Dublin Event Guide 525: City Spectacular, Defence Forces Open Day, Fusion Sundays Market, Teddy Bear Picnic,

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 Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta is taking place this weekend. There will be races on Saturday and Sunday and 475 boats with over 2500 crew will take part in the Regatta.

You can watch the races from the East Pier. I tried to find a timetable for the different events but it was impossible to find. The official website is below, maybe you are luckier than I was.

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.

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.

At the Spirit of Dublin Food Market, 36 Irish food & drinks producers will showcase their creations, which (un)surprisingly often contain Teelings Whiskey. ;-) There will also be an opportunity to taste some of Teelings Irish whiskey.

Find a lit of participants in the market on the Facebook page below.

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.

Inspirefest Family Fringe will feature CoderDojo, Girls Hack Ireland, GameCraft, Soft Robotics Toolkit, TOG, Coding Grace, Arckit, TCD Walton Club and Dublin Maker, who will be offering a whole range of activities.

From coding and hardware hacking workshops to interactive exhibitions and games, there will be a huge amount of activities for small kids (7+) and big kids too! Dr Niamh Shaw will also be performing Our Place in Space.

Admission to the Family Fringe is free and materials and equipment will be provided. Registration vie the Eventbrite link below is closed now, but there will be some spaces for drop-ins on the day.

The Eventbrite website lists the workshops on offer.

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 Laya Healthcare City Spectacular is the BEST event in Dublin (in my opinion) and it is back this weekend from Friday until Sunday from 12:00-20:00. The “centre piece” of this event (it was originally called “Street Performance World Championship” ) are performances from a whole range of street performers from all over the world. There are jugglers, magicians, a sword swallower, acrobats, breakdancers and more.

All performances will go on for about 45 minutes and will be repeated a number of times during the day. On four stages there will be approx. 80 performances per day. The audience will behave like a real audience, that means, you will be asked to reward the performer after the show with money. Coins or notes or your firstborn? Give whatever you can and think is appropriate. But make sure that you bring some money for that purpose. The performers are not paid by the organisers, that part is our job.

In addition to the street performances there will be a huge Food village, and lots of children’s workshops. The pets will get some special treatment this year as well. There is a pet zone. And Imaginosity will also have a tent with an busy programme.

The City Spectacular has something for everyone. All ages are looked after and it is a truly family-friendly event.

If you want to have a look at the timetable, you can download it as a PDF at www.cityspectacular.com/sites/default/files/Dublin%20Website%20Timetable.pdf In the past little programme with maps were handed out at in Merrion Square, but I don’t know if that will be the case again this year,

After so many years of the Street Performance World Championship (and now City Spectacular), it still amazes me that there are people that have lived in Dublin for years, but never heard about this event!

I definitely want to see Pogo Fred and The Mighty Gareth and Kobbler Jay, but I will spend the whole day on Saturday and Sunday there, so I might even get a chance to see them all! :-)

My recommendation: Absolutely do NOT miss this event! It is really the best event in Dublin!!!

Admission is free, but you reward the performers with money after their show.

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 “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.

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.

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 Kilbarrack Firestation invites to an Open Day on Saturday. You will be able to visit the firestation, watch CPR demonstrations, enjoy the DJ, face painting and tea, coffee and cakes.

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 National Library’s History & Heritage Guided tour will give you an opportuntiy to 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 and all are welcome.

“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.

What animals are the biggest, fastest and smelliest in the animal kingdom? Come to this family fun tour to find out more.

Admission is free and no booking required, places limited and allocated on a first-come, first-served basis 15 minutes before the tour starts. The event will take place at 14:15 and again at 15:30.

Grunge Klunge Lunch is a night celebrating all things Grunge with

Lounge Act (Nirvana Tribute)
Marcas Carcas
Alison James

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 Bionic Rats are playing Reggae, Ska and Rocksteady at this gig.

Admission is free.

ETC will play a gig in Whelan’s. There will also be a support band, but they haven’t been named yet.

Admission is free.

Tongue in Chic will play a gig in the Bowery. Expect Disco classics, House, Funk, dash of Hip Hop. 80s and dance.

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 Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta is taking place this weekend. There will be races on Saturday and Sunday and 475 boats with over 2500 crew will take part in the Regatta.

You can watch the races from the East Pier. I tried to find a timetable for the different events but it was impossible to find. The official website is below, maybe you are luckier than I was.

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.

