Thie Dalkey LobsterFest with Lobster, Crab and Jazz will take place this weekend. There will be lots of free events and some non-free events. Unfortunately the organisers didn’t make it too easy to find out which is which.

All events at the Vintage Village at the Sue Ryder House off Coliemore Road are definitely free. There will be 40 artisan stalls at the Vintage Village, Music, Competitions (Glam Gran on Saturday and Dogs on Sunday), the Vintage valuations (think antiques roadshow) on Sunday, an art exhibition, a kids play area, cooking and floral demonstrations and it will be the starting point for a 130 km Sue Ryder Randnonneé (a long cycle to Arklow and back). The complete schedule is here.

The writers corner has some Zumba dancing and Franco-irish music for you and a few more things. Check them out here. But we can only assume that at least some of the events are free.

Same goes for the Music programme here. I would expect that some is free, but definitely not all. An interesting line-up nevertheless with many events taking place in pubs on Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday. (Watch out for the very faint arrows on the programme if you follow the link above.) The Crab Jam on Sunday evening is a highlight. but again it is not clear if it will be free.

In the town there will also be market stalls and Celebrity Masterchef and Junior Masterchef events and there will be the most important Lobster Village with lots of Cooking Demonstrations as you can see here.

A free Greek and European Folk Dance class open to all. Contact Katerini Papathanasiou on papath.kat@gmail.com

The Stoney Brokes will perform a free gig in Whelan’s on Friday.

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.

“Dublin Tribal Spirit” is a weekly event that gives you the great experience of a drumming circle with african drums and authentic tribal rhythms. Tom and Sinead, who run that event are providing lots of drums for it and teach you the rhythms.

There is no formal admission charge for this event, but donations are expected. The organisers bring their own 20-30 drums to it every week, so they are looking for donations to keep the event going.

The Addison Lodge are inviting local bands, musicians, poets, comedians and performers to share their talents at the new Addison Lodge Open Mic Nights in Glasnevin (opposite the Botanic Gardens). The event will take place every week. Admission is free.

The Stillorgan Orchard provides regular live music. The upcoming gigs are detailed on the website below.

Australian Rhythm & Blues Band “Finn” will perform in Mother Reilly’s on Friday. Admission is free.

The Vincent(s) will perform in Whelan’s in the Midnight Hour. Admission is free before 22:30.

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 National Heritage Week takes place from 17-25 August and approx. 320 (!!) events take place in the greater Dublin area. Not all are free, but the majority of the events is free. You can imagine that that far exceeds the capacity of this Dublin Event Guide, so I will not be able to list them.

Instead I suggest that you go here www.heritageweek.ie/index.php/whats-on/event-search (The Detailed Search didn’t work for me, but the Broad Search did.)

Alternatively you can download the events list in PDF format here:

Dublin City (43 pages for Dublin City alone)
Dublin Dun Laoghaire.Rathdown
Dublin Fingal
Dublin South County

So, spend a bit of time to plan your Heritage Week events, it is worth it.

This is a cool art installation! Every year for the last 11 years, a group of sculptors turns more than eighty tons of sand in a unique exhibition/installation outside in the Upper Courtyard of Dublin Castle.

This year’s theme for the sculptures is “The Bright Side” and will show what is good about Ireland and being Irish. Four big sand sculptures have been carved into heavily compacted sand by the artists from Duthain Dealbh (Irish Sand Sculpture) and the exhibition will run from 06-28 Aug and all will disappear on 29 Aug. So there are only a few more days and this is the last weekend to visit this impressive exhibition! I definitely recommend a visit. Admission is free.

The Dublin Food Co-op is open every Saturday at Newmarket for organic wholefoods and sustainable household products, plus over a dozen producer stalls offering organic fruit and veg., baked goods, dairy produce, wines, hot and cold food, etc. The Co-op is also open on Thursdays 12:00-20:00.

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.

Merrion Square Open Day is taking place on Saturday and is part of the National Heritage Week’s programme. The following events/sites are there to be visited:

09:30-17:30 National Gallery of Ireland. Exhibitions.
10:00-17:00 Number 29, Georgian House Museum. – It is re-opened and it will be interesting so see the changes!
10:00-17:00 Irish Architectural Archive. Open for guided tours.
10:00-17:00 Irish Traditional Music Archive. Visit the collections of the Archive
10:00-17:00 National University of Ireland. Self guided tour of the unique painted murals
10:00-17:00 Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland. Exhibition and numerous talks.
10:30-18:00 The Doorway Gallery. Homelands an exhibition by Padraig McCaul
10:00 Irish Georgian Society: Architectural walking tour of Merrion Square with Dr Conor Lucey.
11:00 College of Anaesthetists: Talk on the History of Anaesthesia and Merrion Square followed by a tour of the building. only 15 spaces.
11:00-17:00 Archeofest 2013 – Experimental archaeology, demonstrations of cutting-edge technologies, a kids’ excavation of a Viking house and music. in Merrion Square
11:00-17:00 Pepper Canister Church. Visit Pepper Canister Church, Mount Street Crescent.
11:00-17:30 Central Catholic Library. Exhibition: The Liberator at Home: Daniel O’Connell and Merrion Square.
11:30 National Gallery of Ireland. Film: Van Gogh’s The Sunflowers (lecture theatre).
12:00-16:00 TTT (thirtythreetrees)presents: You Are Here | It Is There.
12:30 National Gallery of Ireland. Family Tour – meet in the Millennium Wing.
12:30 – 13:30 + 14:30 Music at the Pepper Canister Church
15:00 National Gallery of Ireland. Talk: Masterpieces of the European Collection (lecture theatre)
15:00-16:00 National Museum – Natural History. Indoor Safari.
16:00 National Gallery of Ireland. Munch’s “The Scream” (lecture theatre)
16:00 Pepper Canister Church: Historical talk about the church and windows

As far as I can see, all events listed here are free. For more details, including exact addresses of the venues, go to the website below.

The SuperNatural Food Market is taking place every Saturday from 09:30-15:30 in St. Andrews Resource Centre in Pearse Street, Dublin 2.

A “Global Garden Summer School – Acting Local thinking Global” with workshop on Soil, Seed, Water, Climate is coming up. Enjoy ethnic food, music, films and discussion on issues affecting our World. The workshop is free, but you will have to book with Maria Finn, Social Inclusion Officer, Tel: 086 38030060/01 4149270. www.sdcc.ie/events/global-garden-summer-school

On a vacant site where a few years ago still social housing was standing, the voluntary arts collective, Upstart, has created a big urban Pop-up Park, called Granby Park. The park opened on Thursday and will be there until 22 Sept. During this time a whole range of events will take place in the park and nearly all of them will be free.

“Urban Park” usually means that you have to go a bit easy on your expectations regarding plants and greenery, but if you consider that work only started in July, you can imagine that the term “park” has to be interpreted a good bit wider. One thing is certain, though: It will be nicer than Wolf Tone Square, which Dublin City at times likes to call “Wolfe Tone Park”.

Granby Park will be open Mon-Fri from 08:00-19:00 and Sat&Sun from 10:00-19:00 and you are invited to visit it. Food & Drink will be sold on site, but alcohol is not permitted.

I strongly recommend that you check it out and I will also tell you about the upcoming events in the next few weeks.

