Dublin Event Guide 541: Halloween, Stokerland, Bram Stoker Festival Live Music Trail, Dublin Flea Market, Macnas Parade

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 Nutgrove Arts Festival 2017 will run from 26 Oct – 04 Nov and all events are free. It will take place in the Nutgrove Shopping Centre and all events are listed on the website below. If Nutgrove is within reach from where you are, you should check the event list to see if something appeals to you.

The “SSE Airtricity Dublin Marathon Expo” is the collection point where all Dublin City Marathon race participants need to get their race bib, timing chip and goody bag. It will be on Friday (12:00-19:00) and Saturday (09:00-19:00) in the Main Hall of the RDS and there will be some race equipment/clothing/food suppliers exhibiting their products.

Admission is free. The list of exhibitors is here www.dublinmarathonexpo.com/exhibitors

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.

Through the winter of 1866 Bram Stoker would sit reading in Marsh’s Library, studying books on religion, witchcraft and travel in Eastern Europe. Stoker became a regular reader in Marsh’s, visiting frequently during his studies at Trinity College.

And for the Bram Stoker Festival this year, the Marsh Library invites to a Spooky Family Open Day.

Admission is free.

The Sandymount Halloween Pumpkin & Scarecrow Festival will take place in Sandymount Green from 27-21 October, but I wasn’t able to find a description what the festival will be about, so you will have to check it ou yourself. ;-)

Admission is free.

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 Drumcondra Village Market is now the “Art, Bites, Crafts Drumcondra Market”. And as you guessed it, it is an arts and crafts fair in the centre of Drumcondra. :-) There will also be some food and music.

The market is open on Saturday and Sunday from 10:30-15:30.

Admission is free.

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

The Irish Wildlife Trust’s Kevin Delahunty will run a “Creepy-Crawly” Halloween event. Learn about the many fascinating miniature creatures all around us and their role in the ecosystem. The event is children friendly.

Admission is free. Meeting point is the Phoenix Park Visitor Centre.

An Intercultural Tour in Arabic Language with Community Ambassador Bayan Musallam will take place.

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

An Intercultural Tour in Mandarin Language with Community Ambassador Vicky Wang will take place.

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

Stokerland, a pop-up Victorian fun park for families and the eternally young, will open its gothic gates on Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 of October in St. Patrick’s Park next to St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

There will be comedy shows from Punch Lion Kids Comedy Club, featuring Andrew Stanley, Damian Clark, Steve Cummins and Totally Wired; street theatre from Victorian undertakers Morbid & Sons and a Kids vs Adults-themed Sing Along Social. In addition rides and attractions and a food village, olde-worlde games, face-painting and more will be available.

Admission is free.

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 every day of the week. Currently there is at least one free tour every day. Check their website for details. Some special events will be listed separately.

Admission to the gallery and to most events is free.

Hard Working Class Heroes and First Music Contact are organising six weekends of “Dublin Live Music Trails” this year. The performances will be 20 minutes long and will be acoustic in all sorts of usual and unusual venues. SO it is feasible to see & hear ALL gigs because they are all in walking distance.

The next Music Trail weekend will take place on 28+29 October and the line-up and venues are listed below.

Admission is free.

Line up and schedule for Saturday is:

+´Visit Dublin Centre (Suffolk Street): 12:00 Curtis Walsh | 12:30 Molly Sterling
+ The Irish Whiskey Museum: 13:15 Ivan Nicolas | 13:45 Wastefellow
+ Wowburger (The Workman’s Club, Dublin): 14:30 Other Creatures | 15:00 Hvmmingbyrd
+ Oxfam, Georges Street: 16:00 Floor Staff | 16:30 Elm

———

The line-up for Sunday is:
+ Visit Dublin Centre: 12:00 Proper Micro NV | 12:30 Outsider
+ The Irish Whiskey Museum: 13:15 Maria Kelly | 13:45 Dammy Ari
+ Wowburger (The Workman’s Club) 14:30 Other Creatures | 15:00 THUMPER
+ Generator Hostel: 16:00 Paddy Hanna | 16:30 The Fontaines

Admission is free to all venues/gigs.

Every Thursday (17:30-19:30), Saturday (12:00-16:00) and Sunday (12:00-16:00) the Dublin Library of Things will be open at the Food Co-op during National Re-Use Month (October) and November.

A Library of Things is a place where people can borrow items needed only on an occasional basis, or that are too bulky or costly to own. By sharing these items it reduces the need for material production and consumption and allows people to free up space in their homes and try new hobbies without the need to buy new supplies.

The Library of Things will work on a membership basis. Anyone can join and then take out items for up to one week. Borrowing items will be free however there will be deposits on items relative to the value of the item. The Library of Things will also act as a drop off and collection point for WeShare members (www.weshare.ie/), an online community where people can list items that have to share, or things that they need.

The items in the Library of Things will all be doanted or loaned and therefore it depends on individuals and businesses what the library will have available. Ideal items are sewing machines, kitchen appliances, DIY tools, halloween costumes, craft materials, games and sports equipment and gardening equipment. If you have any useful items in good working order that you would like to loan or donate to the library of things, or have other suggestions or questions for us, contact them at dublinlibraryofthings@gmail.com. Volunteers are also needed to man the library.