A Food/Craft/Farmer’s Market will take place at Farmleigh House on Sunday. The Irish Defence Forces Open Day also takes place and this event is listed in the Dublin Event Guide separately.

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.

OWLS, the Children’s Nature Charity is inviting to a “Pond Dipping” event.

“Discover all the life under the pond we rarely see. We will be using pond nets and trays to explore life under the water. See water boatmen, pond skaters, dragon-fly larvae and more.”

Admission is free, but registration is required via Clare at education@owls.ie

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+

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.

There will be a Free Feltmaking Workshop with Gabi at the Phoenix Park Visitor Centre on Sunday. It is suitable for Ages 6 to 11 years.

Admission is free.

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 Irish Defence Forces Open Day will take place in Farmleigh Estate on Sunday.

Highlights will be a weapons displays, a parachute insertion, unarmed combat demonstrations, capability demonstrations from the Army, Air Corps & Naval Service, vintage vehicles, Army brass and pipe band recitals, field cooking and a Cavalry motorbike escort.

There will also be a career stand and Military Archives staff will be available to offer guidance to people who want to research their own family’s military history.

Admission is free and everybody is welcome.

The well known Palestrina Choir sing every Sunday at the mass in St Mary’s Pro-Cathedral. They sing complete masterworks by Mozart, Haydn, Dvorak, Palestrina, de Victoria, usually accompanied by Prof. Gerard Gillen on the organ, who often also plays a solo piece.

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

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

The Laya Healthcare City Spectacular is the BEST event in Dublin (in my opinion) and it is back this weekend from Friday until Sunday from 12:00-20:00. The “centre piece” of this event (it was originally called “Street Performance World Championship” ) are performances from a whole range of street performers from all over the world. There are jugglers, magicians, a sword swallower, acrobats, breakdancers and more.

All performances will go on for about 45 minutes and will be repeated a number of times during the day. On four stages there will be approx. 80 performances per day. The audience will behave like a real audience, that means, you will be asked to reward the performer after the show with money. Coins or notes or your firstborn? Give whatever you can and think is appropriate. But make sure that you bring some money for that purpose. The performers are not paid by the organisers, that part is our job.

In addition to the street performances there will be a huge Food village, and lots of children’s workshops. The pets will get some special treatment this year as well. There is a pet zone. And Imaginosity will also have a tent with an busy programme.

The City Spectacular has something for everyone. All ages are looked after and it is a truly family-friendly event.

If you want to have a look at the timetable, you can download it as a PDF at www.cityspectacular.com/sites/default/files/Dublin%20Website%20Timetable.pdf In the past little programme with maps were handed out at in Merrion Square, but I don’t know if that will be the case again this year,

After so many years of the Street Performance World Championship (and now City Spectacular), it still amazes me that there are people that have lived in Dublin for years, but never heard about this event!

I definitely want to see Pogo Fred and The Mighty Gareth and Kobbler Jay, but I will spend the whole day on Saturday and Sunday there, so I might even get a chance to see them all! :-)

My recommendation: Absolutely do NOT miss this event! It is really the best event in Dublin!!!

Admission is free, but you reward the performers with money after their show.

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.

This Family Tour is for children and their guardians/parents/carers. It will make the art work on display fun and engaging for kids and is suitable for the whole family.

Admission is free.

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 documentary “Vermeer and Music” will be screened in the National Gallery.

Admission is free.

A BRazilian BBQ is promised to come to the car park at the Tivoli Theatre in Francis Street, but no details are available. Just one day away, the Facebook page says “Details coming soon!“. So, maybe this is just one single BBQ stall? OR maybe it is a bit of a festival or an event? No idea!

Check the Facebook Page below before you go.

The Teddy Bears Picnic will be a celebration of all things Teddy with lots of fun, games and surprises in Blackrock Park. Everybody, young and old is invited to bring their bears and blankets to the picnic. If your Teddy needs special care and attention, there will be free bear care and checkups with minor repairs can be done at the Teddy Bear clinic.

There will be a DJ, face painting, bouncy castles and inflatable games for all ages, entertainment on the Lake Stage and picnic facilities.

Admission to the Teddy Bears Picnic is free.

This tour will look at the newly renovated wing of the gallery, but won’t be limited to that.

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 Clondalkin Festival is happening at the moment and on Sunday the Big Day Out invites everyone assumingly with lots of activities and entertainment. But details are sparse!

During the festival there will be live music, children’s entertainment, martial art dislays. pet parties, and lots more. The website unfortunately doesn’t provide any details or a schedule, so I guess you have to go there and see for yourself.

