and from the Liffey to the Grand Canal. On Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 May the very first “neighbourhood festival” takes place in Dublin 8 and everyone is invited to it.

All events are free, but most needed registration and unfortunately all tickets are gone. So unfortunately there is not much left to do if you have no tickets.

On Saturday and Sunday all guided tours in the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA), Richmond Barracks, Irish National War Memorials, Kilmainham Gaol, Magazine Fort, Goldebridge Cemetery and on Pat Liddy’s Walking Tours are booked out.

All that is left are a few self-guided tours in IMMA. IMMA Gardens, the National War Memorials and in Kilmainham and on Sunday afternoon there is a Family Explorer event in the Irish Museum of Modern Art from 14:00-16:00 with artwork exploration and workshops for families with children.

So, what’s the “verdict” about this new event? Well, it is great if you have tickets to a guided tour, but if you don’t it is an absolute non-event! The initiative is great, the idea is good, but big events that do not require tickets are required to make it a proper festival.

Culture Night is so successful because you do NOT need to plan and book tickets and there is something to do for everybody. “Culture Date with Dublin 8” is nowhere near a “neighbourhood festival” because most of the people are excluded from visiting the neighbourhood on the weekend for lack of venues to go to. It’s a start, but hopefully it will be much better in 2018!

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.

Dublin City Hall has a museum/exhibition in the basement, called “The Story of the Capital”, it is an exhibition that you should definitely check out at some stage.

To celebrate the Easter Rising Anniversary, admission to that exhibititon was free in 2016, but lucky for us, Dublin City decided to also waive the admission charge for 2017.

Opening hours are Monday-Saturday 10:00-17:15.

The Harold’s Cross Community Festival is a yearly festival with tours, talks, shows, performances and a family day in Harold’s Cross. The main events take place this weekend on Saturday and Sunday in different locations in Harold’s Cross and below is a list of some of the events on Saturday (most of them are free):

10:30-17:00 Tours of Mary Aikenhead Heritage Centre – Our Lady’s Hospice – Harold’s Cross Road
12:00-17:30 Dave Gleeson Portraits – Galerie Impromptu
11:00-14:00 Dog Show – Registration from 09:00 – Harold’s Cross Park
14:00-14:45 The Lost Library Book by Amanda Bell – Our Lady’s Hospice Rose Garden
10:30-16:30 Open Garden & Plant Sale – Our Lady’s Hospice
12:00-17:00 Mr. Balloonatic – Harold’s Cross Park
15:00-15:30 Clareville Baton Twirlers Performance – Harold’s Cross Park
14:30-16:00 Chess with Alex Baburin – Harold’s Cross Park
14:00-15:00 Craft Workshop for Children with Niki Collier – Harold’s Cross Park
14:00-14:40 Breathing Room Yoga – Harold’s Cross Park – Siopa Linn end
15:00-15:40 Breathing Room Yoga – Sensory Garden Hospice
15:00-16:00 Belarus Convent Craft Workshop Sessions – Harold’s Cross Park
14:00-17:00 Sports Demos with Kevins, Leinster Stratford & Gardaí – Harold’s Cross Park
14:00-17:00 Inflatable Zip Line – Our Lady’s Hospice Field
15:00 Images of Mary at Mount Argus – Mount Argus Church
16:00-17:00 Drum Workshop with Kieran Kennedy – Tent in Harold’s Cross Park
20:00-22:00 Catalpa – Donal O’Kelly – Hospice Education Centre
21:30 Reiska Folk – McGowans Festival Club

The website below provides links to further details for many of the events, unfortunately it doesn’t specify in most cases if the event is free or not. I would expect, however, that most are free.

There are tents in Harold’s Cross Park and at the Our Lady’s Hospice so that all events can go ahead even in bad weather.

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.

In connection with the Dublin Painting and Sketiching Club’s current exhibition in Dun Laoghaire, there will be a “Plein Air” painting day entitled “Painting the Harbour” this Saturday.

All artists are invited to join Club members and there will be prizes for best paintings from non-Club members.

Meet at ground level entrance of Lexicon to register for free at 11:00.

The Terenure Bushy Park Market is taking place every weekk. The market has more than 30 stalls, offering a whole variety of foods and crafts.

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.

The exhibition “Humans Need Not Apply” (10 Feb – 21 May) in the Science Gallery is looking at the influence robots will have on our society, on our lives and on jobs. How will robots replace humans? How can robots be creative? And is automation maybe going too far?

About 27 exhibits will ask and answer these questions. When you come into the exhibition space in the Science Gallery the little desk lamp robot Pinokio will greet you with all its friendliness and curiosity (that’s MY interpretation of Pinokio’s behaviour). And the three Doppelgänger robots upstairs will move, even dance with you. But more robots and automation will also have possibly some negative effects and “The Great Disengagement” looks at how we human beings might rebel against robots when they have taken our jobs and more away.

The exhibition has many many facets and it is extremely interesting. There are fascinating and intriguing exhibits and maybe more unexpected ones like the “tickle robot”. I strongly recommend the exhibition and can definitely say that it is suitable for ALL ages, even younger kids can get something out of it.

Use the help of the amazing mediators, who can explain everything you see, especially if you don’t want to read all the explanations that are next to every exhibit.

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.

Pawsitivity in the City is a family dog event in Merrion Square on Saturday and Sunday. There will be a doggy dance class, agility activities, sniffer lessons and a screening of Lady and the Tramp on Saturday.

