MERRY CHRISTMAS!

In addition we will have a big group of people (the Irish Times estimated it will be 136,000!!) that had completely different plans, but will this year have to isolate from their families and friends due to a positive PCR test or because yesterday/today an Antigen test was positive and they are responsible and stay away from others this Christmas. In most cases they have a support network, but that’s not the case for everyone and then a food delivery might be required soon. If you know anyone in such a situation, help them out too.

As far as events are concerned, you can imagine that there won’t be much going on this weekend. On Christmas Day there is apart from runs for the charity GOAL, rarely much happening anyway. Self-organised sea swims and walks will undoubtedly go ahead, but no other organised events. Then we have St. Stephen’s Day, usually a day with the first pub events again and exceptionally, this is followed by TWO replacement bank holidays, so even on Monday and Tuesday there would be a few events less than normally, but on top of that the pub curfew of 20:00 will cause some more restrictions and the indoor event limit of 50% will make free events unsustainable. So you might find some non-free events in pubs, but free events are really scarce. I had a good dig for free events and found a FEW!

Last week the wonderful people that helped with a donation were E, Edel and ME! Thank you very much! You are appreciated and your donation is as well!

With the above counter you know at all times where we stand and when donating is needed. Donations keep the Dublin Event Guide alive and all donors will also get some additional bonuses. The first of those bonuses is described above.

Here are some more details about donations:
Any amount is appreciated, but if you are looking for a recommendation, then I suggest a donation of 12 Euro per year. – That’s just one Euro per month and you get FOUR Dublin Event Guides for that! If your funds are limited, but you still want to help, you can buy a virtual coffee for just EUR 3. All donations will be used in full for the Dublin Event Guide.

To donate, use the Dublin Event Guide Donation Page here: gturl.eu/DEGdonate. It is really easy to use and uses Stripe’s trustworthy payment processing. You can even sign up for a yearly subscription on the donation page! Yearly subscriptions will give some important financial stability and reliability to the Dublin Event Guide and are therefore very much appreciated! (Look for the RED subscription buttons at the bottom of the Donation Page.)

In case the donation page doesn’t work for you, the old links are here: You can donate via www.paypal.me/DublinEventGuide or for Revolut users among you, just use @joergbrb
(If possible, please send your full name and e-mail address as a message with the payment via PayPal or Revolut so that I can tell you about bonuses for donors when available.)

To buy one or two or even three virtual coffees for the Dublin Event Guide, come to the “Buy Me a Coffee” page here www.buymeacoffee.com/DublinEventG

And there is one other way to help and it is even free: If you come to www.DublinEventGuide.com and check out some of the ads and click on the ones that you find interesting, that also helps with a few cent! ?

Thank you!!

The EPIC Zone

“EPIC – The Irish Emigration Museum” (www.epicchq.com) are currently sponsoring the Dublin Event Guide and this section of the weekly newsletter will contain relevant information about events in general or about EPIC-related news and happenings.

Free events in Dublin this weekend…

Saturday 25 December

+ GOAL Mile – Charity Event 10:00-12:00 various locations www.goalglobal.org/goal-mile-events-2021/
The GOAL Mile is a charity run over 1 mile at 150 locations in 28 counties of Ireland and there are 24 locations in Dublin. The list of all locations is on the website above. The runs will take place on Christmas Day or St Stephen’s Day and you need to register here www.goalglobal.org/goal-mile/ Since it is a charity event, it is not free, but requires your donation.
+ Fanning at Whelan’s – Episode 4 featuring Arian Crowley, Allie Sherlock, Lyra, Paddy Casey, Saint Sister, The Zen Arcade and Keith Duffy. 23:30 Virgin Media Two www.whelanslive.com/event/fanning-at-whelans-7/

+ GOAL Mile – Charity Event 10:00-12:00 various locations www.goalglobal.org/goal-mile-events-2021/
The GOAL Mile is a charity run over 1 mile at 150 locations in 28 counties of Ireland and there are 24 locations in Dublin. The list of all locations is on the website above. The runs will take place on Christmas Day or St Stephen’s Day and you need to register here www.goalglobal.org/goal-mile/ Since it is a charity event, it is not free, but requires your donation.
+ Stephen’s Day Soul with a Capital S – Soul Gig with band Soulpower 21:00 Online www.facebook.com/events/240242728230120

And a few free events next week….