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.

At this Drop in workshop “Origami for Families”, make your own origami in the shape of animals, flowers and fish with Akiko Kidokoro.

Admission is free and no booking required but limited to 20 participants (first-come, first-served).

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

Clooz is a start-up that will gamify leisure experiences by creating app-based scavenger hunts all around the world. www.clooztravel.com

On Sunday they are organising a free app-based scavenger hunt in Dublin City Centre. Take on this challenge in your own time and pace. Solve riddles and let the app guide you to your next destination. Form a group of 2 or more people (bring your friends or find a group on the spot) and start around 14:00 on Sunday. It will take about 1.5-2 hours and will end at the final destination with a meet-up and an award for the winners.

Sounds like a really interesting event and I will definitely take part. Not this time though, but I hope they will run another one soon! :-)

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

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.

Come to this family friendly tour of “Proclaiming a Republic: The 1916 Rising” exhibition. Explore some of the highlights of the Museum’s extensive Easter Week collection.

Admission is free and no booking required, but places are limited and allocated on a first-come, first-served basis 15 minutes before the tour starts. Suitable for Adults & Children 7+.

There will be a Family Fun Day at Palmerstown House (The Pub not the estate). With Livemusic (Beatclub / Austin Carter) from 18:00 and children’s entertainment and special guest “Paw Patrol” before. Admission is free.

Alt Events is inviting to the next Game Night in the Fringe Lab.

Play board games for free with others that are also enthusiastic about it and that can explain and help you with one or two things if you need some guidance. There will be some “baked goods” as well. Board games are provided, but you can also bring your own if you want.

Admission is free.

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

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).

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

Singer/Songwriter Samyel will play a gig in the Harbour Bar.

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.

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.

The New Parents’ Tours are for parents, guardians, and carers of young children and will look at selected artworks on display. They are suitable for all ages. The route is suitable for prams and strollers.

Admission is free.

Stand Up Comedy with David Hynes and Danny O’Connor and guests 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.

A Gulliver’s Travels Paper Dolls workshop will take place at 10:30 and again at 12:30.

“Meet some of the fascinating characters from Gulliver’s Travels, written by our most famous Dean, and create your own versions to dress up and take away with you.”

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

The Chester Beatty Library is running a number of workshops for children from 6-11 years of age throughout the week and apart from Monday, there are still spaces available.

The list of Workshops is
+ Mon 10 July: Silk Worm Club: Clay Creations (6-11 years) – FULLY BOOKED
+ Tue 11 July: Silk Worm Club: Japanese Doll Bookmark (6-11 years)
+ Wed 12 July: Silk Worm Club: Furoshiki Workshop (Japanese Wrapping Cloth) (6-11 years)
+ Thu 13 July: Silk Worm Club: Dress up dolls (6-11 years)
+ Fri 14 July: Silk Worm Club: Tote Bags (6-11 years)

More details about all workshops are on the website below.

Admission is free, but booking is required and the links for booking a place are also on the website below.

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

Louis Lovett is one of Ireland’s leading theatre makers. Join him for an hour long, confidence boosting introduction to stage presence and the art of standing before an audience of people, pets or even playthings.

This is a creative, playful but focused approach to stage presence. The workshops is suitable for children (aged 8+). It takes place at 11:30 and again at 14:00.

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

The Music Library in the Central Library invites to “Songs & Instrumentals: Guitar & Piano” with Nelson Olivares (pianist) & Shay Cotter, Irish singer songwriter who mixes folk, blues & pop with a unique finger picking guitar style.

Admission is free, but booking is required via musiclibrary@dublincity.ie or 01 8734333

Joseph Walsh’s “Magnus Modus” is the objext for this pop-up talk with Madison Walsh.

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

The Jill Anderson School of Drama will run a range of fun filled drama workshops to develop children’s confidence and communication skills.

At Marino Library the “Enid Blyton’s Wishing Chair” event will take place. The Famous Wishing Chair has come to Dublin. come along and see what adventures you will be taken on when you climb into the chair. Suitable for children 4 – 7 years.

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

Table Top Tuesdays is back. It is a Board Games night and it is not taking place in Token. There will be lots of games available, but you are also welcome to bring your own.

Admission is free.

The talk “Before Dobrzynski: Irish-Polish relations 1795-1929” with Gabriel Doherty will explore the history of Irish-Polish relations in the years 1795-1929. The lecture accompanies the Friends in Times of Turmoil exhibition which is on display at Dublin City Library and Archive from 3 to 28 July.