The ISPCA will bring an army of dogs (including puppies!) who are looking for a new home. And there will also be professional dog grooming services, vet and behavioural advice from the experts, including TV Vet Pete Wedderburn and Suzi Walsh and lots of pet prizes. The us two-legged visitors there will be coffee and food stalls.

Unfortunately I wasn’t able to find out when the film will be screened on Saturday.

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 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.

The guided tour “National Library’s History & Heritage” will explore the Library’s rich architectural history and heritage. The tour begins in the main hall of the Library and includes a visit to the Library’s iconic reading room.

Admission is free.

“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

“Bog bodies, Bicycles and Big Houses: The Material Imagination of Irish writing”

Students from the School of English at Trinity College Dublin produced creative responses to the objects that recur in modern and contemporary Irish writing. Students will present selections of their work, which has been collected in their published book motes.

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.

The Sisters of St Elizabeth’s Convent in Belarus are preforming a Monastic Choir Concert in St James’ Church on Saturday and admission is free (donations are welcome).

The sisters will be selling some of the religious icons etc after the concert.

Homebrew and the Bad Examples with Guests Winstons Pinstripe & Joey Gavin are Ireland’s top Outlaw Country band. They play everything from Hank Williams and George Jones and Faron Young to Waylon Jennings and Johnny Cash, from Western swing to psychobilly.

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.

The bands Young Earth and Birds of Olympus are playing Rock and Pop at this gig.

Admission is free.

A gig of The Revellions with support from Vicious Fishes will take place in the Midnight Hour in Whelan’s.

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

6-piece band Mid Term Break specialise on funk and soul from the 80s and today, but they don’t ignore other great songs from the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, and later.

Admission is free.

Every year in May the National Dawn Chorus is celebrated with a very early morning walk at the grounds of Castletown House. The National Dawn Chorus is the chorus of birds that sing early in the morning. Experts from Birdwatch Ireland will help identifying the individual bird calls from the symphony.

The event is organised by the OPW and Birdwatch Ireland.

Admission is free. The only access to the estate will be from the M4 Gate (Exit 6, M4) from 04:15.

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.

Yes, I know that Mother’s Day in Ireland has already taken place, BUT a LOT of Dublin Event Guide readers have mothers in other countries throughout the world and before you forget: Sunday 14 May is Mother’s Day in most of the world. Approx. 90 countries celebrate this day on 14 May and that includes USA, Australia, Brazil and most continental European countries.

If you are from one of these countries, don’t forget to contact your mom if she is still around. If it doesn’t “affect” you, just ring your mom anyway and tell her you thought of her. I bet she will appreciate it. ;-)

Every May the Bealtaine Festival takes place all over Ireland and it “Celebrates arts and creativity as we age”. This is a difficult description as everybody ages, but the organisers “Age & Opportunity” actually want to address the “older age”. Ok, that helps a little, but not much and nobody still really knows what the target age is. In previous years, a guidance of 55+ was given but that has disappeared. In addition most 55-60 years olds wouldn’t appreciate it being classified as “older age”. ;-)

Where does that leave us? We don’t know but, I guess if you feel older, this festival is for you and if you don’t, then the festival is not for you. ;-)

There will be many events throughout May and a good few of them are free. The website doesn’t have the best search facility, but you can also download the brochure via this page (look for the Download link at the bottom). To find events go to the WHAT’S ON page on the website, but then you will have to click on “SEARCH FOR EVENT” otherwise, you will get a seemingly random list of events. (Very non-intuitive and totally unsuitable for elderly computer users!)

In “Dublin City” there are approx. 60 events, but as I said, not all are free. Oddly, the events that you find are not sorted by date, but seem to be in random order.

Over the coming 4 weeks, I will include a number of free Bealtaine events in the Dublin Event Guide for Free Events, but with such a tricky search facility, I won’t be able to include all events, so please check the Bealtaine website here: www.bealtaine.ie

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.

Like Dublin 1 and Dublin 2, Dublin 8 is a HUGE part of Dublin. It reaches from Christ Church to Kilmainham Gaol and from the Liffey to the Grand Canal. On Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 May the very first “neighbourhood festival” takes place in Dublin 8 and everyone is invited to it.

All events are free, but most needed registration and unfortunately all tickets are gone. So unfortunately there is not much left to do if you have no tickets.

On Saturday and Sunday all guided tours in the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA), Richmond Barracks, Irish National War Memorials, Kilmainham Gaol, Magazine Fort, Goldebridge Cemetery and on Pat Liddy’s Walking Tours are booked out.

All that is left are a few self-guided tours in IMMA. IMMA Gardens, the National War Memorials and in Kilmainham and on Sunday afternoon there is a Family Explorer event in the Irish Museum of Modern Art from 14:00-16:00 with artwork exploration and workshops for families with children.

So, what’s the “verdict” about this new event? Well, it is great if you have tickets to a guided tour, but if you don’t it is an absolute non-event! The initiative is great, the idea is good, but big events that do not require tickets are required to make it a proper festival.

Culture Night is so successful because you do NOT need to plan and book tickets and there is something to do for everybody. “Culture Date with Dublin 8” is nowhere near a “neighbourhood festival” because most of the people are excluded from visiting the neighbourhood on the weekend for lack of venues to go to. It’s a start, but hopefully it will be much better in 2018!

Nuns from the St. Elisabeth Convent in Minsk, Belarus will be in Dublin’s Russian Orthodox church “Holy Apostles Peter & Paul” to celebrate the Heart to Heart Festival. There will be workshops on icon painting, a folk puppet show, Monastic Choir concert and the nuns will sell monastery products.