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 Merchants Market on East Wall Road is a relatively new weekly market on Saturdays and Sundays with more than 80 stalls. There is everything from furniture and antiques to paintings and mirrors, electronics and hot food to bicycles and buns. Sounds interesting and I will check it out over the coming weeks. It is just a few minutes walk away from the Point Theatre/O2 (walk in the direction of the Port Tunnel). www.facebook.com/merchantsindoormarket

As part of the Defence Forces activities in the lead in to the centenary of the foundation of ‘The Irish Volunteers, Óglaigh na hÉireann’ in November 2013, a Ceremonial Military Guard will parade at the site of the ‘National Memorial to Members of the Defence Forces who died in the Service of the State’ at the National Gallery-side of Merrion Square throughout the summer.

Ceremonies will take place every Saturday and units from throughout the Defence Forces and across the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service will participate. The memorial site is a pyramid at the side of Merrion Square. The ceremonies will take place: 13 July at 10:00; 20 & 27 July at 12:00; 3, 10 & 17 August at 12:00 and 24 & 31 August at both 10:00 and 12:00.

An indoor market in Coolock with over 40 traders with a wide range of goods and a café on site as well.

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.

Carmelite Community & Priory Gathering Weekend will take place from Thursday until Saturday with St. Therese of Lisieux Exhibition on all three days and a Historical Exhibition about the local area.

On Saturday there is a Architectural & Social Walk (12:00-14:00) and in the afternoon from 14:00, a Garden Party takes place in the Carmelite Community Centre. The event poster is here: www.dublincity.ie/RecreationandCulture/Events/Documents/AungierStreet.pdf

Fingal County Council’s Arts Office, Children’s Books Ireland and Laureate na nOg Niamh Sharkey presents Fingal’s Year of Illustration 2013. The programme is for children and there are activites under 6 and over 6 year olds. Most events do not require booking. Check the details on the website below.

“These Are a Few of My Favourite Things” is the title of a Walking Tour that Emily Gallagher will run every Saturday. 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 egaldog@gmail.com or 085-2725095

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.

Thie Dalkey LobsterFest with Lobster, Crab and Jazz will take place this weekend. There will be lots of free events and some non-free events. Unfortunately the organisers didn’t make it too easy to find out which is which.

All events at the Vintage Village at the Sue Ryder House off Coliemore Road are definitely free. There will be 40 artisan stalls at the Vintage Village, Music, Competitions (Glam Gran on Saturday and Dogs on Sunday), the Vintage valuations (think antiques roadshow) on Sunday, an art exhibition, a kids play area, cooking and floral demonstrations and it will be the starting point for a 130 km Sue Ryder Randnonneé (a long cycle to Arklow and back). The complete schedule is here.

The writers corner has some Zumba dancing and Franco-irish music for you and a few more things. Check them out here. But we can only assume that at least some of the events are free.

Same goes for the Music programme here. I would expect that some is free, but definitely not all. An interesting line-up nevertheless with many events taking place in pubs on Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday. (Watch out for the very faint arrows on the programme if you follow the link above.) The Crab Jam on Sunday evening is a highlight. but again it is not clear if it will be free.

In the town there will also be market stalls and Celebrity Masterchef and Junior Masterchef events and there will be the most important Lobster Village with lots of Cooking Demonstrations as you can see here.

The Dún Laoghaire 1913 Commemorative Committee has put together an event programme to remember the 1913 Lockout events. Please find the brochure below. It is a bit difficult to summarise, so I will have to let you check it out. Many but not all events are free. cedarlounge.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/dc3ban-laoghaire-1913-lockout-event-final-brochure.pdf

As part of Eason’s Get Into Reading campaign, there will be a reading of a specially selected children’s book at 11:00 each Saturday in every Eason store in the country. The schedule of Story Time books, covering mid-June through mid-September, is on the website below.

And children attending the in-store kids’ book readings throughout the summer will receive their own Story Time Reward Card and they will get a special Story Time sticker on their card for each reading they attend. Children who collect three stickers will receive a free copy of Tyrannosaurus Drip by Julia Donaldson. For more information check the website below too.

An introduction to the Trade School concept, where lessons are bartered for other products, is provided. Booking is required.

The second monthly Meerkat Flea Market is taking place.

Clothing (vintage and pre loved), bric a brac, art, crochet robots, household items and more. There will also be cakess and tea and coffee for sale. Children are welcome.

Last week the People’s Art Exhibition took place on the railings of St. Stephen’s Green. I like that Art Exhibition and I often found something nice there (but didn’t buy it because it was too big for my wallet).

This week the People’s Photography exhibition takes place also around St. Stephen’s Green and here I successfully bought things. Different art, but nevertheless very pretty and decorative. About 150 photographers will show their work on the rails and will sell their photos.

Have a stroll around the Green and admire the art and maybe you too will find a piece that you want to own. ;-)

The second Shutterbug Vintage Clothes Kilo Sale will take place and admission is free.

A kilo of vintage clothes is EUR 20 and this market will be PACKED with (mainly – I expect) ladies looking for the coolest vintage clothing, so arrive early if you want to get the best selection. More than 1000 attendees have declared on Facebook that they will be there, so expect queues.

“Discover the mysterious designs on ancient Stone Age structures, such as the passage tombs of Newgrange, Knowth and Dowth, that are still being studied by archaeologists today. Be inspired to create your own piece of megalithic art to take home during this drop-in session.” Admission is free and no booking required. Age 6+

That event is clearly not made for us men, but if I was a woman, I would check it out!

Sure Compressed, the deodorant brand, has compressed five days’ worth of activities into five hours and calls it #Sure5in5. It is a free event where women can come and enjoy everything that they might not have had time to do during the week.

#Sure5in5 allows women to do more; get a manicure, enjoy a smoothie with friends, check emails and indulge in a massage after a revitalising yoga session and all is free.

The event takes place in Fitzwilliam Square and everyone is welcome.

The Ferocious Mingle Marcade (Market and Arcade) place every Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. On Sunday it is a fancy dress market. It’s a flea-market type permanent market with stalls and “chalets” for traders. The Oscar Verne Café on site and (at least at the weekends) live music adds even more character.

This will be the fourth year for “Yoga in the Park” and I think it is a brilliant initiative for a very worthy cause. From May until September, Fiona from www.twopalmsyoga.com and her team of teachers invite to an hour of Yoga in Phoenix Park every Saturday. No booking is required and you decide how much you give, the class is donation based.

All proceeds go to the Dublin Simon Community, a charity that does invaluable work for the homeless people in Dublin. Just bring a mat or a towel, some water and (hopefully) even some sun protection to the class. Should the weather be bad, the bandstand will be shelter or even training location. The training is suitable for all levels, so even total beginners are very welcome.

Join this outdoor walking tour for adults with Donal Fallon of Historical Insights/’Come here to me!’ and explore Dublin’s tenements history, including the Church Street disaster of 1913. The tour starts at Collins Barracks and ends in O’Connell St (adjacent to LUAS). Booking is required via 01-6486453

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. Dux & Co will offer food and the Grand Social’s Bar and Gourmet Coffee options are available.

The current Science Gallery exhibition “ILLUSION: Nothing is as it seems” will run from 12 July-29 Sept and is really interesting. Admission is free.

The exhibition is all about Illusions and it is a “perception-shattering insight into the human mind, playfully combining the techniques used by magicians and explored by psychologists.”

More than 20 installations will deceive your eyes (and ears) and will show you that what we perceive is often radically different from the reality. You will find impressive and amazing things, but nothing will be boring! The exhibition is suitable for all ages, so bring your children or – if you don’t have any – just bring yourself.

I have seen nearly every Science Gallery exhibition and I would say this is definitely one of the best.