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.

This week is the last Bushy Park Market for 2017 and it will finish with a Halloween Party. There will be scary Witch Face Painters, Balloon Modelling, Spooky Halloween Stories and a Halloween Garden.

Admission is free.

The current exhibition in the Science Gallery is called “IN CASE OF EMERGENCY” and it will run from 12 October until 11 January. The exhibition looks at doomsday and emergency scenarios. How can we prepare for such a worst case situation? It is a very interesting exhibition that I recommend. Some exhibits need you to think/reflect a little, but that is a good thing! :-)

Exhibits are for example
+ 22 Doomsday Clocks that show how close we got to the end of the world in the period from 1945-2017
+ a series of drawings teaching basic skills for challenging situations
+ Pandemic Spreading patterns in a globalised world
+ Microbiome Ark (a small satellite that carries human microbiome on board to kickstart life on earth again after a disaster)
+ a selection of Manuals for Civilisation
The website below lists all exhibits and provides their explanation so that you can either before or after your visit check further details.

There is also a Situation Room where you can partake in a Catastrophe Citizen Assembly to decide on complex questions that could affect the survival of humanity. The Situation Room assembly will convene every hour. Check with the mediators how you can take part.

All Science Gallery exhibitions are suitable for ALL ages, even younger children will be able to take part/follow. For this exhibition, though, younger kids might need your help to understand some of the context.

I strongly suggest to 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.

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.

For the “Spooktacular Halloween Event”, the Haunted Pirate Ship will be docking at the Centre Mall on Level 2 of the Square in Tallaght. It is a Haunted Pirate Ship with pirates who have brought along Vampire Paddy Drac!!

There will be free Face Painting and Creepy Arts & Crafts.

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 free guided tour will take place at the National War Memorial at Islandbridge every Saturday at 14:00 from March until the end of October.

The tour will focus on World War I, in which so many Irishmen died. You will also hear about the main features of the gardens at this tour.

Meeting point is the car park at 14:00 (next to the Trinity College Boat Club). For further information and to check that it is taking place, contact 01-8155914 (Farmleigh House).

At “Sacred Spells: Mummy Riddles” learn how the Ancient Egyptians prepared and protected themselves for the afterlife. Decode some curses and make your own sarcophagus to bring home.

Admission is free. Suitable for Families with kids ages 7+

The Dublin Sidewalk Astronomers meet in Clontarf on the seafront car park, on Clontarf Road, opposite the Clontarf Bus Depot for a public star-gazing. Members bring along their telescopes and share the wonders of the night-sky with you. Admission is free.

The event is weather dependent, so check www.irishastrosoc.org/events/events.htm after 18:00 on the night in the case of poor weather, to see if it is going ahead.

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.

Off the record is a series of gigs where the audience will only find out who will play the gig about 3 days before.

On Sunday RSAG will be the “mystery band”.

Admission is free, but booking seems to be requried via the link below.

The Revellions will play Psychedelic Rock and Roll at this gig in Bray.

Admission is free.

The Red Hot Copy Peppers, a Red Hot Chilli Peppers Tribute Band, are playing at the Halloween party in the Mezz.

Admission is free.

2-piece electronic band “No More Questions” and electronic duo “Sylk” will play a gig in Whelan’s Midnight Hour.

Admission is free before 22:30 and if you sign up for the guest list via the website below.

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 Summertime to Wintertime change happens on Saturday night and it is a good idea to check on Sunday morning if your clocks show the right time or adjust them. Smart phones aresmart enough to do it themselves, but check if they did! Your analogue clocks obviously need your help.

To check what the correct time is, go to Google and type in “Time Now” and you will find out.

The Dublin City Marathon is a yearly event that for many years took place on the bank holiday Monday but is now moved to the Sunday of the October bank holiday weekend. There will be approx. 40,000 (!!!) participants and it is a massive operation to get everything running as smooth as it does year after year.

The event is not free and registration has closed a long time ago because it was full so soon, but the free part is that you can support and cheer on the runners either along the route or at the start or finish line…and many do that every year. The start is at Fitzwilliam Square and the finish is at Merrion Square and the course route takes the runners all over Dublin and you can find the map via this site here. The race will start at 09:00 and because some participants will run and others will jog and others again will walk, it will continue for many hours.

Please note that there will be partial and total road closures throughout Dublin and give yourself additional time if you need to drive somehwere.

The Nutgrove Arts Festival 2017 will run from 26 Oct – 04 Nov and all events are free. It will take place in the Nutgrove Shopping Centre and all events are listed on the website below. If Nutgrove is within reach from where you are, you should check the event list to see if something appeals to you.

The Belgard Weekend Market is an indoor market with stalls with handcraft (incl. designer jewellery, aran jumpers and wool, christening robes and shawls, cards and cross stitch), household items, bric and brac, furniture, flowers, make-up, clothes, shoes, showers, upholstery, toys, kitchens, cafe, army memorabilia, collectors items, sweets, handbags books, blinds, party shop, tools and more.

