Dublin Event Guide 527: Dublin Maker, Festival of Curiosity, Liberties Festival, Swords Summerfest, Bray Air Display

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
+ 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.

Dublin Maker 2017 is a day-long festival for hackers, crafters, coders, DIYers and curious inventors. It is a creative carnival of “show and tell” and is suitable for all ages. Inventors and Makers will be there to show you what they are working on in a friendly festival atmosphere.

You will be able to find out about Japanese Knots, Raspberry Pi projects, Paperpets, Physcs Busking, Weaving and Spinning, Enable Ireland Innovations and Maker Projects, Props & Puppets, Home Brewing, Woodturning, Techspace projects, STEM for 7-10 years olds, Roboslam, Virtual Reality, 3D printing, fractal images, model making, robots, boardgame design, hte TOG Hackerspace, Lego Brickx, LED projects and many more projects, inventors and makers. See the whole list here www.dublinmaker.ie/makers-2017/

Admission is free. I think this is a really great event that is growing and growing from year to year. If you are curious or want your kids to be and remian curious, go to this event.

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 Festival of Curiosity is inviting to a Treasure Hunt for the whole family. Explore the curious side of Dublin city through fun riddles, puzzles and science for all ages. Starting at Smock Alley Theatre the trail will take you on a journey to key locations across the city.

Pick up your treasure hunt clues at Smock Alley Theatre between 10:00 and 16.00 on Saturday and Sunday. There is no time limit on the treasure hunt, but it takes approx 1.5 hours to complete it with lots of stops along the way. The event is suitable form Age 7 (all children must be accompanied by a parent or adult).

Admission is free.

Because all the planes that will fly over Bray for the Bray Air Display will have to “park” somewhere, Weston Airport is hosting a Family Fun Weekend on Saturday and Sunday with approx. 25 planes on display. There will also be a Fun Fair.

Admission is free.

The exhibition “The Beautiful Beasts” will feature a weird and wonderful collection of animal sculptures. Along with a brand new limestone seal, you will find a flying horse, a tortoise with a secret story and a toucan in disguise.

Created by leading Irish and international artists from materials ranging from bronze, woods, ceramics, steel and stone. You can learn about the techniques used to create the artworks and feel samples of the materials used.

Admission is free. The exhibition is open on from Wednesday to Sunday every week and is suitable for Age 4+

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.

Six times will the “People’s Art 2017″ exhibition take place this year. It is an art exhibition by private artists on the rails/fence of St. Stephen’s Green.

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

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

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

The Children’s Event “Pond Dipping” will take place on Saturday.

Explore the weird and wonderful diversity of insects and minibeasts living in and around the pond at the National Botanic Gardens. Perfect your technique with guidance from the experts and learn how to identify the amazing creatures you have captured.

Admission is free, but booking is required via 01 804 0319.

The Swords Summer Festival is taking place this weekend with the main events happening on Saturday and Sunday.

The schedule on the Events in Fingal website is not very descriptive, so this rough overview is the best I can give you:

Saturday
+ Family Entertaiment 12:00-17:00 in Main Street
+ Castle Market 11:00-17:00
+ Irish Great War Society Display 11:00-17:00
+ Dublin Gospel Choir 18:30-20:00 on Stage in Main Street
+ Interskalactic – Ska+Reggae Gig 20:30-22:00 on Stage in Main Street
——————————–
Sunday
+ Bosco + Kids Entertainment 14:00-17:00
+ Irish Great War Society Display 14:00-17:00

The events listed above all seem to be free. There is also a Fun Fair in Swords Town park with the usual ticket prices.

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.

What was life like in Ireland during the Bronze Age? Drop into the learning space (Kildare Room) to handle replica artefacts and find out how people in Ireland in Prehistoric times used metal for their weapons and tools. Then create your very own lunula to take home.

Admission is free. Suitable from Age 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.

The Bray Air Display is happening this weekend. The activities on the ground will start at 12:00 and the plane fly overs will start at 15:30 and end around 18:00 on Saturday and will run from 14:00-17:00 on Sunday.

On Saturday 13 acts will perform (i.e. fly overs or parachute jumps etc). On Sunday 18 acts will perform. So if you want the FULL programme you should go there on Sunday but be prepared for BIG crowds and keep an eye on the weather forecast.