ILLUSION was curated by psychologist, author and magician Richard Wiseman, and was researched by deception artist Paul Gleeson and a large group of mediators are available in the gallery to explain all the things that you see (or hear) to you.

Have a look at the website below to see an outline on what is on show. I strongly recommend that you see the show and tell me afterwards what you thought about it: dublineventguide@gmail.com (During the week (Tues-Fri) the exhibition is open until 20:00 and from 12:00 and on Sat+Sun; 12:00-18:00).

The next Ink Slingers Creative Writing Hour will take place on Sat. Two weeks ago it pointed out that the event is free. That reference is not in the text anymore this time. I only stress that because before the summer there was some unrest over some charges that were brought in and people felt they weren’t sufficiently forewarned.

The hour includes writing exercises and prompts to get ideas flowing. It is open to everyone and is suitable for all levels of experience

Learn how to dramatise a story. Booking required. Participation is free-ish. The Trade School that organises this and other courses is based on barter (an exchange of services for other services or goods, but not for money) but it isn’t specified what you are expected to bring.

The men’s race of the 94th Liffey Swim will start this year at 12:30 and the woman’s race will follow at 13:30. At 15:15, the winners cup will be presented on the Cill Airne ship at the IFSC. After that the Liffey Living Festival (see a separate event listing in this Dublin Event Guide) will be the place to go.

The race will this years start at the Loop Line Bridge (that’s the DART + Rail bridge) beside Butt Bridge near Custom House and will finish 1.6 km later at the Pontoon next to the East Link Toll Bridge, in front of the O2. Over 300 swimmers will take part.

You can watch the race along the route and from the bridges between the start and finish line.

The IFI continues with its free “Archive at Lunchtime” screenings and is increasing it to a daily screening in the summer months. The times vary a little from day to day (for the double bill on Saturdays 12:45), so make sure that you check the link below for the relevant day.

The daily programmes are
01+04+06+08+12+14+16+18+20+22+26+28+30 Aug: www.ifi.ie/film/archive-at-lunchtime-programme-1-free/
02+05+07+09+11+13+15+19+21+23+25+27+29 Aug: www.ifi.ie/film/archive-at-lunchtime-programme-2-free/
03+10+17+24+31 Aug: Saturday Double Bill www.ifi.ie/film/archive-at-lunchtime-double-bill-free/

The Lunchtime Readings Series in the Irish Writers’ Centre is re-starting with readings by John Boyne and Kevin Maher. John and Kevin will stop by to read from their newest offerings, as well as talking about the challenges facing new AND established writers. John Boyne wrote “The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas” in 2006.

For July and August, the National Gallery is inviting to near daily summer talks (two talks of 30 min, Mon-Sat) on aspects of Irish & European art. All talks take place in the National Gallery Lecture Theatre and admission is free. No booking is required.

The themes are:

+ Monday & Thursday: 13:00: Early 20th century Irish art / 15:00: Highlights of the Gallery’s Collection
+ Tuesday & Friday: 13:00: The World of Jack B. Yeats / 15:00: Masterpieces of the European Collection
+ Wednesday: 13:00: Exploring a Picture / 15:00: Aspects of Irish Art
+ Saturday: 15:00: Masterpieces of the European Collection

The summer programme in Dundrum is coming to an end. On Saturday the Animal Farm will be there once more and on Sunday an Art & Hobby Craft session will be the last event. Admission is free and the Farm will be in the Pembroke Area.

The next Exchange Board Games event will take place on Saturday. It is a free event and everyone is welcome. This month, come and play even more games: Citadels, Family business, Love letter, No thanks!, Saboteur, Sobek, Takenoko, The Resistance: Avalon, Tschak! and Village.

Just come and play. You can also buy the games at the events if you are interested.

To celebrate the publication of the second edition of the Dubray Books guide to children’s books “Mad About Books”, there will be special events for children in all Dubray branches on Sat. In Grafton Street there will be special book-themed party games, including Pass the Parcel and Musical Chairs from 14:00. Then at 15:00, Deirdre Sullivan, author of Guinea Pig Killer from Little Island’s Nightmare Club series, will be in the store. And throughout the day, there’ll be a Where’s Wally hunt and activity sheets for children.

The first music gig will take place in Granby Park this weekend. It is brought to you by the people behind the Fading Light Festival and the line-up is Sfumatu, Ocho, Biggles Flys Again, Ana Gog, Little Xs for Eyes. More information can be found on the website below. Admission is free.

The Northside Music Festival is at two venues this weekend and it is the final weekend of the festival. On Saturday it will be in Ballymun and on Sunday at the Red Stables in St. Anne’s Park.

The event in Ballymun is called “Street Sounds at the Plaza” and will include a performance by TemperMental MissElayneous.

The full Saturday programme is here:

14:00-14:30 Crossing Borders – Hip Hop & Rap
14:30-14:50 Dublin Thunder Cheerleaders
14:50-15:10 GI & Costello
15:10-15:30 Ponybois
15:30-15:45 Deanie – Hip Hop
15:50-16:10 Kaila, Bon & Panda – Breakdance
16:10-16:20 Temper-Mental MissElayneous – Rapping, rhyming, bodhran-beating performance
16:20-16:30 Roger – Breakdance / Hip Hop
16:30-17:00 NuCentz – Rapper

Admission is free.

A Swing Picnic takes place on the Bandstand in St. Stephen’s Green. It is swing dancers doing their own thing. If you want to dance you have to contribute EUR 5, but to watch and listen is completely free.

A free guided walk “Irish Roots: Walking through the Gardens’ Past” will take place. Plant-hunters, botanists, poets and philosophers have all been associated with the Gardens. Join this history-themed tour showcasing the rich heritage that is the National Botanic Gardens. Admission is free.

History Ireland Hedge School: ‘To Hell or Kimmage’: responses to the Church Street disaster of 1913

This is a round table discussion on housing in Dublin 7 and its surrounds during the early part of the 20th century. Speakers include Donal Fallon of ‘Come here to me!’, Gary Granville, National College of Art and Design and Ellen Rowley, Trinity College, Dublin. LectureTheatre. Admission is free, but booking is required: . Adults. Seminar.

The Liffey Living Festival at Grand Canal Square is the “after party” for the Liffey Swim on Saturday. It will start at 15:00 and will be an afternoon and evening of entertainment including, street performers, giant sized street games and live music from Dublin band “Ships”.

In the evening at 21:00 the film “The Swimmer” will be screened on a big outdoor screen (Bring your own seating for the movie. – www.facebook.com/events/1402800249937430/ ) Admission is free.

The Progressive Film Club is a voluntary organisation dedicated to showing progressive films from all over the world about struggles for people’s rights, for national liberation and for social justice. This month’s theme is “Environment at Risk” and two films will be shown. The films are

+ 15:00: Pipe Down about the Shell gas pipeline
+ 16:15: Fukushima: Never Again about the meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan in March 2011

Admission is free to the film screenings.

Three different guitar acts, including bluegrass and “The Aqualights” will perform all evening in the Beerhouse in Capel Street. Admission is free.

Not one, but TWO gigs of Wounds will take place. The first one is an All Ages (14+) show at 16:00-18:00. No alcohol will be served during that gig. Later on, the kids have to leave and the gig at 20:00-23:00 is an over 18s event. At the later gig The Mighty Stef will also perform.

Irish fashion designer Claire Garvey (www.clairegarvey.com) is running her first Solo Fashion Show on Cow’s Lane in conjunction with the White Lady Art Gallery on Sat.