It is open every Saturday and Sunday and is located in the Glen Abbey complex (opposite Jacobs) on Belgard Road.

Jamestown Flea Market + Car Boot Sale takes place every Sat+Sun from 10:00-17:00. You can reach it from Tyrconnell Road and from Kylemore Road and it is within 3 min from Black Horse stop on the red Luas line. There is free parking.

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

Every Sunday, the Merrion Square Open Air Art Gallery takes place. Up to 200 artists exhibit their paintings on the railings on three sides (West, North and East) of Merrion Square and you can just enjoy the exhibition or even buy.

The Sandymount Halloween Pumpkin & Scarecrow Festival will take place in Sandymount Green from 27-21 October, but I wasn’t able to find a description what the festival will be about, so you will have to check it ou yourself. ;-)

Admission is free.

The Drumcondra Village Market is now the “Art, Bites, Crafts Drumcondra Market”. And as you guessed it, it is an arts and crafts fair in the centre of Drumcondra. :-) There will also be some food and music.

The market is open on Saturday and Sunday from 10:30-15:30.

Admission is free.

A Halloween Market will take place in Bray. There will be food, frink, crafts and vintage.

Admission is free.

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

“A bizarre bazaar of vintage clothing, bric-a-brac and what nots, old and new. Stalls include hand-made goods, art, jewelry, furniture, records and lots more unwanted items that may just be your treasure!”

This is not yet the big Christmas Flea Market (on 10+11 Dec), but without a doubt a lot of traders will sell Christmas related items.

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 Kilkenny Shop Cafe is inviting to a Jazz Brunch Sunday every Sunday from 11:00-14:00 and from 14:30-16:30 a Bluegrass Band is taking over. Unfortuantely they don’t specify who the bands are.

Admission is free.

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

Stokerland, a pop-up Victorian fun park for families and the eternally young, will open its gothic gates on Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 of October in St. Patrick’s Park next to St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

There will be comedy shows from Punch Lion Kids Comedy Club, featuring Andrew Stanley, Damian Clark, Steve Cummins and Totally Wired; street theatre from Victorian undertakers Morbid & Sons and a Kids vs Adults-themed Sing Along Social. In addition rides and attractions and a food village, olde-worlde games, face-painting and more will be available.

Admission is free.

Artist Tarsila Krüse will lead a Sunday drop-in workshop in the Atrium.

Families will be encouraged to doodle and draw different monster characters – both those hidden and in plain sight in the gallery collection, and those found only in the imagination. Tarsila will talk about mythical beasts and monsters and offer suggestions and ideas for the monster parts.

This is a drop in event suitable for children of all ages. Admission is free.

The National Gallery has an extensive programme of free talks, public tours and Art Documentary screenings every day of the week. Currently there is at least one free tour every day. Check their website for details. Some special events will be listed separately.

Admission to the gallery and to most events is free.

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

Hard Working Class Heroes and First Music Contact are organising six weekends of “Dublin Live Music Trails” this year. The performances will be 20 minutes long and will be acoustic in all sorts of usual and unusual venues. SO it is feasible to see & hear ALL gigs because they are all in walking distance.

The next Music Trail weekend will take place on 28+29 October and the line-up and venues are listed below.

Admission is free.

Line up and schedule for Saturday is:

+´Visit Dublin Centre (Suffolk Street): 12:00 Curtis Walsh | 12:30 Molly Sterling
+ The Irish Whiskey Museum: 13:15 Ivan Nicolas | 13:45 Wastefellow
+ Wowburger (The Workman’s Club, Dublin): 14:30 Other Creatures | 15:00 Hvmmingbyrd
+ Oxfam, Georges Street: 16:00 Floor Staff | 16:30 Elm

———

The line-up for Sunday is:
+ Visit Dublin Centre: 12:00 Proper Micro NV | 12:30 Outsider
+ The Irish Whiskey Museum: 13:15 Maria Kelly | 13:45 Dammy Ari
+ Wowburger (The Workman’s Club) 14:30 Other Creatures | 15:00 THUMPER
+ Generator Hostel: 16:00 Paddy Hanna | 16:30 The Fontaines

Admission is free to all venues/gigs.

Every Thursday (17:30-19:30), Saturday (12:00-16:00) and Sunday (12:00-16:00) the Dublin Library of Things will be open at the Food Co-op during National Re-Use Month (October) and November.

A Library of Things is a place where people can borrow items needed only on an occasional basis, or that are too bulky or costly to own. By sharing these items it reduces the need for material production and consumption and allows people to free up space in their homes and try new hobbies without the need to buy new supplies.

The Library of Things will work on a membership basis. Anyone can join and then take out items for up to one week. Borrowing items will be free however there will be deposits on items relative to the value of the item. The Library of Things will also act as a drop off and collection point for WeShare members (www.weshare.ie/), an online community where people can list items that have to share, or things that they need.