The Festival will run from 11-14 May. Admission is free.

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 Magazine Fort in Phoenix Park is unusually neglected and at the same time unusually rich in history. Many have seen it as a barred off concrete fortress in a corner of Phoenix Park and even more don’t even know or have forgotten that it exists. The old Phoenix House, the home of the British Viceroy, was on the site where the fort was built from the early 17th century and then in 1734 the Fort was built and extended in 1801.

In 1916 the Fort was raided by the rebels who expected to find a lot of explosives there, but found the Fort nearly empty. In 1939 the IRA raided the Fort and stole more than a million rounds of ammunition, but most of it was recovered over the following weeks.

Since 1988, the Irish Army doesn’t use the Fort anymore and gave it back to the Office of Public Works (OPW), but not much good has happened to the Fort in the last 28 years (!!) and there were numerous speculations about the reasons for that.

Finally since last year, guided tours were provided and were meant to run for three months until end of October 2016. But the interest was so great that the OPW decided to continue the tours with a reduced schedule over the winter. And since 02 April there will be tours again every Friday and Sunday at 10:00, 12:00, 14:00 + 15:00 and only 20 places are available on each tour.

Tickets are available at the Phoenix Park Visitor Centre on a first come, first served basis and can not be pre-booked. A shuttle bus will bring the ticket holders to the Fort.

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 Harold’s Cross Community Festival is a yearly festival with tours, talks, shows, performances and a family day in Harold’s Cross. The main events take place this weekend on Saturday and Sunday in different locations in Harold’s Cross and below is a list of some of the events on Sunday (most of them are free):

12:00-17:30 Dave Gleeson Portraits – Galerie Impromptu
10:30-16:30 Open Garden & Plant Sale – Our Lady’s Hospice
11:30 Photowalk with Esther Moline – Portobello Bridge, Rathmines
13:00-17:00 Crematorium Open Day – Mount Jerome Crematorium
13:00-14:00 Belarus Convent Choir – Orthodox Church
14:00-17:00 Orthodox Church Tour – Orthodox Church
14:00-16:00 Chess with April Cronin – Harold’s Cross Park
14:30 Images of Mary at Mount Argus Mount Argus Church
14:00 Playing with Skulls – Book Launch Maurice Curtis – Harolds Cross Park – Shelter beside playground
13:00-17:00 Flower and Plant Sales – Harold’s Cross Park
13:15-17:00 Circle Stage – Harold’s Cross Park
14:00-17:00 Music on Main Stage – Harold’s Cross Park
15:00-15:45 The Lost Library Book by Amanda Bell – Harolds Cross Park – Army Tent

The website below provides links to further details for many of the events, unfortunately it doesn’t specify in most cases if the event is free or not. I would expect, however, that most are free.

There are tents in Harold’s Cross Park and at the Our Lady’s Hospice so that all events can go ahead even in bad weather.

This Sunday the 2nd yearly Kids Guide Summer Camp Fair is back! More than 50 camps will showcase their summer, as well as annual camp and class programmes for kids around metro Dublin and even from as far away as Connemara. Last year’s fair was such a success that this year the fair has moved to a larger location at the Royal Marine Hotel in Dun Laoghaire to accommodate more than double the number of exhibitors and visitors expected.

Admission is free, but if you pre-register your kids will have a chance to win one of the many great camps that have made a prize available. Camps for kids aged 4-17 will feature, along with taster sessions and entertainment all day. If you have kids you make sure you visit the Summer Camp Fair to get the best and most suitable summer activity for your kids and to be able to ask all the questions you might have. You can pre-register here.

More information is at www.kidsguide.ie/summer-camp-fair

Farmleigh House is the venue for “Space Invaders” an arts festival for “children, families, artists and the early years sector”. If you have tickets, all is great, if you don’t have tickets, then there is only one event remaining out of 12:

+ The Great Paddock Invasion (Suitable for Ages 0-5) at 10:30 and 13:30. (Dress for mess)

The full programme brochure is here. The “Great Paddock Invasion” is on Page 8.

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 Fusion Sundays Market will take place this Sunday in the Dublin Food Co-op.

It is a world culture market, an ethnic Bazaar, that focuses on the diverse ethnic culture present in Ireland today. The Market features a huge array of International stalls, ethnic food, live music and entertainment for kids. You can buy handmade goods, arts and crafts, recycled products, jewellery, clothes and food. The market is held every second Sunday of the month.

There is always a great atmosphere and I definitely recommend this monthly market.

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.

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.

“Pets in the City” is a free family day for animal lovers with Dog Show & Dog Agility, Reptile Corner, Small Animal Farm, Children’s Talks & Entertainment, DSPCA microchipping (must bring ID and proof of address i.e. utility bill), pet health advice and retail & exhibition stalls and a lot more.

If you have or love animals, you can’t miss this event.

The events is brought to you by Dublin City Council and supported by the DSPCA and King of Paws.

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 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 “Humans Need Not Apply” (10 Feb – 21 May) in the Science Gallery is looking at the influence robots will have on our society, on our lives and on jobs. How will robots replace humans? How can robots be creative? And is automation maybe going too far?

About 27 exhibits will ask and answer these questions. When you come into the exhibition space in the Science Gallery the little desk lamp robot Pinokio will greet you with all its friendliness and curiosity (that’s MY interpretation of Pinokio’s behaviour). And the three Doppelgänger robots upstairs will move, even dance with you. But more robots and automation will also have possibly some negative effects and “The Great Disengagement” looks at how we human beings might rebel against robots when they have taken our jobs and more away.