The collection is inspired by Sherlock Holmes and there will be twenty-two models at the fashion show each with their own unique hair-style and make-up. The models will parade down Cow’s Lane then make their way to the White Lady Gallery on Wellington Quay where they will become part of a Sherlock Holmes themed exhibition.

Early House are performing in the “Live from the Window” slot in Whelan’s. 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.

This is Ireland’s National Ukulele Festival and it is a lot of fun! There are Ukulele Workshops, Open Mic Night and the highlight and main event is an 8-hour live concert in the People’s Park in Dun Laoghaire on Sunday.

The Workshops are not free, but the Open Mic Night and the concert in People’s Park are.

The Open Mic Night is an outdoor event at the Buskers Corner at the Pavillion Quarter, underneath the 40foot pub. Admission is free.

This is a weekly Saturday night jazz event in the basement Wine Cave of KC Peaches wholefood restaurant/café. Food will be served until 22:00 and wine, minerals & music will be available until later. Admission is free and a donation into a hat at the end of the evening is appreciated.

Wild Turkey Bourbon are inviting to MASH!, a series of music gigs around Dublin featuring up and coming bands and musicians. The first MASH! gigs will take place in The Workmans Club and the line-up is Mojo Gogo (Stadium Indie Rock ‘n’ Roll), Redwoods (melodic edgy pop) and Storyfold.

Admission to the gig is EUR 5, but if you like their Facebook page by going to www.wildturkeymash.com/ticket you get in for free.

The Stillorgan Orchard provides regular live music. The upcoming gigs are listed on the website below.

The yearly Dublin City Triathlon is taking place this weekend. You would know about it if you had considered taking part, but I am letting you know in case you want to watch the spectacle. Watching is obviously free.

More than 1000 participants will swim, cycle and run. The swimming (1500m) is in the Liffey near Phoenix Park and the cycle (40km) and run (10km) will be in Phoenix Park. The transition area is on Chapelizod Road near the Garda Boat Club. The race sponsor is Vodafone.

The National Heritage Week takes place from 17-25 August and approx. 320 (!!) events take place in the greater Dublin area. Not all are free, but the majority of the events is free. You can imagine that that far exceeds the capacity of this Dublin Event Guide, so I will not be able to list them.

Instead I suggest that you go here www.heritageweek.ie/index.php/whats-on/event-search (The Detailed Search didn’t work for me, but the Broad Search did.)

Alternatively you can download the events list in PDF format here:

Dublin City (43 pages for Dublin City alone)
Dublin Dun Laoghaire.Rathdown
Dublin Fingal
Dublin South County

So, spend a bit of time to plan your Heritage Week events, it is worth it.

This is a cool art installation! Every year for the last 11 years, a group of sculptors turns more than eighty tons of sand in a unique exhibition/installation outside in the Upper Courtyard of Dublin Castle.

This year’s theme for the sculptures is “The Bright Side” and will show what is good about Ireland and being Irish. Four big sand sculptures have been carved into heavily compacted sand by the artists from Duthain Dealbh (Irish Sand Sculpture) and the exhibition will run from 06-28 Aug and all will disappear on 29 Aug. So there are only a few more days and this is the last weekend to visit this impressive exhibition! I definitely recommend a visit. Admission is free.

A various County Council organised markets take place in the Dun Laoghaire area every week. They are farmers’ & food markets but also showcase produce and works of local artists and artisans.

+ People’s Park Market, Dún Laoghaire: Sun 11:00-16:00
+ Marlay Park Market, Rathfarnham: Sat 10:00-16:00 & Sun 11;00-16:00
+ Cabinteely Park Market, Cabinteely: Sun 10:00-16:00

On a vacant site where a few years ago still social housing was standing, the voluntary arts collective, Upstart, has created a big urban Pop-up Park, called Granby Park. The park opened on Thursday and will be there until 22 Sept. During this time a whole range of events will take place in the park and nearly all of them will be free.

“Urban Park” usually means that you have to go a bit easy on your expectations regarding plants and greenery, but if you consider that work only started in July, you can imagine that the term “park” has to be interpreted a good bit wider. One thing is certain, though: It will be nicer than Wolf Tone Square, which Dublin City at times likes to call “Wolfe Tone Park”.

Granby Park will be open Mon-Fri from 08:00-19:00 and Sat&Sun from 10:00-19:00 and you are invited to visit it. Food & Drink will be sold on site, but alcohol is not permitted.

I strongly recommend that you check it out and I will also tell you about the upcoming events in the next few weeks.

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 Merchants Market on East Wall Road is a relatively new weekly market on Saturdays and Sundays with more than 80 stalls. There is everything from furniture and antiques to paintings and mirrors, electronics and hot food to bicycles and buns. Sounds interesting and I will check it out over the coming weeks. It is just a few minutes walk away from the Point Theatre/O2 (walk in the direction of the Port Tunnel). www.facebook.com/merchantsindoormarket

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 Children’s Art Cart Workshops will be held again in the Phoenix Park Visitor Centre (01-6770095) every Sunday from 24 March to 22 December 2013. Currently the workshop is still free, but there is a possibility that a fee will be introduced at some point. Children must be over 6 years of age and must be supervised by an adult.
You can’t pre-book, so early arrival is required because there are only 20 places per session.

The themes are:
28 July: Medieval Life – includes a visit to Ashtown Castle
04 Aug: Creepy Crawlies in the Park
11 Aug: Animal Masks
18 Aug: Trees – what would we do without the them?
25 Aug: Make a Surprise

Thie Dalkey LobsterFest with Lobster, Crab and Jazz will take place this weekend. There will be lots of free events and some non-free events. Unfortunately the organisers didn’t make it too easy to find out which is which.

All events at the Vintage Village at the Sue Ryder House off Coliemore Road are definitely free. There will be 40 artisan stalls at the Vintage Village, Music, Competitions (Glam Gran on Saturday and Dogs on Sunday), the Vintage valuations (think antiques roadshow) on Sunday, an art exhibition, a kids play area, cooking and floral demonstrations and it will be the starting point for a 130 km Sue Ryder Randnonneé (a long cycle to Arklow and back). The complete schedule is here.

The writers corner has some Zumba dancing and Franco-irish music for you and a few more things. Check them out here. But we can only assume that at least some of the events are free.

Same goes for the Music programme here. I would expect that some is free, but definitely not all. An interesting line-up nevertheless with many events taking place in pubs on Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday. (Watch out for the very faint arrows on the programme if you follow the link above.) The Crab Jam on Sunday evening is a highlight. but again it is not clear if it will be free.

In the town there will also be market stalls and Celebrity Masterchef and Junior Masterchef events and there will be the most important Lobster Village with lots of Cooking Demonstrations as you can see here.

The next Dublin Flea Market is taking place in the Food Coop, 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. 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!”
The Coop Hall is wheelchair accessible and lots of free parking spaces are right outside the door.

There seem to be TWO weekly markets on Long Mile Road and both are very close to each other. One is behind Wigoders on Long Mile Road (across the road from Aldi). It hosts more than 50 stalls and there is also a Cafe on site. www.facebook.com/WigodersLongmileMarket And the other one is just on the other side of the road, next to Aldi. www.facebook.com/TheLongMileRdMarket

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.

A children event for the younger ones (ages 2-5) is taking place: StoryDraw is a story time where, after some well known tales have been read aloud, the children will be asked for their ‘artistic reaction’ to elements of the stories that have appealed to them.

The Ferocious Mingle Marcade (Market and Arcade) place every Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. On Sunday it is a fancy dress market. It’s a flea-market type permanent market with stalls and “chalets” for traders. The Oscar Verne Café on site and (at least at the weekends) live music adds even more character.