Monday 27 December

Tuesday 28 December

Wednesday 29 December

Dublin Event Guide (for Free Events)

Thursday 30 December

+ Old Roots New Shoots – Themed Guided Tour – National Botanic Gardens 11:30+15:00 National Botanic Gardens, Botanic Road, Glasnevin, Dublin 9 www.eventbrite.ie/e/228892181677 (Booking required)

Friday 31 December

+ Old Roots New Shoots – Themed Guided Tour – National Botanic Gardens 11:30+15:00 National Botanic Gardens, Botanic Road, Glasnevin, Dublin 9 www.eventbrite.ie/e/228892181677 (Booking required)
+ The NYF Dublin New Year’s Festival (nyfdublin.com/) has been cancelled and NO events will take place. Also, since pubs, restaurants and nightclubs have to close by 20:00, there will be NO New Year’s celebrations in any other public venues.
+ Midnight Bells at Christ Church Cathedral: The Christ Church Cathedral Bells will hopefully ring in the new year at midnight on 31 December again. Last year this event was cancelled, but hopefully it will be back this year and it would then probably be the ONLY public event that will take place in Dublin this New Year’s Eve. christchurchcathedral.ie

And there is more…

+++ The Moving Crib is back (Changed Opening Days)
For the 65th year the moving crib is back at the St Martin Apostolate at Parnell Square. It is a whole basement floor of a crib installation and many other scenes from the bible and many of the figures and installation have moving parts. Definitely something for kids, but I enjoyed it as well when I visited the Moving Crib a few years ago. Opening hours are 11:00-18:00 every day of the week from 23 Nov-09 Jan. Originally the only closed days were Christmas Day, St. Stephen’s Day and New Year’s Day, but an update on the website says that the Moving Crib will stay closed from 24 Dec – 02 Jan and if you had bookings for this period, you will have to re-book. Admission is free, but booking is required. www.stmartin.ie/crib/

+++ National Museum Online Activities & Videos
The National Museum his offering a number of online activities (Ice Age Ireland – Cool Fossils, Riddles in the Museum) and videos (Crafty Christmas Decorations, Winter Solstice Tour, The Nativity) on their website and they will also be available over Christmas if you or your children need some entertainment. Find them all via www.museum.ie/en-ie/eventcalendar

+++ End of free admission to historic and public interest OPW sites
The Office of Public Works (OPW) is looking after all historic sites and other sites that are owned by the state. Dublin Castle, Newgrange, Glendalough, Farmleigh House, Kilmainham Gaol, Rathfarnham Castle and also the National Botanic Gardens and many many other sites in and even more so outside of Dublin are all in state ownership and are managed by the OPW.
In support of the Government’s recovery and reopening plan, from 14 May all OPW managed sites were free, but now on 01 January the sites that were formerly not free, will return to charging admission charges again.
So no more free daily tours in the National Botanic Gardens, or free visits of Dublin Castle and Kilmainham Gaol. It was great while it lasted, but the good times are over now and you will read therefore much less about the National Botanic Gardens, for example, in the Dublin Event Guide (for Free Events).
But since we are still in 2021, you have just a few more chances to experience a free tour in the Botanic Gardens in Glasnevin. botanicgardens.ie/calendar/
In case you remember the very popular First Wednesday offer, that made some or even most OPW sites free on the first Wednesday of every month, this offer is unfortunately gone for quite some time already.

+++ The Treaty 1921: Records from the Archives – Exhibition
From 07 Dec to 27 March the Coach House in the gardens of Dublin Castle will be the home of a National Archives exhibition about “The Treaty 1921: Records from the Archives”. The Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921 is the centre piece of the exhibition. Find out more here www.dublincastle.ie/2022_centenary/ From now until 24 Dec and from 27 Dec there are still tickets available. Admission is free, but you need to book via www.nationalarchives.ie/2021commemorationprogramme/book-tickets/

+++ Low Priced Books with free delivery
Book Depository is the place where you can buy low priced books, usually for better prices than on Amazon and Book Depository always delivers for free. And by buying books from Book Depository you will also help the Dublin Event Guide for no additional cost to you. Use this link: shor.by/BookDepository  .

+++ National Gallery tickets available here
The National Gallery is usually free anyway, but in current times you will have to book tickets to get access and you have to enter the building on the Merrion Street side. Tickets are available here: www.nationalgallery.ie/visit-us/book-your-ticket The National Gallery also is running events again and because the events have limited number of spaces, they can book out relatively fast, at least before I can write about the events, so check out the events 1-2 weeks in advance here www.nationalgallery.ie/whats-on and then book tickets for them.

+++ LEARN A NEW SKILL WITH ONLINE COURSES
Is there ever a wrong time for learning a new skill or enhancing what you are already interested in? Maybe it is a language or an instrument or some technical skills? Or NLP or some Business related “soft skills”? Check out Udemy via the link below, they have thousands of courses and there is good chance that what you are looking for is available. Nearly all the courses are REALLY affordable!
The lowest cost for courses this month will be around 12.99. Check out the website at shor.by/GqCk And if you buy through that link, you also help the Dublin Event Guide! :-)

And this is it for another week! Have a great weekend and good new week.

Take care,

–Joerg (dublineventguide@gmail.com)