The list of participating air performers is:
+ Royal Jordanian Falcons
+ The Catalina
+ Irish Air Corps
+ Swedish Air Force Historic Flight
+ British Spitfire & Seafire
+ The Black Knights
+ The Strikemasters
+ Norwegian MIG & Vampires
+ Eddie Goggins
+ The Ravens
+ Irish Coast Guard Search and Rescue Demonstration
+ Aer Lingus DC-3
+ Irish Parachute Club
——————
The following acts will only be performing on Sunday:
+ F-18 jet, Spanish Airforce
+ Patrouille Tranchant
+ Richard Goodwin
+ Irish Historic Flight Foundation
+ Aer Lingus – A321 passenger aircraft

So the Saturday programme is not as good as the Sunday programme and if you compare it with last year’s programme then this year’s Bray Air Display impresses even less! Last year the top air acrobatic teams from Italy (Frecce Triccolori) and from the UK (Red Arrows) and The Blades (made up of former Red Arrow pilots) were there on Sunday, this year NO air display/acrobatic team with a similar reputation and skill will be in Bray. The Patrouille Tranchant is the only air display team but they will be only performing on Sunday and are by far not as outstanding as the Frecce Triccolori or the Red Arrows.

On the ground there will be a Food Village, a Craft Fair and a Fun Fair.

Admission is free.

On the last day of this year’s Liberties Festival, the Family Fun Day will take place in Patrick’s Park, next to St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

There will be a Vintage Carousel, Face Painting, Juggling and Acrobatics Show, a Science Show, Petting Zoo and street dance workshops.

Admission is free.

The weekly Ha’penny Flea Market is an indoor market in the Grand Social Pub, which offers vintage Men and Women’s clothing, contemporary crafts, books, DVDs, vinyl records, vintage and handmade jewellery, vintage hair styles, art, photography and much more. Grand Social’s Bar and Gourmet Coffee options are available.

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 15 July to 19 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 details of the ceremony and the participating units are described on the website below.

The exhibition “SOUND CHECK” (09 June – 24 September) in the Science Gallery is looking the influence sound has on our life. THe exhibition looks at lots of interesting ways to create sound.

It is highly interactive exhibition with lots of oppoertunities to create sound/make noise. Some of the main exhibits are a big sound pinball table, a synthesiser on a bike, musical swings, a room full of Moog Synthesiser equipment, a Uranium controlled Xylophone and there are fice “Sonic Bikes” that you cyn pre-book and loan out for a 1 hour guided tour in Dublin.

The exhibition is suitable for ALL ages, even younger children will be able to take part and nobody will be bored.

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.

The National Gallery runs lots of free tours during the week and this is a listing of all the tours that are on the schedule for this week:

Sat 22 July: 12:30-13:15 Details
Sat 22 July: 14:30-15:15 Details
Sun 23 July: 11:30-12;15 Details
Sun 23 July: 12:30-13:15 Family Tour
Sun 23 July: 13:30-14:15 Details
Thu 27 July: 18:30-19:15 Evening Tour

For all tours meet at the Merrion Square entrance reception.

Outdoor Family Yoga for all ages will take place in the Wood Quay Amphitheatre and will be lead by Jenny Keane from “Back to the Heart” yoga. Bring your picnic if you want.

Admission is free and everyone is invited. The Yoga will take place on Saturday and Sunday from 12:30-13:30 and again from 14:30-15:30 and it is part of the Festival of Curiosity.

As part of the current “Sound Check” exhibition in the Science Gallery you can rent out a bike to experience Dublin in a completely different way:

Ya slip ta bang is an interactive composition mapped over the streets of Dublin that will unfold for you as you ride ‘sonic bikes’ along specific routes of the city. Accompanied by electronic music, the composition tells the story of recovering he roin addict Lucy Dolan as she returns to the city, revisiting important places in her life.

The sonic bike is a bicycle with frame-mounted speakers that plays different sounds and music dependent on where the cyclist goes and how fast they ride, via a mounted location-sensitive system.

The bikes can be rented for free for up to 1 hour on Fridays, Saturday and Sunday between 12:30 and 16:00. The rules and conditions are on the website below and that is also where you book the bikes.

The National Botanic Gardens are inviting to the Royal Horticultural Society of Ireland’s annual Sweet Pea Show on Saturday and Sunday. You will be able to 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 and from midday on Saturday everybody is welcome to view the prizewinning sweet peas.

Opening times of the show are on Saturday 12:30-17:30 and on 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.

“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

Every Saturday a free guided tour will take place in the Chester Betty Library. The tour starts at 14:00.

In addition there is another free tour every Wednesday at 13:00 and one on Sundays at 15:00

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.

A weekly tour of the National War Memorial Gardens will take every Saturday from March until the end of October.

Admission is free. “Meet inside the gates” it says here.

Rock bands “Huntings” (formerly Legion Of Ape) and “Just Me & The Devil”are playing a gig in the Grand Social.

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.

Mongrel State are playing South-Western Rock at their gig in Bray.