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.

A Children’s Art Workshop for 6-12yrs wil take place and has the theme “Dinosaur Zoo”. Are dinosaurs really extinct? Invent and create your own dinosaur at Farmleigh with Orla Kelly from Early Childhood Creativity. Workshops are free but ticketed. Tickets are allocated on the day on a first come first served basis. All workshops take place in the Motorhouse.

Session 1: Dinosaur Zoo 12:00-13:00
Session 2: Make a Fossil 13:30-14:30
Session 3: Dinosaur Zoo 15:00-16:00

The current Science Gallery exhibition “ILLUSION: Nothing is as it seems” will run from 12 July-29 Sept and is really interesting. Admission is free.

The exhibition is all about Illusions and it is a “perception-shattering insight into the human mind, playfully combining the techniques used by magicians and explored by psychologists.”

More than 20 installations will deceive your eyes (and ears) and will show you that what we perceive is often radically different from the reality. You will find impressive and amazing things, but nothing will be boring! The exhibition is suitable for all ages, so bring your children or – if you don’t have any – just bring yourself.

I have seen nearly every Science Gallery exhibition and I would say this is definitely one of the best.

ILLUSION was curated by psychologist, author and magician Richard Wiseman, and was researched by deception artist Paul Gleeson and a large group of mediators are available in the gallery to explain all the things that you see (or hear) to you.

Have a look at the website below to see an outline on what is on show. I strongly recommend that you see the show and tell me afterwards what you thought about it: dublineventguide@gmail.com (During the week (Tues-Fri) the exhibition is open until 20:00 and from 12:00 and on Sat+Sun; 12:00-18:00).

An indoor market in Coolock with over 40 traders with a wide range of goods and a café on site as well.

To celebrate Heritage Week 2013, the Museum will become a hive of activity with printing demonstrations, face painting, mini children’s workshops and self-guided arts and crafts activities at the Education Area. Put on a hat and apron and become a mini printer for the day. Admission is free.

This is Ireland’s National Ukulele Festival and it is a lot of fun! On Sunday the highlight and main event takes place, which is an 8-hour live concert in the People’s Park. The Big Ukulele Hooley Concert features well known in Dublin Ukulele groups like the Ukeristic Congress and other groups that are brilliant but are only known by the real Uke enthusiasts.

I was at the last two Ukulele Hooleys and really enjoyed it. It is an odd and hilarious instrument on one hand, but a well skilled Ukulele band sounds impressive. The full programme for the Sunday concert is here: www.ukulelehooley.com/Performers-Timetable/Performers-Timetable.html

The IFI continues with its free “Archive at Lunchtime” screenings and is increasing it to a daily screening in the summer months. The times vary a little from day to day (for the double bill on Saturdays 12:45), so make sure that you check the link below for the relevant day.

The daily programmes are
01+04+06+08+12+14+16+18+20+22+26+28+30 Aug: www.ifi.ie/film/archive-at-lunchtime-programme-1-free/
02+05+07+09+11+13+15+19+21+23+25+27+29 Aug: www.ifi.ie/film/archive-at-lunchtime-programme-2-free/
03+10+17+24+31 Aug: Saturday Double Bill www.ifi.ie/film/archive-at-lunchtime-double-bill-free/

“Grainne Galaxy and the Cosmic Cauldron” by Alive-O Productions is a free outdoor family theatre show as part of Heritage Week.

Time traveller Grainne has landed in Farmleigh from the past on a mission. Urgent! Can you help her before the universe is turned to cottage cheese?

There will be two performances at 13:00 and at 14:00 of this 30 min show. Meet at the reception at Farmleigh 15 mins before the show you wish to attend. Booking not required.

I have been at Alive-O Productions and they are always well done and well performed. And while very much written for kids, the plays also entertain the bigger kids – as in you and me.

On the last day of the Northside Music Festival, The Red Stables in St. Anne’s park will be the venue for this outdoor event. A drumming workshop with Brian Fleming will take place (booking on site required). In addition there will be performances by

+ Barry Krishna – DJ + Live-looping
+ Tig Linn – Irish Nigerian group
+ Killer Ceol – Rock/Folk/Punk singer/songwriter

Admission is free.

The final Summer Fair Weather event in Dundrum is a Art & Hobby Session, Facepainting and Games for children. Admission is free. The event will take place in the Pembroke Square area.

An Irish Language tour with Jack Fitzgerald will take place in the Chester Beatty Library. Admission is free.

The “Dublin Sketchers” is an informal group of typically hobby artists who go somewhere different in Dublin every Sunday (e.g. National Museum, Maritime Museum, Dublin Flea Market, Farmleigh, Botanic Gardens, Dublin Castle), 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 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!

The St. George’s Brass Band will perform in the bandstand. Admission is free.

The SCOOP (Support Children Out Of Poverty) Foundation are an Irish charity that supports the education and communities of children living in the poorest parts of the world. Their Art Auction fundraiser is known by many and after art, they are now covering the field of sports with the SCOOP Olympics in Phoenix Park near the Cricket Field.

There will be 50 contestants (who all had to raise EUR 100) and they will compete in 6 sports: The 7cm Stilletto Sprint, The Slow Bike Race, The Dive and Slide, The Handbag Hurl, Tomato Tennis. The Fans Choice (to be announced).

Apart from lots of fun watching these events, there will be some games (Sumo Suits, Giant Janga, footballs, Hula Hoops, Sock Wrestling etc) to play for you as a spectator as well. Admission for spectators is free.

PLEASE NOTE: The Dublin City Triathlon is taking place in Pheonix Park on Sunday morning with main parking on Chesterfield Road, so be prepared that parking spaces might be very limited.

After the Olympic Events, the After Party takes place in the Grand Social Beer Garden with a price giving ceremony from 18:00 and from 20:00 an After Party Gig (Tickets: EUR 5) with live music by Ana Gog and Ocho will take place.

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

Come to the Family Drawing Sundays in the RHA. All children are welcome to use the RHA Art Cart, in the RHA Atrium. Admission is free. For further information, contact Ruth Carroll on 01 6612558 or via ruth@rhagallery.ie

A free guided walk “Irish Roots: Walking through the Gardens’ Past” will take place. Plant-hunters, botanists, poets and philosophers have all been associated with the Gardens. Join this history-themed tour showcasing the rich heritage that is the National Botanic Gardens. Admission is free.

The public tour “A focus on Irish Art” with guide Michelle Doyle will take place, Admission is free, but places are limited.

The Dublin Concert Band will perform in St. Enda’s Park on Sunday and admission is free.

Unlike the three branches of the National Museum, the National Print Museum is normally not free, but every Sunday there is a free public tour for the next few weeks. Every visit begins with a short audio-visual presentation where the audience can observe active retired printers providing practical demonstrations of machines from the Museum’s collection.

A World music day takes place with the line-up Kiru, Mama Kasbah, Manden Express. Admission is free.

Saucy Sundays is a weekly free live music afternoon and evening in the Grand Social. The line-up and links to all bands/performers are available via the Saucy Sundays Facebook Page (see link below). In brief: The Boo Box, Campbell & The Lip-Ticklers, Handsome Handsome, Tickly Teeth, Shadowboxer, Jupe, Mabdeb Express and Davina Brady Music.