The exhibition has many many facets and it is extremely interesting. There are fascinating and intriguing exhibits and maybe more unexpected ones like the “tickle robot”. I strongly recommend the exhibition and can definitely say that it is suitable for ALL ages, even younger kids can get something out of it.

Use the help of the amazing mediators, who can explain everything you see, especially if you don’t want to read all the explanations that are next to every exhibit.

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.

Pawsitivity in the City is a family dog event in Merrion Square on Saturday and Sunday. There will be a doggy dance class, agility activities, sniffer lessons and a screening of Lady and the Tramp on Saturday.

The ISPCA will bring an army of dogs (including puppies!) who are looking for a new home. And there will also be professional dog grooming services, vet and behavioural advice from the experts, including TV Vet Pete Wedderburn and Suzi Walsh and lots of pet prizes. The us two-legged visitors there will be coffee and food stalls.

Unfortunately I wasn’t able to find out when the film will be screened on Saturday.

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 Cassiopeia Winds playing pieces for Wind Quintet.

Come to this drop-in Drawing Session and learn drawing techniques, including line drawing, shading perspective and decoration during these relaxed informal sessions. Suitable for ages 13+. Materials are provided but feel free to bring your own sketchbook; dry materials only.

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 cemetery at Arbour Hill is the last resting place of 14 of the leaders of the 1916 Rising. Among those buried there are Pádraig Pearse, James Connolly and Thomas Clarke. This tour every Sunday will focus on the context of the Rising and explore in detail the wording of the Proclamation of the Irish Republic.

No booking necessary. The meeting point is inside the cemetery gates.

The Breton Irish Community BreizhEire is inviting to a Breton Music Session to celebrate Brittany Day. It will take place on Sunday on the bandstand in St. Stephen’s Green.

Admission is free.

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 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.

An Intercultural Tour in Japanese language with community ambassador Hiromi Anzai will take place.

Admission is free. Meeting point is in the atrium of the Library.

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

A historical talk about Aras an Uachtarain will take place in the Phoenix Park Visitor Centre. Admission is free.

Every Sunday two free guided tours will take place in the Chester Betty Library. The first one is at 15:00 and the second one at 16:00.

In addition there is another free tour every Wednesday at 13:00.

“Margaret Clarke (1884-1964): An Artist Rediscovered” is a free Sunday talk with Niamh MacNally, NGI in association with the exhibition Margaret Clarke: An Independent Spirit, open in the Print Gallery from 13 May 2017.

Admission is free.

The 139th yearly exhibition of the Dublin Painting and Sketching CLub currently takes place in the Dun Laoghaire COunty Hall until 21 May and consists of 250 paintings by over 100 artists.

On Sunday a guided tour will take place and 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.

Blues Got Soul, a four-piece blues band from Dublin is performing the music of the founding fathers of blues and blues masters in the International Bar every Sunday. Admission is free, but donations are welcome.

The non-profit organisation ALT Events is inviting to their next Games Night on Sunday. You can bring your own board game or you can play one of the many that they will provide.

Admission is free.

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.

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

Every Sunday evening a Blues band plays in the Bowery.

Admission is free.

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! ;-)

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).

Lee Meehan & Hugh Buckley are playing Jazz and Soul.

Admission is free.

“Light My Fire”, the The Doors Tribute Band will be in the Bowery for a gig.

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.

The Rock ‘n’ Rock 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.

Every May the Bealtaine Festival takes place all over Ireland and it “Celebrates arts and creativity as we age”. This is a difficult description as everybody ages, but the organisers “Age & Opportunity” actually want to address the “older age”. Ok, that helps a little, but not much and nobody still really knows what the target age is. In previous years, a guidance of 55+ was given but that has disappeared. In addition most 55-60 years olds wouldn’t appreciate it being classified as “older age”. ;-)

Where does that leave us? We don’t know but, I guess if you feel older, this festival is for you and if you don’t, then the festival is not for you. ;-)

There will be many events throughout May and a good few of them are free. The website doesn’t have the best search facility, but you can also download the brochure via this page (look for the Download link at the bottom). To find events go to the WHAT’S ON page on the website, but then you will have to click on “SEARCH FOR EVENT” otherwise, you will get a seemingly random list of events. (Very non-intuitive and totally unsuitable for elderly computer users!)

In “Dublin City” there are approx. 60 events, but as I said, not all are free. Oddly, the events that you find are not sorted by date, but seem to be in random order.

Over the coming 4 weeks, I will include a number of free Bealtaine events in the Dublin Event Guide for Free Events, but with such a tricky search facility, I won’t be able to include all events, so please check the Bealtaine website here: www.bealtaine.ie

This workshop/demonstration is about Hanging Baskets. Horticulturist Aoife Munn will show how to create long lasting hanging baskets for any season. There will be tips and tricks about planting and maintenance as well as planting suggestions.

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.

This is a 3D printing workshop in the LexIcon Library that will build on the basic introduction workshop and introduces more technical tools for 3D modelling.

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

This is a public lecture by Dr Lauren Arrington (University of Liverpool) during her fellowship at the Trinity Long Room Hub in collaboration with the School of English:

From 1928, W.B. Yeats was a seasonal resident of Rapallo, Italy, where he lived and worked alongside Ezra Pound. Pound had moved to Italy in 1924, believing that Mussolini’s government would create the right conditions for writers and artists. In “Fighting Spirits” Lauren Arrington will talk about how Italian fascism and Yeats’s collaborations with Pound shaped his writing about the Irish revolution.