Admission is free.

The Big Ceili with trad music band and Ceili caller will be the final event of the Liberties Festival.

Admission is free.

“The Bowery Live” is a gig night, featuring The Upbeat Generation, Angel Hannigan & The Rum Bunch, Aidan Murphy

Admission is free.

Rock Tribunal will play a gig in the Porterhouse.

Admission is free.

Alternative Band “Stoles” will play a gig in the Midnight Hour. Support is provided by Key.

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 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 National Botanic Gardens are inviting to the Royal Horticultural Society of Ireland’s annual Sweet Pea Show on Saturday and Sunday. You will be able to 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 and from midday on Saturday everybody is welcome to view the prizewinning sweet peas.

Opening times of the show are on Saturday 12:30-17:30 and on Sunday 10:00-17:00.

The Festival of Curiosity is inviting to a Treasure Hunt for the whole family. Explore the curious side of Dublin city through fun riddles, puzzles and science for all ages. Starting at Smock Alley Theatre the trail will take you on a journey to key locations across the city.

Pick up your treasure hunt clues at Smock Alley Theatre between 10:00 and 16.00 on Saturday and Sunday. There is no time limit on the treasure hunt, but it takes approx 1.5 hours to complete it with lots of stops along the way. The event is suitable form Age 7 (all children must be accompanied by a parent or adult).

Admission is free.

Because all the planes that will fly over Bray for the Bray Air Display will have to “park” somewhere, Weston Airport is hosting a Family Fun Weekend on Saturday and Sunday with approx. 25 planes on display. There will also be a Fun Fair.

Admission is free.

The exhibition “The Beautiful Beasts” will feature a weird and wonderful collection of animal sculptures. Along with a brand new limestone seal, you will find a flying horse, a tortoise with a secret story and a toucan in disguise.

Created by leading Irish and international artists from materials ranging from bronze, woods, ceramics, steel and stone. You can learn about the techniques used to create the artworks and feel samples of the materials used.

Admission is free. The exhibition is open on from Wednesday to Sunday every week and is suitable for Age 4+

Every Sunday (with a few exceptions) an art workshop takes place for children from 6-11 years of age. Admission is free and children must be accompanied by an adult.

The themes for the workshop are:

23 July Draw Flowers from the Walled Garden
30 July Farmer Ann

The full list can be found here phoenixpark.ie/media/phoenix-park-programme-of-events-2017.pdf

The Dublin Eight Comic Arts Festival (DECAF) will take place on Sunday. Discover small press comics in Ireland, attend workshops and talks by The Comics Lab and meet local creators & celebrate the spectrum of Irish sequential art.

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 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.

Six times will the “People’s Art 2017″ exhibition take place this year. It is an art exhibition by private artists on the rails/fence of St. Stephen’s Green.

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

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

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

The Swords Summer Festival is taking place this weekend with the main events happening on Saturday and Sunday.

The schedule on the Events in Fingal website is not very descriptive, so this rough overview is the best I can give you:

Saturday
+ Family Entertaiment 12:00-17:00 in Main Street
+ Castle Market 11:00-17:00
+ Irish Great War Society Display 11:00-17:00
+ Dublin Gospel Choir 18:30-20:00 on Stage in Main Street
+ Interskalactic – Ska+Reggae Gig 20:30-22:00 on Stage in Main Street
——————————–
Sunday
+ Bosco + Kids Entertainment 14:00-17:00
+ Irish Great War Society Display 14:00-17:00

The events listed above all seem to be free. There is also a Fun Fair in Swords Town park with the usual ticket prices.

To celebrate the National Gallery’s new presentation of its collection of Irish Art in the renovated historic wings, the Gallery presents Ealaín: a day of special tours, talks, workshops, and performances inspired by the collection. All events are free and suitable for the whole family. The timetable is below:

11:30 A Walk in Ireland – Drop-in family workshop
11:30 Irish themed tour – A tour of some of the Irish works in the collection, led by Rosary Cox.
12:00 How to do stained glass – Discover the processes and materials used to produce the windows now on show
12:30 Irish themed tour – A tour of some of the Irish works in the collection, led by Rosary Cox.
13:00 The Irish creel and its appearance in Irish art – Basket making demonstration and talk with Joe Hogan
13:00 Irish art archives – Talk and display of original Irish archives from the collection with Dr Kathryn Milligan.
13:30 Irish themed tour – A tour of some of the Irish works in the collection, led by Rosary Cox.
13:30 Irish language tour – Turas as Gaeilge, le Caomhán Mac Con Iomaire.
14:00 Edible Collages – Biscuit making workshop inspired by Irish art, with Michelle Darmody. Booking required
14:00 Irish art archives – Talk and display of original Irish archives from our collection with Donal Maguire.
14:30 Margaret Clarke: An Independent Spirit – A tour of the exhibition with Dr Kathryn Milligan.
15:30 Musical performance with Lisa Lambe and Hothouse Flowers members, Liam O’Maonlaí and Peter O’Toole. Booking here.