The Trinity Bar, nect to the Cetntral Bank on Dame Street, has live music four nights/afternoons every week and admission is free:
Tues – 20:00: Theo Red (Alternative Rock)
Wed – 20:00: Tara Hill (Folk Rock, Celtic and Traditional)
Thurs – 20:00: Pachino Brothers (cover versions, oldies and own material)
Sun – 17:00: Traditional LIve Music

The wedding and party band The Long John Jump Band play every Sunday evening in Café en Seine. Admission is free.

“A MUSING” is the stand-up comedy and original poetry performance by Dave Hynes and special guests. It takes place on the last Sunday of the month with doors at 18:30 and the performance at 19:00. Admission is free.

Accents Coffee & Tea Lounge is an alcohol free cafe, open until 23:00 on 7 days a week.

Every Sunday a band will play from 21:00-22:30, a Latin Beat Club, Brazilian DJs and Salsa Classes (from 18:00) are additional features. Admission is free.

Little Matador will perform in Whelan’s and admission is free.

Sweeney’s Dixieland Jazzmen are performing onthe Groundfloor.

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 Sun+Mon. 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).

Rogério from the Brazilian dance project “Forró de Lampião” in Dublin tells me: Forró de Lampião is Brazilian music that has the same roots as Samba and there is a whole culture that has developed around “forro”. Every Sunday, free dance classes take place in the Grand Social (new loation!) and if you are interested, just turn up one Sunday.

“Rhythm Rocker at The Globe” is a weekly event on Sunday night in The Globe in Sth Great Georges Street, Dublin 2. It is a Rockabilly, R’n’R, Roots night with alternating (week by week) live bands Pavement Kings, Donna & The Sazzy Catz, The Mosquitoes and The Pacifics from 21:00 and with DJs from 23:00-01:30. Admission is free.

The weekly Sunday Roast is a free event in the Mercantile where live music is combined with free roast potatoes. The line-up for the upcoming Sunday Roast is available via the Sunday Roast Facebook Page (see link below). In brief: Rosco, Evora, Digital Deeper, Doppler, Blow, Imni-K,

Billy Treacy & The Ha’Penny Heads are playing Ballads, Folk, Trad and Classic Country every Sunday. Featuring Guitar, Mandolin, Fiddle and Banjo.

Every Sunday (except at Bank Holiday weekends), the Ragtime, Roots and Country Blues Band “Cool Hand Dukes” play in the Porterhouse near Grafton Street.

This is a cool art installation! Every year for the last 11 years, a group of sculptors turns more than eighty tons of sand in a unique exhibition/installation outside in the Upper Courtyard of Dublin Castle.

This year’s theme for the sculptures is “The Bright Side” and will show what is good about Ireland and being Irish. Four big sand sculptures have been carved into heavily compacted sand by the artists from Duthain Dealbh (Irish Sand Sculpture) and the exhibition will run from 06-28 Aug and all will disappear on 29 Aug. So there are only a few more days to visit this impressive exhibition! I definitely recommend a visit. Admission is free.

The IFI continues with its free “Archive at Lunchtime” screenings and is increasing it to a daily screening in the summer months. The times vary a little from day to day (for the double bill on Saturdays 12:45), so make sure that you check the link below for the relevant day.

The daily programmes are
01+04+06+08+12+14+16+18+20+22+26+28+30 Aug: www.ifi.ie/film/archive-at-lunchtime-programme-1-free/
02+05+07+09+11+13+15+19+21+23+25+27+29 Aug: www.ifi.ie/film/archive-at-lunchtime-programme-2-free/
03+10+17+24+31 Aug: Saturday Double Bill www.ifi.ie/film/archive-at-lunchtime-double-bill-free/

For July and August, the National Gallery is inviting to near daily summer talks (two talks of 30 min, Mon-Sat) on aspects of Irish & European art. All talks take place in the National Gallery Lecture Theatre and admission is free. No booking is required.

The themes are:

+ Monday & Thursday: 13:00: Early 20th century Irish art / 15:00: Highlights of the Gallery’s Collection
+ Tuesday & Friday: 13:00: The World of Jack B. Yeats / 15:00: Masterpieces of the European Collection
+ Wednesday: 13:00: Exploring a Picture / 15:00: Aspects of Irish Art
+ Saturday: 15:00: Masterpieces of the European Collection

You are invited to a yoga & relaxation class at Exchange Dublin on Mondays at lunchtime. All levels of experience are welcome. The class will focus on finding and creating space to breathe, relax and expand into the body as we move and practice yoga. Please wear comfortable, loose clothing and bring along a yoga mat if possible. The class is free of charge but donations are welcome.

Entitled “Ayrfield: A Young Estate in an ancient Hinterland” this Let’s Walk & Talk events will discover the rich heritage of Ayrfield and surrounding areas on this tour and enjoy some intriguing stories along the way.

“Code for Dublin – Hack the Lockout” is a Community Hack Night (organised by Curate Dublin). Expert mentors will facilitate helping you build mobile apps, augmented reality, navigation aids, and citizen journalism. The idea is to assist a soon-to-be launched “Dublin Tenement Experience” museum by inventing digital tools to support their summer events.

Code for Dublin will run weekly through the summer (24 June – 26 August) and will highlight events surrounding dublintenementexperience.com. By the end of the summer you will be a coder/hacker and will have helped tell the story of Dublin’s past and life in the tenements.

Participation is free, but a donation of EUR 5 is requested to cover the cost of renting the venue and food/snack. Bring your Laptop (or tablet with keyboard) so that you can participate fully. If you have trouble finding the place, ring Shannon on 086-2282551. Free tickets and more information can be obtained on www.eventbrite.com/event/7226421421/eorg

Jemson Green are launching their video “Who am I” and are supported by guests. 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 Monday Echo is a weekly songwriter and poetry live showcase held on Mondays in the basement of The International Bar. Usually, the show has 3 songwriters and 3 poets who perform for roughly 20 minutes each. Admission is free.
The weekly line-up can be found via the Facebook Page below.

The Comedy Crunch is a free Stand Up comedy event every Sunday and Monday. 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 4-piece band Loose Trad are performing every Monday in Mother Reilly’s. www.loosetrad.com/ Admission is free.

Every Monday, a mix of musicians from bands like The Seven Deadly Skins / Animal Cracker / Upbeat Generation / Crete Boom & more come together to play a free night of Rock & Reggae.

This is a cool art installation! Every year for the last 11 years, a group of sculptors turns more than eighty tons of sand in a unique exhibition/installation outside in the Upper Courtyard of Dublin Castle.

This year’s theme for the sculptures is “The Bright Side” and will show what is good about Ireland and being Irish. Four big sand sculptures have been carved into heavily compacted sand by the artists from Duthain Dealbh (Irish Sand Sculpture) and the exhibition will run from 06-28 Aug and all will disappear on 29 Aug. So there are only a few more days to visit this impressive exhibition! I definitely recommend a visit. Admission is free.

“These Are a Few of My Favourite Things” is the title of a Walking Tour that Emily Gallagher will on Tuesday now as well. 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 egaldog@gmail.com or 085-2725095

The IFI continues with its free “Archive at Lunchtime” screenings and is increasing it to a daily screening in the summer months. The times vary a little from day to day (for the double bill on Saturdays 12:45), so make sure that you check the link below for the relevant day.

The daily programmes are
01+04+06+08+12+14+16+18+20+22+26+28+30 Aug: www.ifi.ie/film/archive-at-lunchtime-programme-1-free/
02+05+07+09+11+13+15+19+21+23+25+27+29 Aug: www.ifi.ie/film/archive-at-lunchtime-programme-2-free/
03+10+17+24+31 Aug: Saturday Double Bill www.ifi.ie/film/archive-at-lunchtime-double-bill-free/

A talk about “Family history resources at the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland” will take place in the National Libraries Genealogy series. Glynn Kelso will speak. Admission is free.