Gabriel Doherty is a lecturer in the School of History, University College Cork. He focuses on modern Irish history, with particular reference to the history of Irish-Polish relations.

Admission is free

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

The 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.

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.

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.

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.

The Chester Beatty Library is running a number of workshops for children from 6-11 years of age throughout the week and apart from Monday, there are still spaces available.

The list of Workshops is
+ Mon 10 July: Silk Worm Club: Clay Creations (6-11 years) – FULLY BOOKED
+ Tue 11 July: Silk Worm Club: Japanese Doll Bookmark (6-11 years)
+ Wed 12 July: Silk Worm Club: Furoshiki Workshop (Japanese Wrapping Cloth) (6-11 years)
+ Thu 13 July: Silk Worm Club: Dress up dolls (6-11 years)
+ Fri 14 July: Silk Worm Club: Tote Bags (6-11 years)

More details about all workshops are on the website below.

Admission is free, but booking is required and the links for booking a place are also on the website below.

Louis Lovett is one of Ireland’s leading theatre makers. Join him for an hour long, confidence boosting introduction to stage presence and the art of standing before an audience of people, pets or even playthings.

This is a creative, playful but focused approach to stage presence. The workshops is suitable for children (aged 8+). It takes place at 10:30 and again at 12:30.

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

The Children’s Workshop “Budding Botanist – Collecting and Pressing Flowers” gives children an opportunity to start their own dried plant collection. They will get great tips and discover how to become a plant collector. Your kids will join our guides on an expedition through the Botanic Gardens identifying and collecting suitable plants for pressing before constructing their own flower press. If they like, they can also create some beautiful botanical designs with available pre-dried plants.

Admission is free, but booking is required via 01 804 0319 or botanicgardens@opw.ie

“From Exclusion to Excellence” will focus on the content of Victor Friedman’s 2016 book “From Exclusion to Excellence: Building Restorative Relationships to Create Inclusive Schools”.

Victor J Friedman is Professor of Organizational Behaviour and co-chair of the Action Research Centre for Social Justice at the Max Stern Yezreel Valley College, Israel.

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

This week’s Phoenix Park Walk is entitled “Bee Keeping in the Victorian Walled Garden” with Gardener Brian Quinn.

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 Natural Museum will add a giant quid to their display and while it will not on display YET, there will be a drop-in event where you can kind out interesting facts, do some life-sized giant squid colouring and you will get a sneak peek at a real giant squid’s beak.

Admission is free and no booking required but there is limited capacity. Suitable for all ages.

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 is a fun and interactive storytelling session with Vroom-Town author Emer Conlon. Meet the characters from the Vroom-Town series of books and enjoy the adventures of Sparkle, Bullydozer and Screech. And have fun piecing together the giant Vroom-Town jigsaw.

Admission is free. Suitable for children aged 4 to 7 years. Booking is required via 01-8749619

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!

This is a Lunchtime Lecture by Professor David Dickson (MRIA, Department of Modern History, TCD) entitled “Swift’s Dublin”. The lecture acompanies the Library exhibition “To please and to reform mankind” a life of protest: Jonathan Swift, 1667-1745.

Admission is free.

Archaeologists can discover a lot about how people lived in the past by studying bones. Take part in this special workshop which will look at how bones are preserved in different environments and figure out which bones belong to a Bronze Age burial, a bog body and a Viking skeleton.

Admission is free and no booking required. The Drop-in event is suitable from age 10. (Located in Learning Resource Room on 1st Floor.)

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.

This Drawing Workshop is an informal workshop for adults and young people and it will look at different areas of life drawing – including portraits, colour, and capturing movement. All materials are provided. Beginners and improvers are welcome.

Admission is free.

The “Havana International Language Exchange” is taking place every Wed from 16:30-19:30 in Havana Tapas Bar in George’s Street. There are many Spanish speakers and English-speakers are explicitly invited, but everyone else is certainly very welcome too, to meet for a chat to improve your Spanish or English.

ATD Ireland invites you to a 2 hours meeting with Victor J. Friedman to discuss issues of Peace Building, Social Justice Activism and Action Research.

Victor J Friedman is Professor of Organizational Behaviour and co-chair of the Action Research Centre for Social Justice at the Max Stern Yezreel Valley College, Israel.