The National Gallery is running a series of free themed family drop-in workshops from 11:30-13:30 every Sunday.

Inspired by the collection and the exhibitions in the National Gallery, these workshops are suitable for all ages from approx. 18 months to age 8. You can choose to stay for as long or as short a time as works for you.

The space will be divided by age and ability, and each child will be encouraged by Artist and NGI Education Assistant Caomhán Mac Con Iomaire and the week’s guest artist to create their own work on the week’s theme.

Admission is free and no booking required. Numbers are limited to 40 people at any one time but you can drop in and out whenever it suits you and as long as there is still space. Children have to be supervised at all times. The event takes place in the Atrium.

This week’s theme is: A walk in Ireland

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 National Gallery runs lots of free tours during the week and this is a listing of all the tours that are on the schedule for this week:

Sat 22 July: 12:30-13:15 Details
Sat 22 July: 14:30-15:15 Details
Sun 23 July: 11:30-12;15 Details
Sun 23 July: 12:30-13:15 Family Tour
Sun 23 July: 13:30-14:15 Details
Thu 27 July: 18:30-19:15 Evening Tour

For all tours meet at the Merrion Square entrance reception.

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.

The Bray Air Display is happening this weekend. The activities on the ground will start at 12:00 and the plane fly overs will start at 15:30 and end around 18:00 on Saturday and will run from 14:00-17:00 on Sunday.

On Saturday 13 acts will perform (i.e. fly overs or parachute jumps etc). On Sunday 18 acts will perform. So if you want the FULL programme you should go there on Sunday but be prepared for BIG crowds and keep an eye on the weather forecast.

The list of participating air performers is:
+ Royal Jordanian Falcons
+ The Catalina
+ Irish Air Corps
+ Swedish Air Force Historic Flight
+ British Spitfire & Seafire
+ The Black Knights
+ The Strikemasters
+ Norwegian MIG & Vampires
+ Eddie Goggins
+ The Ravens
+ Irish Coast Guard Search and Rescue Demonstration
+ Aer Lingus DC-3
+ Irish Parachute Club
——————
The following acts will only be performing on Sunday:
+ F-18 jet, Spanish Airforce
+ Patrouille Tranchant
+ Richard Goodwin
+ Irish Historic Flight Foundation
+ Aer Lingus – A321 passenger aircraft

So the Saturday programme is not as good as the Sunday programme and if you compare it with last year’s programme then this year’s Bray Air Display impresses even less! Last year the top air acrobatic teams from Italy (Frecce Triccolori) and from the UK (Red Arrows) and The Blades (made up of former Red Arrow pilots) were there on Sunday, this year NO air display/acrobatic team with a similar reputation and skill will be in Bray. The Patrouille Tranchant is the only air display team but they will be only performing on Sunday and are by far not as outstanding as the Frecce Triccolori or the Red Arrows.

On the ground there will be a Food Village, a Craft Fair and a Fun Fair.

Admission is free.

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

Admission is free.

The exhibition “SOUND CHECK” (09 June – 24 September) in the Science Gallery is looking the influence sound has on our life. THe exhibition looks at lots of interesting ways to create sound.

It is highly interactive exhibition with lots of oppoertunities to create sound/make noise. Some of the main exhibits are a big sound pinball table, a synthesiser on a bike, musical swings, a room full of Moog Synthesiser equipment, a Uranium controlled Xylophone and there are fice “Sonic Bikes” that you cyn pre-book and loan out for a 1 hour guided tour in Dublin.

The exhibition is suitable for ALL ages, even younger children will be able to take part and nobody will be bored.

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.

Outdoor Family Yoga for all ages will take place in the Wood Quay Amphitheatre and will be lead by Jenny Keane from “Back to the Heart” yoga. Bring your picnic if you want.

Admission is free and everyone is invited. The Yoga will take place on Saturday and Sunday from 12:30-13:30 and again from 14:30-15:30 and it is part of the Festival of Curiosity.

As part of the current “Sound Check” exhibition in the Science Gallery you can rent out a bike to experience Dublin in a completely different way:

Ya slip ta bang is an interactive composition mapped over the streets of Dublin that will unfold for you as you ride ‘sonic bikes’ along specific routes of the city. Accompanied by electronic music, the composition tells the story of recovering he roin addict Lucy Dolan as she returns to the city, revisiting important places in her life.