The items in the Library of Things will all be doanted or loaned and therefore it depends on individuals and businesses what the library will have available. Ideal items are sewing machines, kitchen appliances, DIY tools, halloween costumes, craft materials, games and sports equipment and gardening equipment. If you have any useful items in good working order that you would like to loan or donate to the library of things, or have other suggestions or questions for us, contact them at dublinlibraryofthings@gmail.com. Volunteers are also needed to man the library.

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 current exhibition in the Science Gallery is called “IN CASE OF EMERGENCY” and it will run from 12 October until 11 January. The exhibition looks at doomsday and emergency scenarios. How can we prepare for such a worst case situation? It is a very interesting exhibition that I recommend. Some exhibits need you to think/reflect a little, but that is a good thing! :-)

Exhibits are for example
+ 22 Doomsday Clocks that show how close we got to the end of the world in the period from 1945-2017
+ a series of drawings teaching basic skills for challenging situations
+ Pandemic Spreading patterns in a globalised world
+ Microbiome Ark (a small satellite that carries human microbiome on board to kickstart life on earth again after a disaster)
+ a selection of Manuals for Civilisation
The website below lists all exhibits and provides their explanation so that you can either before or after your visit check further details.

There is also a Situation Room where you can partake in a Catastrophe Citizen Assembly to decide on complex questions that could affect the survival of humanity. The Situation Room assembly will convene every hour. Check with the mediators how you can take part.

All Science Gallery exhibitions are suitable for ALL ages, even younger children will be able to take part/follow. For this exhibition, though, younger kids might need your help to understand some of the context.

I strongly suggest to 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 Sundays at Noon Concert Series continues in the Sculpture Gallery at the Hugh Lane Gallery. This series of free (mainly classical) concerts continues to present the best of Irish and International music and musicians. Concerts run from September to June.

The next concert will feature Miriam Roycroft cello and Lance Coburn piano performing works from Martinu and Oskar Nedbal.

The film “Endless Dreams and Water Between” (2009, 71min) will be screened. The film explores how islands shape our understanding of place in the world through conceptual, spatial, and historical positioning.

Admission is free.

The Moon and Sixpence, Ireland’s travelling Marionette theatre company will perform a puppet show at 13:30 and at 15:00.

Admission is free, but places are limited.

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.

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

Sunday Sketching for the whole family takes place every Sunday in the Hugh Lane Gallery and admission is free.

Families are invited to explore and respond together the gallery’s collection and temporary exhibitions through discussion and drawing. Bring your own sketchbook along or use the drawing materials provided. There will be a different topic every week and all topics until 28 Jan are listed on the website below.

Admission is free and no booking required, although numbers may be limited. Suited for ages 6+.

This is a family friendly tour of “Proclaiming a Republic: The 1916 Rising” exhibition. Explore some of the highlights of the Museum’s extensive Easter Week collection. It is, however, not exactly clear when the tour starts. The website below mentions THREE different times: 14:30/15:00/15:30. Please ring 01 6777444 to check.

Admission is free and places will be allocated on a first-come first served basis 15 minutes before the tour starts. Suitable for Adults & Children 7+

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

This is a talk in the Lecture Theatre about the exhibition “Frederic William Burton: For the Love of Art” with the exhibition curator Dr Marie Bourke.

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 event takes place every Sunday in the Cobblestone Pub.

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

The High Leeson is a Bluegrass band that plays 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.

Every Bank Holiday Sunday the Workman’s Club are running a Bank Holiday Party with live bands and other entertainment. This Sunday the live line-up is

The Clockworks / Safari / James McGovern

After the live bands there will be the weekly Sunday Karaoke Club and plenty of DJs.

Admission is free.

20 Seconds of Panic are playing a gig in the Mezz.

Admission is free.

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.

Syd Arthur & Dave Griffin will play harmonic psychadelica on Bank Holidat Sunday.

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 2 Stroke String Sessions are playing oldtime fiddle and banjo tunes and Appalachian mountain tunes.

Admission is free.

This is the last bank holiday before Christmas! A somehwat surprising thing about bank holidays in Ireland is that the number of events often doesn’t increase in a bank holiday but instead decreases (because a few regular events might not take place). It seems that event organisers either are afraid that they won’t find a big enough audience on a long weekend OR they need some time off themselves. :-)

All shops are open – if that is your alternative “occupation” to free events – public transport is usually on a Sunday schedule, but if you drive do NOT use the bus lanes, they are NOT on a Sunday schedule. An interesting aspect is that Pay&Display parrking in Dublin City will NOT be enforced on bank holidays.

The Nutgrove Arts Festival 2017 will run from 26 Oct – 04 Nov and all events are free. It will take place in the Nutgrove Shopping Centre and all events are listed on the website below. If Nutgrove is within reach from where you are, you should check the event list to see if something appeals to you.

The Children’s event “Magical Plants” will take place on Mon (30 Oct) and Tues (31 Oct) at 11:20+11:50+12:20 each day.

“It’s all about Magical Plants this Halloween in our witch’s garden. Join the coven to find out more about using garlic to ward off vampires, plants for potions and spells, poisonous plants to murder your evil enemies and even some rarely seen invisible plants. Come and see just how spooky plants can really get.”