Admission is free.

The “GIY Plant Swap” is a meeting of the local branch of the Grow It Yourself group at the library on the 3rd Monday of each month. This month the group are hosting a Plant Swap. Come along and see what everyone else is growing, bring a plant or two to share if you have them but don’t worry if you don’t.

Admission is free.

The Bowery Stand-up Comedy night will take place again on Monday.

Admission is free.

This is a weekly gig with authentic old-time fiddle tunes and Appalachian music.

Admission is free.

The Irish Astronomical Society is inviting to their AGM and to a series of short talks, including one by master astrophotographer Tom O’Donoghue, who will speak about his well known mosaic of the constellation Orion.

Admission is free and everyone is welcome.

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.

That’s It Recordings is an open mic every Monday at Sin E. Just turn up and play. Sign up before 22:00 to ensure you get a slot. Bring a USB stick along and you will get a recording of your music to take home.

Admission is free.

Every May the Bealtaine Festival takes place all over Ireland and it “Celebrates arts and creativity as we age”. This is a difficult description as everybody ages, but the organisers “Age & Opportunity” actually want to address the “older age”. Ok, that helps a little, but not much and nobody still really knows what the target age is. In previous years, a guidance of 55+ was given but that has disappeared. In addition most 55-60 years olds wouldn’t appreciate it being classified as “older age”. ;-)

Where does that leave us? We don’t know but, I guess if you feel older, this festival is for you and if you don’t, then the festival is not for you. ;-)

There will be many events throughout May and a good few of them are free. The website doesn’t have the best search facility, but you can also download the brochure via this page (look for the Download link at the bottom). To find events go to the WHAT’S ON page on the website, but then you will have to click on “SEARCH FOR EVENT” otherwise, you will get a seemingly random list of events. (Very non-intuitive and totally unsuitable for elderly computer users!)

In “Dublin City” there are approx. 60 events, but as I said, not all are free. Oddly, the events that you find are not sorted by date, but seem to be in random order.

Over the coming 4 weeks, I will include a number of free Bealtaine events in the Dublin Event Guide for Free Events, but with such a tricky search facility, I won’t be able to include all events, so please check the Bealtaine website here: www.bealtaine.ie

The National Gallery has an extensive programme of free talks, public tours and Art Documentary screenings focusing on highlights of the European and Irish Collection every day of the week. Check their website for details.

This pop-up talk will be about “Ann with Cat” by Margaret Clarke and give a brief insight into the work. The talk will be given by Dr Kathryn Milligan and will take place in front of the painting.

Admission is free, meet in front of the painting in the Millennium Wing

“Look To The Future – a practical guide to owning and managing your career” with Peter O’ Connell (Career Development Associates) is the next career talk in the Central Library.

Admission is free, but booking is required via 01-8733996.

“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

This is a free tour of the exhibition “Yeats: The Life and Work of William Butler Yeats” and it will look 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 his promotion of Irish history, culture, art and folktales throughout his life.

Admission is free.

“Hack the Brain” is a 2.5-day Hackathon in Dublin (09+10+11 June) to experiment with brain-generated signals through the lense of art and science.

The pre-event on Tuesday is an evening of talks about topics from the areas of neuroscience, psychology and brain-related research, including the challenges and the emerging trends in technology used to measure signals from the brain. The panel will also demonstrate and explore the connection between art and the brain, how neuroscientists can analyse signals from the brain to make inferences about different topics, and the ethical questions surrounding the use of technology to explore the mysterious workings of the brain.

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

This event will be streamed live on the Science Gallery’s Facebook page from 18:00.

Did you ever want to try your hand at programming a robot, controlling your house from your phone or simply flashing some lights? This workshop will give you taste of how inputs and outputs on small computers such as the Raspberry Pi and Arduino, can be used to create smart solutions to everyday problems.

Admission is free. but booking via the Eventbrite site below is required.

This is a weekly event in Buskers on the Ball. They have 5 table tennis table and are now running a social league on Tuesdays. Free play at the tables and drinks specials are available.

The “Handcrafted Gifts Creative Workshop” with Aoife Munn will get you creating homemade gifts and personalising presents.

“From homemade recipes for mouth-watering cordials to innovative ways of decorating and personalising presents we will cover it all. Create your own treasures out of everyday items, learn techniques and skills such as decoupage and origami, you will be amazed at how easy it all is.”

Admission is free, but booking is required via 01-8377206

“Poems of Hope and Resistance” is a workshop and discussion about the power of poetry in troubling times. Looking at poems from a variety of eras, cultural contexts and schools of poetry, the two workshops on Tuesday 16+30 May will examine the role of poetry as an aid and inspiration in difficult times.

Admission is free, but booking is required via blackrocklib@dlrcoco.ie or 01-2888117.

Whelan’s never had a regular Trad Session, but this is about to change:

From 04 April until 27 June a new Trad Session called “Call the Dancers” will take place and no other than well known musicians Ronan Ó Snodaigh, Eoin Dillon & friends will perform.

Admission is free.

Our senses tell us about the world around us and the Synesthesia talk series will investigate our senses through discussions about design, science and performance.

This month the topic is “Move / Kinesthesia”. How do we communicate our ideas through movement and how do we design to accomodate it?

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

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.

A Musical Voyage with Katerina García, Síle Denvir & Robert Harvey is a concert that brings together musical traditions from across the European continent.