The sonic bike is a bicycle with frame-mounted speakers that plays different sounds and music dependent on where the cyclist goes and how fast they ride, via a mounted location-sensitive system.

The bikes can be rented for free for up to 1 hour on Fridays, Saturday and Sunday between 12:30 and 16:00. The rules and conditions are on the website below and that is also where you book the bikes.

Learn drawing techniques, including line drawing, shading perspective and decoration during this informal drop-in drawing session.

The event is suitable for ages 13+ and materials will be provided (but feel free to bring your own sketchbook; dry materials only).

Admission is free.

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 “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.

The St. George’s Brass Band will play in the Bandstand at 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

The Family Workshop “Delve Deeper” is a fun drop-by event for the whole family. Experiment with special hand held digital microscopes to see what leaves, seeds and even tiny bugs look like up-close.

Admission is free.

Every Sunday a free guided tour will take place in the Chester Betty Library. The tour starts at 15:00.

In addition there is another free tour every Wednesday at 13:00 and one on Saturdays at 14:00

Explore some of the artefacts from the Museum’s collection of objects for handling with Museum educators. This is a fascinating drop-in handling session for all ages.

Admission is free. Suitable for all ages.

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 Melt Sessions will be back in the Mezz on Sunday. It’s a full day of gigs and the line-up is

Nobody’s Heroes (acoustic band set)
The Vulture Collective (Jazz/Swing band)
Headtrip Acoustic Project -“Zar” – “Giovanni Agostini”- (acoustic band set)
Quantum Crossroads (Instrumental/Psychedelic-Rock band)
Javi & Talking Dogs (Alt-Rock band)
Aron Rowe (acoustic set)
Geoff Finan (spoken word)
Brian Walton (acoustic set)
Bryan Walsh (acoustic set)
Tony Floyd Kenna (acoustic set)
Hollie Mac (DJ)
Ben (The Fibs)
Andy Barron (acoustic set)

Admission is free.

This is a tour of the iconic treasures in the National Museum, including the ‘Tara’ Brooch and the Ardagh Chalice.

Admission is free and places are allocated on a first come first served basis. Meet at the Reception. Suitable for ages 7+.

Travel around European traditional dancing culture without a ticket at the weekly Bal Folk Dance Sessions.

And if you don’t know how to dance, don’t worry! Workshops are provided and admission is free.

The “outdoor” version of the weekly dance continues in the Summerhouse at the lake in St. Stephen’s Green.

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

The Tiny Quartet is an instrumental group that puts a jazz and balkan twist on favourite pop, rock and folk tunes, from the last few decades. Their repertoire includes the likes of The Beach Boys, David Bowie, Michael Jackson, Planxty and Stephane Grapelli, as well as numerous jazz and folk standards.

Admission seems to be free, but The Tiny Quartet is not very good at telling people if their gigs are free or not on their Facebook Page and the Liquor Rooms also don’t help in this case.

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).

The East Coast Jazz Band will play Dixieland Jazz in the Harbour Bar.

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.

Soul Foolishness is a Funk, Hip Hop, Soul band and they will be in the Bowery for a gig on Sunday. Their music will be Tupac to Rick James and Snoop Dogg to James Brown.

The band will be followed by GoFUNKyourself D.Js.

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.

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 Chester Beatty Library is inviting to an interactive tour specially designed for people living with dementia and their loved ones. It will start with a relaxing tea or coffee in the Silk Road Café before the tour of the Chester Beatty Library’s collections.

Admission is free, but the tour is limited to 10 Participants. Booking is required via Heidi Campbell on 01 4070766.

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!

‘Choose, Catch, Snap! Get a Glimpse, a Glance, a Flash! Of directions you may wish your life to take! And discover decisions you may desire to make!’

Emily Gallagher will run a ‘just for fun’ photo trail weekly, involving participants following instructions for hunting for various specific snaps around the city centre, after which interpretations of the symbolic significance to the snaps will be shared!

Admission is free, but donations are welcome and booking is required via chooseyourowntracks@gmail.com or 085-2725095. Meeting Point is the Meeting House Square.

This weekly Stand Up Comedy night is run David Hynes and Danny O’Connor and they will welcome the guest performers Julie Jay, Mustafa Saed, Terry Oneil, David Mallaghan.

Admission is free.

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

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.

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.

The St. Patrick’s Cathedral is inviting to a workshop for children (Age 10+) entitled “Drawing from History”. Learn to create drawings with atmosphere, using the historical St. Patrick’s Cathedral as inspiration.
The workshop will be run at 10:30 and 12:30.