Admission is free.

The National Gallery has an extensive programme of free talks, public tours and Art Documentary screenings every day of the week. Currently there is at least one free tour every day. Check their website for details. Some special events will be listed separately.

Admission to the gallery and to most events is free.

Archive at Lunchtime screenings take place Saturdays (Double Bill), Mondays and Wednesdays. The programme is changing weekly now (instead of monthly as in the past). To find out what film(s) will be screened go to www.ifi.ie/whatson/now-showing-coming-soon/ and look for “Archive at Lunchtime” on the right. Admission is free.

Halloween Storytelling will take place in Ashtown Castle next to the Phoenix Park Visitor Centre (where you will get the free tickets).

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!

Dracula’s Disco is an outdoor family music and dance party for families with kids from Age 5.

Come in costumes. Admission is free on first come, first served basis.

A Pumpkin Carving event will take place in the Phoenix Park Visitor Centre.

Admission is free.

Macnas is a great company from Galway that creates super sized fantasy creatures for parades and public displays and they are bringing their parade “Memory Song” to Dublin, a night time ballad populated with strange visions and ancient magic. – the last waltz of light with shadow. Echoes and flickers of light appear and disappear.

The parade will assemble at 17:30 in Moore Street and start at 18:00. The route is Moore St, Henry St, Mary Street, Capel St, Little Britain St, Halston St, Mary’s Lane.

Viewing is free and you are invited to line the streets, but be prepared for a large crowd of people.

Girls Get Gaming will run a Board Games night in Token. You can bring your own game or play one of the many that they will have available.

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).

Great news the great duo of Donal Kirk and Anto Drennan have found a new home. Originally they played a weekly gig in JJ Smyth’s until it closed and now they will perform in the Leeson Lounge and the same day as before.

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

Admission is free.

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).

Mark Olson (The Jayhawks) & Ingunn Ringvold will play Alternative Country/Americana at this gig in the Harbour Bar.

Admission is free.

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

Today is Halloween, which was originally a Celtic Harvest Festival and is the Gaelic Samhain festival. The word Halloween comes from the contraction of “All Hallows’ Evening” because All Hallows is on 01 November. Because of that contraction some people prefer to write it as “Hallowe’en” (The ‘ is not a misplaced accent, but represents the missing letters in “evening”).

Halloween in Ireland is nowadays a festival for grown ups to dress up (like mardi gras/carnival in other countries) and for kids the dressing up is made even better by the amount of sweets that they can get when they are going around the houses on their “Trick or Treat” loot. If unexpectedly your doorbell rings on Tuesday evening, it is most likely a bunch of kids offering you the deal to either give them treats (sweets) or they will play a “trick” on you. Most people stay on the safe side and buy a “trick” free life with some handfulls of sweets. :-)

At Halloween the boundary between our world and the Otherworld is seen as very thin and therefore costumes will be used to scare the ghosts away.

The Nutgrove Arts Festival 2017 will run from 26 Oct – 04 Nov and all events are free. It will take place in the Nutgrove Shopping Centre and all events are listed on the website below. If Nutgrove is within reach from where you are, you should check the event list to see if something appeals to you.

The Family Workshop WOOFYT (Wooden One Octave Organ For Young Technologists) will take place in St. Patrick’s Cathedral

Come to this musical workshop in the magnificent surroundings of Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, where participants will take a look at the science behind the organ, before getting the chance to create some music of their own, using our wonderful WOOFYT (Wooden One Octave Organ For Young Technologists).

Parents/guardians must remain present throughout the session but do not need to book a ticket for themselves.

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

The Children’s event “Magical Plants” will take place on Mon (30 Oct) and Tues (31 Oct) at 11:20+11:50+12:20 each day.

“It’s all about Magical Plants this Halloween in our witch’s garden. Join the coven to find out more about using garlic to ward off vampires, plants for potions and spells, poisonous plants to murder your evil enemies and even some rarely seen invisible plants. Come and see just how spooky plants can really get.”

Admission is free.

Explore the magnificent Saint Patrick’s Cathedral through this fun family friendly scavenger hunt. Parents/guardians must remain present throughout.

Admission is free, but booking is required.

The National Gallery has an extensive programme of free talks, public tours and Art Documentary screenings every day of the week. Currently there is at least one free tour every day. Check their website for details. Some special events will be listed separately.

Admission to the gallery and to most events is free.

In Norse mythology, Huginn and Muninn are a pair of ravens that fly all over the world and bring back information for the Viking god Odin. Discover more about the beliefs of the Vikings and their celebrations at this time of year and make your own spooky raven mask to take home. Halloween costumes welcome.

Admission is free. Suitable for Families with kids aged 8+

A series of lunchtime talks about the Russian Revolution in 1917 will take place in Dublin City Hall. Admission is free and no booking required, but there are only 130 seats. Doors open at 12:30. Bring your own headphones for enhanced sound.