Katerina García (vocals, shruti box), Síle Denvir (harp, vocals, shruti box) and Robert Harvey (flute) will perform a repertoire that includes versions of Bohemian and Moravian, as well as Castilian, Catalan and Sephardic Jewish traditional songs, which they complement with songs and instrumental motifs from the Irish musical tradition.

Admission is free. but booking is required via the Eventbrite link below.

The Shipstern Open Session is the Open Mic night in the Bowery in Rathmines. A weekly event where everyone is invited to take part, sing, play an instrument of even tell some jokes. And anybody who will perform on stage will get a cocktail voucher. Sometimes even big names come in to try out their new material.

The night is hosted by Cian from the tband MKAI.

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 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.

Every Tuesday, a pub quiz is taking place in the Woolshed.

Admission is free. Max team size is 6 people.

Every May the Bealtaine Festival takes place all over Ireland and it “Celebrates arts and creativity as we age”. This is a difficult description as everybody ages, but the organisers “Age & Opportunity” actually want to address the “older age”. Ok, that helps a little, but not much and nobody still really knows what the target age is. In previous years, a guidance of 55+ was given but that has disappeared. In addition most 55-60 years olds wouldn’t appreciate it being classified as “older age”. ;-)

Where does that leave us? We don’t know but, I guess if you feel older, this festival is for you and if you don’t, then the festival is not for you. ;-)

There will be many events throughout May and a good few of them are free. The website doesn’t have the best search facility, but you can also download the brochure via this page (look for the Download link at the bottom). To find events go to the WHAT’S ON page on the website, but then you will have to click on “SEARCH FOR EVENT” otherwise, you will get a seemingly random list of events. (Very non-intuitive and totally unsuitable for elderly computer users!)

In “Dublin City” there are approx. 60 events, but as I said, not all are free. Oddly, the events that you find are not sorted by date, but seem to be in random order.

Over the coming 4 weeks, I will include a number of free Bealtaine events in the Dublin Event Guide for Free Events, but with such a tricky search facility, I won’t be able to include all events, so please check the Bealtaine website here: www.bealtaine.ie

Coolock Library invites to a “Creative Collage and Stitchwork” workshop with ReCreate using a variety of reuse fabrics and yarns. Learn some creative stitching techniques and how to weave using hessian sacks or try making your very own fibre collage.

Admission is free, but booking is required via 01-8477781

Silk Painting for Beginners with Ann McFadden is the Craft Workshop in Donaghmede. You will learn how to paint a silk handkerchief and no experience is required. It is easy, fun and the results are amazing.

Admission is free, but booking is required via 01-8482833

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.

“Noah’s Wife missed the boat – she left the washing out!” is the name of a play that will be performed by Carnation Theatre in Ballymun Library. The play celebrates the advent of the Washing Machine and the effect it had on our lives.

Do you remember the mangle, the tin bath, the buckets of nappies left to soak, the Sunlight soap? Sing along, clap and enjoy this musical trip down memory lane.

Admission is free, but booking is required via dlrlexiconlib@dlrcoco.ie

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.

“First Up: Creative entrepreneurs on breaking through” is a series of lunchtime talks from the “creative minds at the forefront of Irish culture, science and the arts.” The people featured in the First Up series believed in an idea and did everything possible to make that idea work. They will tell their own stories from the beginning, how they developed their ideas and will share their plans for the future.

At the next event Emily Robyn Archer, visual artist, environmental activist and facilitator passionate about the natural world and our connection to it and founder of Cre8 Sustainability, a creative agency for environmental education, will tell her story.

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

The National Library is involved in “The National Neighbourhood: Around the Table” project. This project connects communities old and new across Dublin’s historic central area with artists of different disciplines to explore the food history of the area. Groups visited the library as part of the project. Themes of mothering, belonging, words and work were shared through mapping the story, role and journey of food in the city – from the docks to the markets, and from the streets to the table.

The short film “Around the Table” (24 min) was made as part of the project, and explores Dublin’s food history through the memories of Dublin’s dock workers, workers from Cadbury’s who explain why the ‘Flake’ produced in Dublin had the best taste to current developments in food choices.

Admission is free. The film will be screened on 03+10+17+24 May.

The Temple Bar “Night” Market is more an afternoon and evening market (14:00-20:00) 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.

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.

Irish musician, ethnomusicologist and cultural historian, Professor Gearóid Ó hAllmhuráin will first give the lecture “Global Currents, Local Tides: Re-Imagining Irish Traditional Music in the Twenty-First Century” and from 19:30 the book launch of “A Short History of Irish Traditional Music” by Professor Gearóid Ó hAllmhuráin will take place.

Admission is free.

An evening of readings and song with novelist Anna Kelly and poet/singer Eddie Phillips will take place.

Admission is free.

“Bee Friendly Gardening” with Aoife Munn is an interactive workshop where you will learn all you need to know on how to help the bees in your neighbourhood. You will be creating your own pot, sowing bee friendly seeds and bringing them home to add to your garden.

Admission is free, but booking is required via 01-4907035

Jesters is a weekly open mic comedy event where a lot of comedians do 5 minutes of material.

Admission is free. If you would like to perform then send a message to the Jesters Facebook Page via the link below.

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

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

The Resident Open Mic is a new weekly open mic on Wednesdays with a bit of a difference: Each week a different established artist will go back to their roots by not just playing at the open mic but by hosting it. This gives the artists a chance to try out new songs, play some of their classics and most importantly it gives a chance for new songwriters to play their music in front of some of their favorite songwriters.

Admission is free.

Traditional Irish Music Session in Hedigan’s (The Brian Boru) in Phibsborough from 21:30 every Wednesday. If you play an instrument you are especially welcome (all levels are welcome).