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

The Astronomy Show is the title of the show presented by Junior Einstein’s Science Club. The Junior Einstein instructors love astronomy and they invite you to join them on a virtual trip through space – everything from astronaut training to rocket launching to protecting astronauts on other planets, even greeting aliens and getting back to Earth safely.

The workshops are suitable for children aged 8 to 12 years.

Admission is free, but booking is required. There are two events on 25 July:

Tuesday 25 July at 11:00 in Ballyfermot Library. Book via 01-6269324
Tuesday 25 July at 14:30 in Dolphin’s Barn Library. Book via 01-4540681

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.

“Harry Clarke’s stained glass windows” is a pop-up talk in the new stained glass room in the Gallery’s refurbished historic wing. The talk will be given by Dara McElligott.

Admission is free.

“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 Family Drop-in event will happen every Tuesday in July in the National Library. On 4, 11, 18, 25 July a fun afternoon of trails with stories and drawings that brings the National Library to life for all ages will be provided for you.

Admission is free and no booking is required.

A 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.

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.

Camden Comedy is a weekly comedy night on a Tuesday that I only found recently.

Every Tuesday they have a whole range of comedians and admission is free.

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 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.

The Trad Stage is a weekly Open Mic event in the Tivoli Backstage venue. Musicians are invited to perform live in front of an interested audience. Performances are primarily of Irish Traditional Music and Folk Singing, however it is possible to also see performances of traditional music from all over the world as well as performances of original compositions from local and international musicians.

Admission is free.

“All Aboard! An open mic night on a Pirate Ship.” seems to be the new name of the Bowery’s Open Mic Tuesday.

Each week there will be an array of music, comedy, spoken word and all things in between.

Special guests this week are: Storytellers “Candlelit Tales” and they will be sharing 2x nautical based stories-

Admission is free.

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

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

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

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

Admission is free. Max team size is 6 people.

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.

Children are encouraged to explore wildlife and biodiversity through discussion and interactive activities such as making bird feeders (Hopefully not in summer!!!), examining the creatures in the bug tank, and wildlife themed arts and crafts
The workshop also investigates habitats, ecosystems and animal adaptations including camouflage. It is suitable for children aged 7 to 11 years.

Admission is free, but booking is required via 01-8734333

This week’s Phoenix Park Walk is entitled “Celtic Tree Trail” and the description says “The Celts believed each tree had its own personality and meaning. Learn about their uses through history and why trees are so important.”

Admission is free.

The full list of all walks for the next few months is here: phoenixpark.ie/media/phoenix-park-programme-of-events-2017.pdf

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 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 Vikings wore pendants and amulets based on the Norse gods in the hope that they would bring them good luck. Learn more about the beliefs of the Vikings and make your own Thor’s Hammer pendant to take home.

Admission is free. Come to the Learning Resource Room on the 1st floor. Suitable from Age 8+.

The Jill Anderson School of Drama will run a range of fun filled drama workshops in the libraries to develop children’s confidence and communication skills. The workshops are free but booking is required.

1) Paddington’s Gone Missing! Everyone’s favourite bear has disappeared! He was in this very library researching a new orange marmalade recipe and never came home. The famous private investigator Mrs Tiddles has arrived to see if she can find him, but she needs your help! Suitable for children 4 – 7 years. Wednesday 26 July at 14:15 in Drumcondra Library. Book via 01-8377206

2) The Haunted Castle. Unfortunately for Ethna the Witch her spell has gone horribly wrong. Her haunted castle has disappeared. All she has left is an empty book of spells and a bag of items that used to be in her castle. Can you help her bring the haunted castle back to life! Suitable for children 4 – 7 years. Thursday 27 July at 11:00 in Terenure Library. Book via 01-01-4907035

Come to this worksho and venture into space and explore the solar system. What would life be like on Mars? What size is the moon?

The workshop includes a number of interactive and fun activities, exploring meteor impacts and making rockets and space themed crafts. It is suitable for children aged 7 to 11 years.

Admission is free, but booking is required via 01-6744888

This is an informal workshop for adults and young people to look at different areas of life drawing, including portraits, colour and capturing movement. All materials are provided and beginners and improvers are welcome.

Admission is free. Meet in the Sculpture Court.

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.

The Dublin Jam Session is an open Jam with full back line. It is open to all levels of musicians and singers and all genres of music and the only rule is that you must jam with others (not all your own band).

It takes place every Wednesday and admission is free.

The Dwarf Jar House Trio (Daniel Rorke (sax), Cormac O’Brien (bass) and Matthew Jacobson(drums)) will play a weekly Jazz gig every Wednesday in Dwarf Jar Cafe and they usually have one or more guest musicians or singers supporting them.

Admission is free.