The talks are:
+ 03 Oct: The October Revolution: Bolshevik Dreams and Russian Realities by Dr Judith Devlin, Dept. of History, UCD
+ 10 Oct: Ireland responds to the Russian Revolution: Backing the Bolsheviks by Donal Fallon, Historian, Dublin City Council
+ 17 Oct: Red Scares and Rebels: Ireland and Communism 1917-1937 by Dr Brian Hanley, Author and Historian
+ 24 Oct: The Czarist Crown Jewels and the Irish State by Dr Michael Quinn, Author and Historian
+ 31 Oct: The Russian Revolutions: Cultural reactions in Ireland by Prof Justin Doherty, Dept. of Russian, TCD

This is a pop-up talk by Gráinne Finn about Sofonisba Anguissola’s “Portrait of Prince Alessandro Farnese”.

Meet in front of the painting in Room 28 and admission is free.

Join storyteller Philip Byrne for some spooky Halloween stories to get you ready for some trick or treating. Dressing-up is encouraged.

Suitable for the whole family. Admission is free.

The Otherworld Halloween Festival in Ballymun starts with a Halloween Parade from 17:15-18:00. Meeting point is the Aisling Project, Shangan Road, Ballymun D9. At 18:00 the Parade will arrive at the Plaza and the festival will start with craft tent, music on the main stage, trad music, children entertainment and refreshments. The Fireworks at 20:30 will conclude the Otherworlds Festival.

Admission is free.

The Cauldron of Smithfield is a Halloween Festival on Smithfield Plaza.

There will be a 100m zipline, a bungee jump for the brave ones, The Haunted House, the circus area, the Main Stage, the Big Screen, Bouncy Castles, food stalls, face-painting, a Silent-Disco tent and football freestylers. ‘Escape from the Gingerbread Zombie Mansion’, the Haunted House on Coke Lane, will be open from 16:00-18:00.

A final timetable has been promised on the Facebook Page below so have a look for it closer to Halloween.

Admission is free.

The Fingal Festival of Fire starts with a live performance by “The Great Escape” in the Swords Town Park at 17:30. At 19:00 a Firework Display will follow.

Admission is free.

The Finglas Fright Night runs from 18:00 and ends with a Fireworks just before 21:00 (no exact start time given).

The programme is listed as:

Maze of Misery, Fancy Dress Competition, Magic Show, Bouncy Castles, Fairground Rides, Fireworks

Admission is free.

Dublin City has announced that there will numerous Halloween events with Fireworks around Dublin:

+ Donaghmede Park (Fireworks display) 18:00
+ Kilbarrack (Fireworks display) 19:00 (Roseglen Football Pitch)
+ Edenmore Crescent Park (Fireworks display): 20:00
+ Cherry Orchard Fireworks: 18:15

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

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

Rumours have it that the Bluegrass Collective will perform in Sin É on Tuesday and there might even be an open Bluegrass Jam! Admission is free.

Every Tuesday an informal sing along with Ukulele and Toy Musical Instruments takes place in the Stag’s Head. Just bring your instrument and come along. Beginners are welcome. Admission is free and further details (and a big book of songs) are available on the Facebook Page below.

“All Aboard! An open mic night on a Pirate Ship.” is the 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.

Admission is free.

The Comedy Crunch is a free Stand Up comedy event every Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. Every week different comedians entertain and on top of good comedy you will get free ice cream. Admission is free. The line-up can be found via the Comedy Crunch Facebook Page (see link below).

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

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.

For years, this event was one of the most popular monthly events with a HUGE amount of people taking part. But this year, it was more or less terminated for all of us in Dublin.

The Free Wednesday (currently) still continues outside of Dublin, but the interesting heritage sites in Dublin have been removed from the list. “Free Wednesday” is the first Wednesday every month when entry charges at some state-owned heritage sites are waived.

The sites are all owned by the state and managed by the Office of Public Works (OPW). Many OPW managed sites can already be visited for free (e.g. Farmleigh House, Phoenix Park, National Botanic Gardens, Pearse Museum, etc), but some sites that normally charge a fee will be free every first Wednesday as well.

Regrettably Kilmainham Gaol and Dublin Castle were removed from this great initiative and The Casino in Marino is still closed for an indefinite period of time, so the only site in Dublin that is still taking part (for another bit!?) is Rathfarnham Castle.

Outside but near to Dublin, you can visit
+ Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre at Newgrange
+ Glendalough Visitor Centre in Wicklow
free of charge. The full list of sites in Ireland is here.

The Nutgrove Arts Festival 2017 will run from 26 Oct – 04 Nov and all events are free. It will take place in the Nutgrove Shopping Centre and all events are listed on the website below. If Nutgrove is within reach from where you are, you should check the event list to see if something appeals to you.

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.

Come to this Drop-in activity in the Children’s Garden on Wednesday and Friday and get creative. You will be able to make seasonal crafts which you can take home.

Admission is free.

Explore the magnificent Saint Patrick’s Cathedral through this fun family friendly scavenger hunt. Parents/guardians must remain present throughout.

Admission is free, but booking is required.