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

The Documentary “Twice Orphaned: Holocaust survivors’ last battle” (57 min) will be screened. An introduction and post-screening Q&A with film director and producer Talila Frank will take place and there will be light refreshments and chat from 17:30. The film is in Hebrew with English subtitles.

Admission is free.

“Avraham, Ziggy, Schreiber, and Robinson form the uncrowned governing council of the “Teheran Children”. The four represent 217 Polish Holocaust orphans who are now bringing legal action against the State of Israel for monies received from Germany for their rehabilitation.The confrontation with the State, their former official guardian, floods them with the pain of orphanhood. The dozen stormy years of struggle have transformed them into a group united by love, shared fate, and solace.”

“‘He Shall Not Hear the Bittern Cry’: The short life and enduring renown of Francis Ledwidge” is an event to celebrate the life and works of Francis Ledwidge and to mark the centenary of his death. Join poet, playwright and novelist Dermot Bolger for this talk about the life and work of Irish Poet Francis Ledwidge. The evening will include readings of the poems of Francis Ledwidge interwoven with music.

Admission is free.

Mind Blow is a series of interactive Philosophy lectures/sessions, accessible to everybody because Philosophy is not properly taught eslewhere. The next talk will be on Wednesday and will deal with “Law and Morality”

Admission is free but a donation between EUR 0 and EUR 5 would be appreciated.

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.

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.

“Badgers, Bats and Nocturnal Birds” is the theme of this night time walk to experience the wildlife of the Phoenix Park that comes to
life after dark. You will search for tracks and signs of Badgers, look for various species of Bats and listen for nocturnal birds such as the Long-eared Owl.

Admission is free, but booking is requied through the Phoenix Park Visitor Centre on 01-6770095. The centre is also the meeting point for th event. Bring torches!

www.phoenixpark.ie/media/phoenix-park-programme-of-events-2017.pdf

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).

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

Admission is free.

The Chester Beatty Library is running a number of workshops for children from 6-11 years of age throughout the week and apart from Monday, there are still spaces available.

The list of Workshops is
+ Mon 10 July: Silk Worm Club: Clay Creations (6-11 years) – FULLY BOOKED
+ Tue 11 July: Silk Worm Club: Japanese Doll Bookmark (6-11 years)
+ Wed 12 July: Silk Worm Club: Furoshiki Workshop (Japanese Wrapping Cloth) (6-11 years)
+ Thu 13 July: Silk Worm Club: Dress up dolls (6-11 years)
+ Fri 14 July: Silk Worm Club: Tote Bags (6-11 years)

More details about all workshops are on the website below.

Admission is free, but booking is required and the links for booking a place are also on the website below.

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 Monto Arts Group is made up of five contemporary arts galleries and artist studios (ArtBox, The LAB Gallery (Dublin City Council Arts Office), Fire Station Artists’ Studios (FSAS), Oonagh Young Gallery and Talbot Studios) and they are inviting to an Open Day on Thursday, the Monto Picnic. All five participants are located in a small area in the former “Monto” district of Dublin.

There will be a tour of the galleries and arts spaces and then there will be live music, followed by a historic tour at 14:00-15:00.

Admission is free.

Find more details on the website below.

Nuts about Nature is a workshop for children with the Rediscovery Centre. Children are encouraged to explore wildlife and biodiversity through discussion and interactive activities such as making bird feeders, examining the creatures in the bug tank and wildlife themed arts and crafts.

The workshop also investigates habitats, ecosystems and animal adaptations including camouflage. Suitable for children aged 7 to 11 years.

Admission is free, but booking is required via 01-8344906

[I really hope that the children are not taught to make a bird feeder in summer!!!!! Bird feeders should only provided in winter as otherwise birds unlearn how to find food!]

The Natural Museum will add a giant quid to their display and while it will not on display YET, there will be a drop-in event where you can kind out interesting facts, do some life-sized giant squid colouring and you will get a sneak peek at a real giant squid’s beak.

Admission is free and no booking required but there is limited capacity. Suitable for all ages.

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

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

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

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

At the second session on Thursday the New Dublin Voices will perform. It is a Chamber Choir from Dublin that singe Contemporary compositions.

Admission is free.

Join the Rediscovery Centre as you 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.

Admission is free, but booking is required via 01-8377206. Suitable for children aged 7 to 11 years.

Come to this tour of the exhibition “World War Ireland: Exploring the Irish Experience”. Find out about the Irish experience ‘over there’ and on the home front during WWI through collections of letters, diaries, recruiting posters, newspaper reports, cartoons and leaflets.