“The Tragedy of Cúchulainn’s Only Son” is the theme of a story telling event with the expert storytellers Candlelit Tales.

This is live storytelling with atmospheric music in The Stags Head.

Admission is free.

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 Switcharoo” 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).

Red Note District will play a gig in Temple Bar.

Admission is free.

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

Admission is free.

The Jill Anderson School of Drama will run a range of fun filled drama workshops in the libraries to develop children’s confidence and communication skills. The workshops are free but booking is required.

1) Paddington’s Gone Missing! Everyone’s favourite bear has disappeared! He was in this very library researching a new orange marmalade recipe and never came home. The famous private investigator Mrs Tiddles has arrived to see if she can find him, but she needs your help! Suitable for children 4 – 7 years. Wednesday 26 July at 14:15 in Drumcondra Library. Book via 01-8377206

2) The Haunted Castle. Unfortunately for Ethna the Witch her spell has gone horribly wrong. Her haunted castle has disappeared. All she has left is an empty book of spells and a bag of items that used to be in her castle. Can you help her bring the haunted castle back to life! Suitable for children 4 – 7 years. Thursday 27 July at 11:00 in Terenure Library. Book via 01-01-4907035

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.

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.

As part of the current “Sound Check” exhibition in the Science Gallery you can rent out a bike to experience Dublin in a completely different way:

Ya slip ta bang is an interactive composition mapped over the streets of Dublin that will unfold for you as you ride ‘sonic bikes’ along specific routes of the city. Accompanied by electronic music, the composition tells the story of recovering he roin addict Lucy Dolan as she returns to the city, revisiting important places in her life.

The sonic bike is a bicycle with frame-mounted speakers that plays different sounds and music dependent on where the cyclist goes and how fast they ride, via a mounted location-sensitive system.

The bikes can be rented for free for up to 1 hour on Fridays, Saturday and Sunday between 12:30 and 16:00. The rules and conditions are on the website below and that is also where you book the bikes.

The final Wood Quay Summer Session this week will bring feature Trad. The Sessions are a yearly series of four lunchtime gigs/concerts in the Amphitheatre at Wood Quay in July.

This last event will feature
+ Cormac Begley & Libbey McCrohan
+ Chatham Saxophone Quartet

Admission is free.

“Speaking in Tongues – The many languages of the Chester Beatty Bibles” is a taöl with Dr Jill Unkel, Curator of Western Collections, Chester Beatty Library.

Admission is free.

Are your kids interested in playing the Bodhran or the Tin Whistle, then this might be for them. Come to the taster session which is facilitated by Waltons New School of Music. The workshop is suitable for children age 10 to 12 years.

Admission is free and instruments are provided. Booking is required via 01-8734333.

The Family Event “Miss Battersby’s Birds – Flapping Good Fun!” is about Miss Battersby’s sketchbooks in the National Library. The Sketchbooks are full of beautiful watercolours of exotic birds. Be inspired by Miss Battersby and create your own bird picture – or flock of birds!

Admission is free.

“Moog Residency Performance: Look Mum No Computer” is taking place in the Science Gallery’s Moog Sound Lab. Admission is free, but places are limited and will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

In 1964, Dr. Robert Moog introduced the world to a completely new type of instrument that would go on to change the course of music history. The Moog Sound Lab travels around the world showcasing the limitless capabilities of the Moog synthesiser sound. During the SOUND CHECK exhibition in the Science Gallery, the Moog Sound Lab is in Dublin and a series of residencies will be hosted.

The artists will explore and experiment live in the exhibition space of Science Gallery, Dublin over the course of their week long residency (open to the public) and they will create a unique new composition.

“Look Mum No Computer” is Sam Battle, a musician/hacker from London who performs live music with a home-built synthesiser. Sam Battle is always trying to find the most elaborate analog approach possible to make music, from a synth bike to a 5,000-volt drum machine to a Furby organ.

As part of the current exhibition “SOUND CHECK” in the Science Gallery, the GAZE International LGBT Film Festival will bring you a free screening of My Prairie Home, a documentary musical about growing up transgender in a rural community in Canada.

The film tells the story of indie singer-songwriter Rae Spoon, taking viewers on a playful, meditative and at times melancholic journey set against the majestic backdrop of the infinite expanses of the Canadian Prairies.

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

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 National Gallery runs lots of free tours during the week and this is a listing of all the tours that are on the schedule for this week:

Sat 22 July: 12:30-13:15 Details
Sat 22 July: 14:30-15:15 Details
Sun 23 July: 11:30-12;15 Details
Sun 23 July: 12:30-13:15 Family Tour
Sun 23 July: 13:30-14:15 Details
Thu 27 July: 18:30-19:15 Evening Tour

For all tours meet at the Merrion Square entrance reception.