The National Gallery has an extensive programme of free talks, public tours and Art Documentary screenings every day of the week. Currently there is at least one free tour every day. Check their website for details. Some special events will be listed separately.

Admission to the gallery and to most events is free.

This All Saints’ Day, drop into the museum to learn about the objects used in Medieval Ireland to guard against misfortune, disease and even evil spirits. Make your own Medieval amulet to take home.

Admission is free. Suitable for families with children aged 7+.

Tegolin’s unique style of story telling features specially designed masks that bring the characters to life. After the show Tegolin invites the children to join her on stage for ‘hands-on time’ with the various masks and props and to have fun with the different special effects that feature in her show.

Admission is free and no booking required. Suitable for Ages 3+.

Tegolin’s Tales is a Galway Theatre Company based in Connemara.

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!

For this Shadow Puppet Workshop join artist Phil Stewart in making and performing a puppet, taking inspiration from the creatures hiding in the Museum.

Admission is free, but booking is required via 01-6777444. Suitable for Families with children 6+.

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.

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.

Ben Prevo will play original and covers ranging from country and psychedelia to blues, funk and jazzy flavours.

Admission will be free.

Master storytellers Candlelit Tales will tell you stories “Through the Veil”.

“At Samhain the veil between our world and the next flutters and on these windy nights all manner of creatures can slip through, or an unwary traveller could find themselves in a strange place.”

Admission is free. Donations are appreciated. The event will be in the Loft of the Harbour Bar.

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

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

The Nutgrove Arts Festival 2017 will run from 26 Oct – 04 Nov and all events are free. It will take place in the Nutgrove Shopping Centre and all events are listed on the website below. If Nutgrove is within reach from where you are, you should check the event list to see if something appeals to you.

The Dublin Book Festival will run from 02-09 November and there will be lots of free events. Many events will need pre-booking and they some are already booked out, so I strongly recommend that you check the programme here as soon as possible and then book tickets (if needed).

On Thursday (02 Nov), these free events take place:
+ 3D Book Art Exhibition in Smock Alley Theatre (10:00-17:00)
+ “In White Ink” by Elske Rahill – Book Launch in Workman’s Club (18:00-20:00)
+ Dublin Bay – Nature and History – Book Launch at Dublin Port Centre, Alexandra Road. 18:30 Adm is free.

On Friday 03 Nov, these are the free events:
+ The Business Clinic Q&A Session in Smock Alley Theatre (09:30-10:30)
+ The Art of the Short Story in National Library (13:00-14:00)
+ Lunchtime Readings: Debut Poetry Collections in Smock Alley Theatre (13:00-13:45)
+ The New Autobiography – Discussion in Gutter Bookshop 18:30
+ Takin The Mic – Spoken word open-mic event in Smock Alley Theatre 19:00

You could also download the full brochure here.

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.

Explore the magnificent Saint Patrick’s Cathedral through this fun family friendly scavenger hunt. Parents/guardians must remain present throughout.

Admission is free, but booking is required.

This Drop-in activity is called “An hour of fun in the National Library” and during that hour the the NLI come to life with stories and trails.

Admission is free. Suitable for Children aged 5+

The National Gallery has an extensive programme of free talks, public tours and Art Documentary screenings every day of the week. Currently there is at least one free tour every day. Check their website for details. Some special events will be listed separately.

Admission to the gallery and to most events is free.

Join Seán O’Súilleabháin for a fun-filled children’s talk exploring the best of our local wildlife and the seasonal changes that can be observed during the winter months.

Flora and fauna were the inspiration for Seán’s book “Wicklow Bound: A Seasonal Guide”. Using illustration form the book and nature-themed activities, Seán will bring the wonder of our winter environment to life.

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

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.

This is a tour of the exhibition “Yeats: The Life and Works of William Butler Yeats”. The tour introduces William Butler Yeats (1865-1939) – one of the great poets of the twentieth century – and his many interests, including literature, folklore, theatre, politics, the occult and Irish cultural identity. After the tour, you can listen to a selection of voices speaking some of his best loved poems, including Easter 1916.

Admission is free.

Every Thursday (17:30-19:30), Saturday (12:00-16:00) and Sunday (12:00-16:00) the Dublin Library of Things will be open at the Food Co-op during National Re-Use Month (October) and November.

A Library of Things is a place where people can borrow items needed only on an occasional basis, or that are too bulky or costly to own. By sharing these items it reduces the need for material production and consumption and allows people to free up space in their homes and try new hobbies without the need to buy new supplies.

The Library of Things will work on a membership basis. Anyone can join and then take out items for up to one week. Borrowing items will be free however there will be deposits on items relative to the value of the item. The Library of Things will also act as a drop off and collection point for WeShare members (www.weshare.ie/), an online community where people can list items that have to share, or things that they need.

The items in the Library of Things will all be doanted or loaned and therefore it depends on individuals and businesses what the library will have available. Ideal items are sewing machines, kitchen appliances, DIY tools, halloween costumes, craft materials, games and sports equipment and gardening equipment. If you have any useful items in good working order that you would like to loan or donate to the library of things, or have other suggestions or questions for us, contact them at dublinlibraryofthings@gmail.com. Volunteers are also needed to man the library.