Admission is free. WWIreland is at 2/3 Kildare Street.

The Family Event “The Bigger Picture: Old Maps in the National Library” is a workshop that looks at maps and especially old maps.

“Maps are everywhere: on our phones, in our cars, on walls and adverts. But how much do we really know about them? Explore our world through maps in this fun workshop, asking questions about how maps are made and how we understand them.”

Admission is free and no booking required.

The Spanish film “La sirga” will be screened in Spanish with English subtitles.

Admission is free. There will be light refreshments from 17:00.

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.

This is an Evening Tour in the National Gallery that will focus on the newly renovated part of the gallery.

Admission is free.

The national Gallery will screen the film “Girl with the Pearl Earring” directed by Peter Webber, and adapted from the novel by Tracey Chevalier.

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

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.

A free Tango Class will take place in the hall of the Dublin Central Mission building. Bring all your friends, even if they are absolute beginners or have 2 left legs.

The teacher will be Monina Paz, a professional Tango dancer from Argentina who was 20 years of experience and who teaches classes every Tuesday in the same location.

Admission is free, but booking is required via monitango AT yahoo.com.ar

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.

The Ones to Watch Summer Festival “Summer Watch 2017” will bring over 20 bands of new Irish talent to Whelan’s. From 13-16 July the over 20 of the best and brightest emerging acts will perform and admission to all gigs is free.

On Thursday, the line-up will be:

Sub Motion
Litttle One
TANJIER
FIELDS
SYLK

Indie band “Men of Twenty” will launch their new single at this gig in Sin É. They will be supported by “Nobody’s Heroes”.

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.

Spacevolk are playing a Alternative / Funk gig.

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.

The Indie Rock band “Flux” from Galway will be in Whelan’s for a gig and will bring “Conman”. The gig will start at midnight.

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

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 Chester Beatty Library is running a number of workshops for children from 6-11 years of age throughout the week and apart from Monday, there are still spaces available.

The list of Workshops is
+ Mon 10 July: Silk Worm Club: Clay Creations (6-11 years) – FULLY BOOKED
+ Tue 11 July: Silk Worm Club: Japanese Doll Bookmark (6-11 years)
+ Wed 12 July: Silk Worm Club: Furoshiki Workshop (Japanese Wrapping Cloth) (6-11 years)
+ Thu 13 July: Silk Worm Club: Dress up dolls (6-11 years)
+ Fri 14 July: Silk Worm Club: Tote Bags (6-11 years)

More details about all workshops are on the website below.

Admission is free, but booking is required and the links for booking a place are also on the website below.

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

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

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

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.

A short talk about the painting “Peasant Wedding” by Pieter Brueghel the Younger will be given by Dr Sarah Wilson.

Admission is free.

French Friday, Le Petit Journal Dublin and The Church Cafe Bar, Restaurant & Club have teamed up to offer you the biggest Bastille Day celebration in Ireland. There will be French Pastis, French Wine, French Pétanque & entertainment, French Crêpes, French Saucisson, French Fanfare and French DJs.

Admission is free.

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

The Ones to Watch Summer Festival “Summer Watch 2017” will bring over 20 bands of new Irish talent to Whelan’s. From 13-16 July the over 20 of the best and brightest emerging acts will perform and admission to all gigs is free.

On Friday, the line-up will be:

Bullet Girl
Look to the Lady
Packing Party
Zeros & Ones
Three Underneath
TADGH

This is an evening of live music and circus performances in collaboration with the Dublin Circus Project.

The line-up will include Extravision (Melodic Post Punk on a High Tension Wire), Sisters Hyde and The Pesky Magpies and performers from the Dublin Circus Project.

The aim of the evening is to collect funds and show support for Clowns Without Borders, Ireland. All donations are welcome. Clowns Without Borders Ireland brings professional performances and workshops to children who live in areas of crisis, including refugee camps, war zones, countries in emergency situations and those suffering discrimination.

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.

Reggae in the Harbour Bar! The Reggulators will be in the house!

Admission is free.

“Dead Ringer” will play a rock, blues and soul gig in the Patriot’s Inn.

Admission is free.

2-piece electronic band “No More Questions” and support act “Caz9” will be in Whelan’s for a gig from midnight.

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

Party Band Robotrock is a live band that plays the music that until now only DJs played: Daft Punk/Chemical Bros/The Prodigy etc.