“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

Join Dublin City Council’s Central Area Historian-in-Residence, Dr. Darragh Gannon as he talks about Home Rule and partition after the Rising in his talk “Carson, Redmond and the Irish Convention 1917-18”.

Admission is free, but booking is required via 01-8734333.

The History Ireland Hedge School will be in Richmond Barrack for the talk “‘Poet of the blackbirds’ the life and death of Francis Ledwidge”.

It is almost 100 years since the Irish poet and nationalist Francis Ledwidge was killed in Flanders, just weeks before his 30th birthday. Sometimes known as ‘Poet of the blackbirds’ he is best remembered for his nature and war poetry. History Ireland editor, Tommy Graham, will moderate a panel discussion on his life and death.

Admission is free and no booking required. The event will be in the Gymnasium of Richmond Barracks.

What:

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.

The band “Accidents In The Workplace” and special guests “Buckshot Amber” will play a gig on Thursday.

Admission is free.

SOMA originated as a series of house parties in Dublin hosting bands and DJs and it is now a regular clubnight in Whelan’s. At SOMA #10 the line up will be Thumper, Chinese Newspaper, Nervvs. DJs will follow the live bands.

Admission is free.

Conor O’Donnell and the Palaminos are playing Americana in the Harbour Bar, but I am not too sure about the times. The website says “1:15pm”, that is very unlikely on a Thursday. We just have to assume that it is in the evening.

The Crystal Skull Sessions is a band competition in Sin É and Heat1 takes place on Thursday.

Admission is free.

The Hardyhar Comedy Club in the Harbour Bar in Bray (upstairs!) will feature Phil Kay and Aidan Killian on Thursday.

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.)

The next Cabin Sessions is a Trad & Roots event and it will take placeagain on Thursday with the Cabin Crew and with special guests Elga Fox, Vicky Sargeant and Clarence Winter.

Admission is free.

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

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

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

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 Luna Boys will be in ther Porterhouse in Bray for a gig.

Admission is free.

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 “Culture Club” invites its members to explore and enjoy the collections at Collins Barracks through a series of specially arranged guided tours and activities in the company of museum staff followed by ’Tea & Chat’ and an opportunity to mingle.

The Club Meetings take place on the last Friday of each month. In July join Dr Audrey Whitty for a tour of “Shadow of Sodeisha: Japanese and Irish Art in Clay” with reference to historical works in the Museum’s collection.

For further information and to book contact bookings@museum.ie Admission is free, but booking is required!

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.

As part of the current “Sound Check” exhibition in the Science Gallery you can rent out a bike to experience Dublin in a completely different way:

Ya slip ta bang is an interactive composition mapped over the streets of Dublin that will unfold for you as you ride ‘sonic bikes’ along specific routes of the city. Accompanied by electronic music, the composition tells the story of recovering he roin addict Lucy Dolan as she returns to the city, revisiting important places in her life.

The sonic bike is a bicycle with frame-mounted speakers that plays different sounds and music dependent on where the cyclist goes and how fast they ride, via a mounted location-sensitive system.

The bikes can be rented for free for up to 1 hour on Fridays, Saturday and Sunday between 12:30 and 16:00. The rules and conditions are on the website below and that is also where you book the bikes.

This is a performance of World Dance Music for two guitars with Luke Tobin and Gerard Boyle.

Admission is free.

This is a short and informal talk in front of Hendrick Avercamp’s “Scene on the ice” with Louise Kelly.

Admission is free. Meet in front of the painting in Room 37.

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

The Malahide has It! Festival will be back in 2017 according to their Facebook page.It will run from Friday 28 – Sun 30 July, but unfortuantely no details are available yet. So let’s hope that more will be posted during the week. The website has last been updated years ago, so check the exact date in case you search anywhere else than checking the link below.

Most events have been free in previous years, expect live music, Cooking Demonstration, a Funfair, Children’s Entertainment and some cultural and history-related events.

Find more details in the next Dublin Event Guide.

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 next Brady’s Sessions take place on Friday with an array of singer/songwriters and a band. Admission is free and the event is hosted by Keith McLoughlin.

The line-up is

Honeybear
Jimi Cullen
Aoife Moriarty
James Daly
Paul in Denial
Nathan Mannion

Is an unique 6-piece rock band playing original compositions.

Admission is free.

Heads Up will play a blues & roots gig.

Admission is free.

The Camembert Quartet will be back in the Bowery for a gig.

Admission is free.

7-piece funk band Dysfunktional from Dublin will play a gig in Whelan’s.

Admission is free.