Living with Loss is a information evening about bereavement with guest speaker and journalist Laura Kennedy. The event is organised by the Irish Hospice Foundation.

Admission is free.

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.

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 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! More information can be found here: www.meetup.com/IrishGamesAssociation/

Admission is free.

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

Admission is free.

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

Admission is free.

Happy Abandon is an orchestral indie rock band from North Carolina and they will play a gig in Bray.

Admission is free.

Every Thursday a Singer Songwriter Night will take place in Mother Reilly’s in Rathmines. This is YOUR chance to show everyone what you can do, alternatively you can just listen to the talented Singer/Songwriters. Admission is free.

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

Admission is free.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Admission is free.

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

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

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

The Nutgrove Arts Festival 2017 will run from 26 Oct – 04 Nov and all events are free. It will take place in the Nutgrove Shopping Centre and all events are listed on the website below. If Nutgrove is within reach from where you are, you should check the event list to see if something appeals to you.

The Dublin Book Festival will run from 02-09 November and there will be lots of free events. Many events will need pre-booking and they some are already booked out, so I strongly recommend that you check the programme here as soon as possible and then book tickets (if needed).

On Thursday (02 Nov), these free events take place:
+ 3D Book Art Exhibition in Smock Alley Theatre (10:00-17:00)
+ “In White Ink” by Elske Rahill – Book Launch in Workman’s Club (18:00-20:00)
+ Dublin Bay – Nature and History – Book Launch at Dublin Port Centre, Alexandra Road. 18:30 Adm is free.

On Friday 03 Nov, these are the free events:
+ The Business Clinic Q&A Session in Smock Alley Theatre (09:30-10:30)
+ The Art of the Short Story in National Library (13:00-14:00)
+ Lunchtime Readings: Debut Poetry Collections in Smock Alley Theatre (13:00-13:45)
+ The New Autobiography – Discussion in Gutter Bookshop 18:30
+ Takin The Mic – Spoken word open-mic event in Smock Alley Theatre 19:00

You could also download the full brochure here.

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.

Come to this family friendly workshop that will explore the many depictions of St Patrick in the Cathedral. These will then inspire children to design their own brooches based on the symbolism of St Patrick. Suitable for age 5 – 11

Parents must remain present for the duration of the session but do not need to book a ticket for themselves.

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

Come to this Drop-in activity in the Children’s Garden on Wednesday and Friday and get creative. You will be able to make seasonal crafts which you can take home.

Admission is free.

Explore the magnificent Saint Patrick’s Cathedral through this fun family friendly scavenger hunt. Parents/guardians must remain present throughout.

Admission is free, but booking is required.

The National Gallery has an extensive programme of free talks, public tours and Art Documentary screenings every day of the week. Currently there is at least one free tour every day. Check their website for details. Some special events will be listed separately.

Admission to the gallery and to most events is free.

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 Art of the short story” is a discussion with Christine Dwyer Hickey, Martin Malone, Sean O’Reilly and Paula Shields and it is part of the Dublin Book Festival.

The discussion will give you a fuller understanding and appreciation for the craft of short story writing. Author and playwright Christine Dwyer Hickey introduces her eighth and latest novel The Lives of Women, an uncompromising portrayal of the suburbs and the cruelties brought about by the demands of respectability. Well-versed in the art of short story writing, Martin Malone’s newest collection of tales in This Cruel Station explore what it is like to be new Irish in today’s society. Sean O’Reilly is the author of multiple books including the new collection Levitation, an anthology of ten short stories. This talk will be guided by Paula Shields, arts journalist and researcher for RTE.

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

The next talk in the “Women should be Bosth Seen & Heard” series of events is a talk by Ciaran Devlin. (Please note, his talk includes a word that is a red flag for every spam filter, so I have to obfuscate the word by spelling it wrong, otherwise this e-mail will be blocked.) He will talk about “Gender and Seksuality through the screen: Exploring the Role of Gender and Seksuality with Gaming and Potential applications”.

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

The Film “Kubo and the Two Strings” will be screened on Friday.

“Join us this mid-term for the story of Kubo, who brings origami creations to life in his peaceful Japanese village. But events take a turn when Kubo inadvertently conjures up a spirit from the past set on revenge against his family. English. 2016, PG (102 min).”

Admission is free.

A Comedy night called “No Bones about it” is taking place every Friday in the Generator Hostel and admission is free.

Find out more details and line-up on the Facebook page below.

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

Ben Prevo will play original and covers ranging from country and psychedelia to blues, funk and jazzy flavours.

Admission will be free.

Frank Ryan, singer/songwriter from Dublin who now lives in Los Angeles, is playing a gig the Bowery.

Admission is free before 22:00.

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.

New Rockabilly Swing Band “The Shadow Shakers” will play in the Leeson Lounge on Friday. Swing dancers are more than welcome to fill the dance floor.

Admission is free.

“Youth Mass” are an alternative / indie pop band from Trim and they will be supported by Segrasso.

Admission is free before 22:30