M.Sord are playing a gig in Whelan’s

Admission is free.

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

Admission is free.

Every May the Bealtaine Festival takes place all over Ireland and it “Celebrates arts and creativity as we age”. This is a difficult description as everybody ages, but the organisers “Age & Opportunity” actually want to address the “older age”. Ok, that helps a little, but not much and nobody still really knows what the target age is. In previous years, a guidance of 55+ was given but that has disappeared. In addition most 55-60 years olds wouldn’t appreciate it being classified as “older age”. ;-)

Where does that leave us? We don’t know but, I guess if you feel older, this festival is for you and if you don’t, then the festival is not for you. ;-)

There will be many events throughout May and a good few of them are free. The website doesn’t have the best search facility, but you can also download the brochure via this page (look for the Download link at the bottom). To find events go to the WHAT’S ON page on the website, but then you will have to click on “SEARCH FOR EVENT” otherwise, you will get a seemingly random list of events. (Very non-intuitive and totally unsuitable for elderly computer users!)

In “Dublin City” there are approx. 60 events, but as I said, not all are free. Oddly, the events that you find are not sorted by date, but seem to be in random order.

Over the coming 4 weeks, I will include a number of free Bealtaine events in the Dublin Event Guide for Free Events, but with such a tricky search facility, I won’t be able to include all events, so please check the Bealtaine website here: www.bealtaine.ie

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.

This talk will focus on nutrition and how to cook healthy recipes. Become more creative in your kitchen with cooking tips and hints and how to eat more healthily.

Admission is free, but booking is required via 01-8315521

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.

“Noah’s Wife missed the boat – she left the washing out!” is the name of a play that will be performed by Carnation Theatre in Ballymun Library. The play celebrates the advent of the Washing Machine and the effect it had on our lives.

Do you remember the mangle, the tin bath, the buckets of nappies left to soak, the Sunlight soap? Sing along, clap and enjoy this musical trip down memory lane.

Admission is free, but booking is required via 01-8421890

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.

To celebrate International Museum Day, Museum Educator Annie Birney will bring you on a tour of the Medieval Ireland Exhibition. See how work, prayer and power shaped the lives of the people living in Medieval Dublin and beyond.

Admission is free and no booking required, but places are allocated on a first come first served basis. Suitable for ages 8+. Meet at Reception.

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!

From 27 April until 25 May the DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama will run a Lunchtime at the Pepper Canister concert/recital series. Admission to all events will be free, but booking is advised via the Eventbrite link below.

The concerts and performers are all listed on the Eventbrite site below, but to give you a rough idea, I will list the”theme”:

27 April: Music by Britten, Traditional Irish, Scottish and Northumbrian Music
04 May: Music by Messiaen, Mower, Handel, Strauss and Dvorak
11 May: Music by Händel, Lalo, Strauss, Loewe and Walton
18 May: Music by Schubert, Bernstein and Poulenc
25 May: Music by Bach, Beethoven, Brahms and Saint-Saens

In addition there is another concert on 04 May, this time in the Unitarian Chrurch in St. Stephen’s Green with music by Barrios, Lauro, Villa Lobos, Grandjany & Ravel.

The Garúa Trio (Annalisa Montecelli – piano, Sam Homfray – double bass, Mercedes Trinchero – violin) will be in St. Ann’s Church for a Lunchtime Recital.

Admission is free.

The talk “Treasures Assembled: ‘Still Life’ in surimono prints” with Dr Mary Redfern (Curator of the East Asian Collections, Chester Beatty Library) will take place in the Chester Beatty library.

Admission is free.

This is a chance to get behind the scenes at the Museum and take a tour of the conservation studios. See the work and meet Museum conservators presenting some of their current conservation projects.

Admission is free, but booking is required via 01 6777444

At this “Knitting Taster Session”, join members of the library knitting group for an open taster session to knit, chat and knit some more. Members will demonstrate introductory knitting skills. All welcome from beginners to experts.

Admission is free, but booking is required via 01-4533793

Every Thursday the Little Museum of Dublin waives their admission charges for two guided tours thanks to sponsorship from Guinness. The first tour is at 18:00 and the second tour is at 19:00. Make sure that you are there at least 10 minutes before the start of the tour to get one of the limited places.

The Little Museum of Dublin has a fascinating collection of artefacts from the last 100 years Dublin’s history.

On other days and other times, admission is EUR 7 for adults and admission is by guided tour only.

The book launch of “Us & Them” by Bahiyyih Nakhjavani will take place in Hodges Figgis on Thursday.

The novel is about the fragmented life in Iran and the effect the Iranian Revolution had on families.

Admission is free.

“Future Medicine: Intuitive Robot Surgery” is a talk with Matt Hewitt (Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, Cork University Maternity Hospital). He will explain and explores some of the newest tools for surgery: a fascinating insights into the world of robot surgery.

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

Pipeworks presents Aisling Kenny (soprano) and Mark Duley (organ) who will perform a concert.

Admission 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

Entre tres mares/In Between Three Seas is a concert by young Spanish flutist Ángel Pareja. He presents a series of five Spanish pieces composed by the most prominent figures of Spanish classical music in the 19th and 20th Century, pieces that let through the genuine essence of Spain.

Admission is free, but there are only 50 places and you need to book via bookings.dublin@cervantes.es

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.

“Songs of Irish Immigration: Robert Tannahill” is a talk by Fred Freeman on Thursday. It concentrates on a unique collection of songs – with their Irish melodies and subject matter written in defence of the early 19th-century Irish emigrants to Scotland.