For July and August, the National Gallery is inviting to near daily summer talks (two talks of 30 min, Mon-Sat) on aspects of Irish & European art. All talks take place in the National Gallery Lecture Theatre and admission is free. No booking is required.

The themes are:

+ Monday & Thursday: 13:00: Early 20th century Irish art / 15:00: Highlights of the Gallery’s Collection
+ Tuesday & Friday: 13:00: The World of Jack B. Yeats / 15:00: Masterpieces of the European Collection
+ Wednesday: 13:00: Exploring a Picture / 15:00: Aspects of Irish Art
+ Saturday: 15:00: Masterpieces of the European Collection

This is an open mic night with Special Guests. Arrive, sign in (from 19:00) and play and if you are a performer you get a free beer. Admission is free.

A meeting group for women (age 18 and over) to learn to celebrate femininity, discuss themes ideas and philosophies, share, heal, drink tea, support each other, have some fun and make new friends. Discover and celebrate your inner Goddesses together.

Admission is free, but donations of up to EUR 5 to cover tea and for the use of the space are appreciated.

Open Mic Night with The Last Tycoons in O’Donoghue’s on Suffolk Street every Tues from 20:00. It’s free and anyone can get up, sing a song or do whatever they like.

The Trinity Bar, nect to the Cetntral Bank on Dame Street, has live music four nights/afternoons every week and admission is free:
Tues – 20:00: Theo Red (Alternative Rock)
Wed – 20:00: Tara Hill (Folk Rock, Celtic and Traditional)
Thurs – 20:00: Pachino Brothers (cover versions, oldies and own material)
Sun – 17:00: Traditional LIve Music

The Plateau Sessions, a open mic night with special guest take place on Tuesday, but the line-up is not on the website yet.

The weekly “Grand Folk Club” will feature Trad, Ballads, Americana, Folk, World Music & More. This Tuesday, the plan for the night is: Open Mic Night with Special Guests. Admission is free.

White Chocolate is playing Rock Covers from 23:30 in The Mezz in Temple Bar.

This is a cool art installation! Every year for the last 11 years, a group of sculptors turns more than eighty tons of sand in a unique exhibition/installation outside in the Upper Courtyard of Dublin Castle.

This year’s theme for the sculptures is “The Bright Side” and will show what is good about Ireland and being Irish. Four big sand sculptures have been carved into heavily compacted sand by the artists from Duthain Dealbh (Irish Sand Sculpture) and the exhibition will run from 06-28 Aug and all will disappear on 29 Aug.

This is the last day to visit this impressive exhibition! I definitely recommend a visit. Admission is free.

A Walk to the Papal Cross via Park Lodges with Irene Barry will take place. Meet at Farmleigh Reception)

The IFI continues with its free “Archive at Lunchtime” screenings and is increasing it to a daily screening in the summer months. The times vary a little from day to day (for the double bill on Saturdays 12:45), so make sure that you check the link below for the relevant day.

The daily programmes are
01+04+06+08+12+14+16+18+20+22+26+28+30 Aug: www.ifi.ie/film/archive-at-lunchtime-programme-1-free/
02+05+07+09+11+13+15+19+21+23+25+27+29 Aug: www.ifi.ie/film/archive-at-lunchtime-programme-2-free/
03+10+17+24+31 Aug: Saturday Double Bill www.ifi.ie/film/archive-at-lunchtime-double-bill-free/

“Irish Newspaper Archives – Opening up the Nation’s Newspaper Archives”. Join Phillip Martin for a talk on Irish Newspaper Archives. Admission is free and no booking required.

Irish Newspaper Archives is the largest digital archive of Irish Newspapers, with over 40 titles from all over the country, providing access to millions of newspaper articles spanning over 300 years of Irish history.

For July and August, the National Gallery is inviting to near daily summer talks (two talks of 30 min, Mon-Sat) on aspects of Irish & European art. All talks take place in the National Gallery Lecture Theatre and admission is free. No booking is required.

The themes are:

+ Monday & Thursday: 13:00: Early 20th century Irish art / 15:00: Highlights of the Gallery’s Collection
+ Tuesday & Friday: 13:00: The World of Jack B. Yeats / 15:00: Masterpieces of the European Collection
+ Wednesday: 13:00: Exploring a Picture / 15:00: Aspects of Irish Art
+ Saturday: 15:00: Masterpieces of the European Collection

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.

Why So Serious? invite to the film screening of 1996?s camp cult comedy classic ‘The Birdcage’, starring Robin Williams, Nathan Lane, Gene Hackman and Dianne Wiest.

The King Kong Club is a weekly music game-show in the Mercantile. Each week 6-7 bands/solo artists play three songs each. At the end of all the performances a clap-off with the King Kong Club Clap-o-Meter takes place and the winner goes through to a semi-final and it all culminates after six months of competition with The Grand Final, held in front of a panel of celebrity judges.

The list of performers is not yet announced on their Facebook Page and I am not sure if it will be put up there, but check it anyway.

The Trinity Bar, nect to the Cetntral Bank on Dame Street, has live music four nights/afternoons every week and admission is free:
Tues – 20:00: Theo Red (Alternative Rock)
Wed – 20:00: Tara Hill (Folk Rock, Celtic and Traditional)
Thurs – 20:00: Pachino Brothers (cover versions, oldies and own material)
Sun – 17:00: Traditional LIve Music

“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.

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 Ferocious Mingle Marcade (Market and Arcade) place every Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. On Sunday it is a fancy dress market. It’s a flea-market type permanent market with stalls and “chalets” for traders. The Oscar Verne Café on site and (at least at the weekends) live music adds even more character.

The Dublin Food Co-op is open every Thursday at Newmarket for organic wholefoods and sustainable household products, plus over a dozen producer stalls offering organic fruit and veg., baked goods, dairy produce, wines, hot and cold food, etc.
The Co-op is also opened on Saturdays 09:30 – 16:30. 12:00-20:00.

dot conf is a yearly technology conference in the National College of Ireland and the “deep dives” are talks that go a good bit deeper than just skimming the surfaces of a topic. The NCIRL will now run a number of deep dives throughout the year to complement the once-yearly conference.

The first dot conf deep dive will deal with “XSS Hack Attacks – Is your web app secure?” XSS stands for cross-site scripting and if you want to know more or book a place, find the website via the link below.

The IFI continues with its free “Archive at Lunchtime” screenings and is increasing it to a daily screening in the summer months. The times vary a little from day to day (for the double bill on Saturdays 12:45), so make sure that you check the link below for the relevant day.

The daily programmes are
01+04+06+08+12+14+16+18+20+22+26+28+30 Aug: www.ifi.ie/film/archive-at-lunchtime-programme-1-free/
02+05+07+09+11+13+15+19+21+23+25+27+29 Aug: www.ifi.ie/film/archive-at-lunchtime-programme-2-free/
03+10+17+24+31 Aug: Saturday Double Bill www.ifi.ie/film/archive-at-lunchtime-double-bill-free/

This is your last chance for 2013:

In its 13th year, Dublin City Council’s Art Office is inviting you to “Opera in the Open” every Thursday at 13:00 during August. Admission is free and the programme for 2013 is:
01 August: Tosca (Puccini)
08 August: Werther (Massenet)
15 August: The Turn of the Screw (Britten)
22 August: L’Elisir D’Amore (Donizetti)
29 August: Candide (Bernstein)
The leaflet is here: www.dublincity.ie/Press/Documents/OperaInThePark.pdf

Have you ever been interested in researching your roots, but unsure of where to start? The National Library is hosting a series of lunchtime lectures on different aspects of Irish family history research and on Thursday genealogist Derek Neilson will talk about using oral histories for genealogical research: “Audio and Family History as Sources for Genealogy”

Admission is free.