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

THe Thursday Night Board Gaming event is running for more than 10 years already and it is a weekly event for all Board Game enthusiasts. But even if you are a Board Game newbie, you are welcome. Just come along!

Admission is free.

“Birds of the Mountaintop” with Sinead Cummins from BirdWatch Ireland will look at some of Ireland’s most enigmatic birds which inhabit some of our wildest landscapes.

“From the spectacular aerial ‘skydancing’ of hen harriers, to the melodic song of the skylark, to the cry of our breeding curlew, our mountains are home to many resident and migrant birds. Yet many of our upland birds are species of high conservation concern and they are increasingly under threat from changes to this wild and beautiful landscape.”

Admission is free.

Good Names are bringing singer/songwriter Joey Gavin and guitarist Thomas Garnett to a gig in the Bernard Shaw.

Admission is free.

A Table Quiz takes place in the Grand Social. On Thursdays teams 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.

U-One will bring you on a “Musical Journey” at their gig in the Hard Rock Cafe.

Admission is free.

The Crystal Skull Sessions is a band competition in Sin É and this is Heat 3.

” A variety of acts perform at each heat and are randomly selected from an ancient skull who determines their faith. The crowd gets to vote for their favourite act to get through to the final with an epic grand prize to be won.”

Admission is free.

The Des Hopkins Jazz Band are playing Dixieland Jazz.

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.

The Luna Boys are in the Mercantile for a gig every Thursday night.

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.

Stephen Sharpe & The Broke Straight Boys will play a gig in Whelan’s.

Admission is free.

Every May the Bealtaine Festival takes place all over Ireland and it “Celebrates arts and creativity as we age”. This is a difficult description as everybody ages, but the organisers “Age & Opportunity” actually want to address the “older age”. Ok, that helps a little, but not much and nobody still really knows what the target age is. In previous years, a guidance of 55+ was given but that has disappeared. In addition most 55-60 years olds wouldn’t appreciate it being classified as “older age”. ;-)

Where does that leave us? We don’t know but, I guess if you feel older, this festival is for you and if you don’t, then the festival is not for you. ;-)

There will be many events throughout May and a good few of them are free. The website doesn’t have the best search facility, but you can also download the brochure via this page (look for the Download link at the bottom). To find events go to the WHAT’S ON page on the website, but then you will have to click on “SEARCH FOR EVENT” otherwise, you will get a seemingly random list of events. (Very non-intuitive and totally unsuitable for elderly computer users!)

In “Dublin City” there are approx. 60 events, but as I said, not all are free. Oddly, the events that you find are not sorted by date, but seem to be in random order.

Over the coming 4 weeks, I will include a number of free Bealtaine events in the Dublin Event Guide for Free Events, but with such a tricky search facility, I won’t be able to include all events, so please check the Bealtaine website here: www.bealtaine.ie

The Magazine Fort in Phoenix Park is unusually neglected and at the same time unusually rich in history. Many have seen it as a barred off concrete fortress in a corner of Phoenix Park and even more don’t even know or have forgotten that it exists. The old Phoenix House, the home of the British Viceroy, was on the site where the fort was built from the early 17th century and then in 1734 the Fort was built and extended in 1801.

In 1916 the Fort was raided by the rebels who expected to find a lot of explosives there, but found the Fort nearly empty. In 1939 the IRA raided the Fort and stole more than a million rounds of ammunition, but most of it was recovered over the following weeks.

Since 1988, the Irish Army doesn’t use the Fort anymore and gave it back to the Office of Public Works (OPW), but not much good has happened to the Fort in the last 28 years (!!) and there were numerous speculations about the reasons for that.

Finally since last year, guided tours were provided and were meant to run for three months until end of October 2016. But the interest was so great that the OPW decided to continue the tours with a reduced schedule over the winter. And since 02 April there will be tours again every Friday and Sunday at 10:00, 12:00, 14:00 + 15:00 and only 20 places are available on each tour.

Tickets are available at the Phoenix Park Visitor Centre on a first come, first served basis and can not be pre-booked. A shuttle bus will bring the ticket holders to the Fort.

Dublin City Hall has a museum/exhibition in the basement, called “The Story of the Capital”, it is an exhibition about Dublin’s History and you should definitely check it out at some stage.

To celebrate the Easter Rising Anniversary, admission to that exhibititon was free in 2016, but lucky for us, Dublin City decided to also waive the admission charge for 2017.

Opening hours are Monday-Saturday 10:00-17:15.

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.

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.

Cabaret for Choice is a night of amusing, teasing and peeling in aid of the Abortion Rights Campaign.

Admission is free, but donations are welcome.

Ray Scully will play Soul, Blues and Rock at his gig in the Hard Rock Cafe.

Admission is free.

Ahead of the Robbie Williams concerts in the Aviva Stadium in June, Slattery’s Pub is inviting to a special Robbie Williams appreciation night. Admission is free. There will be Robbie Williams greatest hits playing all night and you can get a photo with Robbie Williams….if cardboard will do! ;-)

Hoodoo Reelin will bring their upbeat, spirit-lifting Funk, Ska and Soul.

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.

Hip Hop bands “Loud Motive” and “Craic Appeal” will perform in the Harbour Bar.

Admission is free.

The Hornets are playing a gig in Whelan’s Midnight Hour and they are supported by the Destriers.

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

4 piece band “Brass Tacks” are playing upbeat classics from all genres.

Admission is free.