For July and August, the National Gallery is inviting to near daily summer talks (two talks of 30 min, Mon-Sat) on aspects of Irish & European art. All talks take place in the National Gallery Lecture Theatre and admission is free. No booking is required.

The themes are:

+ Monday & Thursday: 13:00: Early 20th century Irish art / 15:00: Highlights of the Gallery’s Collection
+ Tuesday & Friday: 13:00: The World of Jack B. Yeats / 15:00: Masterpieces of the European Collection
+ Wednesday: 13:00: Exploring a Picture / 15:00: Aspects of Irish Art
+ Saturday: 15:00: Masterpieces of the European Collection

The next In Focus Tours is called “Some Scripts of the Islamic World” with Nateghe Moane. Admission is free, but places are limited to 15 (first come first served).

Free, limited to 15

“The Last Rose of Summer” –– Elizabeth Pink (contralto) and Anthony Byrne (piano) will perform Berlioz: Le spectre de la rose; Grieg: Zur Rosenzeit, Jeg elsker Dig; Quilter: 4 songs op.2; “Marigold” and “Railroad Rhythm” by Billy Mayerl for solo piano; MacDowell: 4 songs op. 56; Alma Mahler: Laue Sommernacht, Die stille Stadt; Arr. Hubert Rooney: The last rose of summer.

Admission is free.

The Dublin City Public Libraries Career Direction and Development Programme continues with the free workshop “Doing a Great Job Interview” by HR Consultant Mary Hanson. Booking is recommended via 01-8733996.

“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 egaldog@gmail.com or 085-2725095

Booka BRass, the New Orleans-style brass band, will perform in Whelan’s and admission is free.

Dimestore Recordings run a weekly event in Sweeney Mongrel’s, Dame Street (formerly Le Cirk) with a variety of bands and performers. It starts at 20:00, follow the link for the line up.

The Trinity Bar, nect to the Cetntral Bank on Dame Street, has live music four nights/afternoons every week and admission is free:
Tues – 20:00: Theo Red (Alternative Rock)
Wed – 20:00: Tara Hill (Folk Rock, Celtic and Traditional)
Thurs – 20:00: Pachino Brothers (cover versions, oldies and own material)
Sun – 17:00: Traditional LIve Music

Bad Boy Jake are every Thursday until the end of February in the newly re-opened Rathmines Inn, playing their rock, blues and Americana.

The Max Zaska group and the Patrick Groenland group will perform on alternating Thursdays from 21:00 in the International Bar on 23 Wicklow Street.

“Thirsty Thursday” Open Mic Night from 21:00 in the Bridge Inn in Chapelizod Village.

The Voodoo Lounge is back! It was closed for a while but with new management it is back and full of energy and life.

On Thursdays the Voodoo Sessions, a Singer/Songwriter showcase, will take place and at the next event Deco Greene, Kurtis Murphy, Craig Gallagher & The Fallen Drakes will perform.

The Cabin Sessions, an Acoustic Music event will take place again. The Cabin Sessions House Band with Spats Davenport (guitar), Con Butler (bass), Gerry Fitzpatrick (dobro), Cathy McEvoy (fiddle), Christian Volkmann (bass) and special guests: No Direction (Country), Taylor’s Lane (contemporary), Minnie & The Illywhackers (ukulele swing) will perform. Admission is free.

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

Every Thursday a free Trad Session takes place in McNeills and often there are high profile Trad musicians performing. Until the end of August, that Thursday Session is part of the Steeple Sessions programme (www.steeplesessions.com )

New Dublin Now, is a selection of some of the best new sounds in the city. Five or more acts are playing short sets every week and new acts are always welcome. Email info@beerhousedublin.com for more info. Admission is free.

The Zebra Club is featuring Swords and Tara on Thursday. Admission is free before 22:30 and the gig starts at midnight.

Creative Mornings is a monthly free lecture series for creative types. The lectures are recorded and viewed by a global audience on the Creative Mornings website. The theme for August’s Creative Mornings is Urbanism. The inspiring speakers who’ll be discussing this topic are social innovators Sam Bishop and Peter O’Brien, members of the UPSTART COLLECTIVE that created Granby Park.

Admission is free, but registration is required. Check the website below for details.

The Ferocious Mingle Marcade (Market and Arcade) place every Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. On Sunday it is a fancy dress market. It’s a flea-market type permanent market with stalls and “chalets” for traders. The Oscar Verne Café on site and (at least at the weekends) live music adds even more character.

The IFI continues with its free “Archive at Lunchtime” screenings and is increasing it to a daily screening in the summer months. The times vary a little from day to day (for the double bill on Saturdays 12:45), so make sure that you check the link below for the relevant day.

The daily programmes are
01+04+06+08+12+14+16+18+20+22+26+28+30 Aug: www.ifi.ie/film/archive-at-lunchtime-programme-1-free/
02+05+07+09+11+13+15+19+21+23+25+27+29 Aug: www.ifi.ie/film/archive-at-lunchtime-programme-2-free/
03+10+17+24+31 Aug: Saturday Double Bill www.ifi.ie/film/archive-at-lunchtime-double-bill-free/

For July and August, the National Gallery is inviting to near daily summer talks (two talks of 30 min, Mon-Sat) on aspects of Irish & European art. All talks take place in the National Gallery Lecture Theatre and admission is free. No booking is required.

The themes are:

+ Monday & Thursday: 13:00: Early 20th century Irish art / 15:00: Highlights of the Gallery’s Collection
+ Tuesday & Friday: 13:00: The World of Jack B. Yeats / 15:00: Masterpieces of the European Collection
+ Wednesday: 13:00: Exploring a Picture / 15:00: Aspects of Irish Art
+ Saturday: 15:00: Masterpieces of the European Collection

Duo PerKelt, medieval celtic fusion: Štepán Honc (guitar, cittern) and Pavlína Bastlová (flute and vocals), perform music from medieval Spain, Flanders, Bohemia and Ireland.

A Garden Walking Tour with Guest Speaker Liz Morga will take place and meeting point is at the Walled Garden.

A free Greek and European Folk Dance class open to all. Contact Katerini Papathanasiou on papath.kat@gmail.com

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.

“Dublin Tribal Spirit” is a weekly event that gives you the great experience of a drumming circle with african drums and authentic tribal rhythms. Tom and Sinead, who run that event are providing lots of drums for it and teach you the rhythms.

There is no formal admission charge for this event, but donations are expected. The organisers bring their own 20-30 drums to it every week, so they are looking for donations to keep the event going.

All International Students in Ireland are invited to the “Infinity College Irish Culture Fun Night”. There will be live music, finger food, free beer for the first 50 people and admission is free.

Julyo & the Photosonic Orchestra is a “contemporary-folk” line up performing a mix of Italian folk music and World grooves.

Supporting act will be provided by Dublin based singer/songwriter Laura Ann Brady.

DJ set after the show provided by Exploding Plastic Inevitable – Kammamuri.

“Statues of us” and guests FInally Statues” will perform at 20:00. Admission is free.

Super Hanz launch their EP and admission is free.

The Addison Lodge are inviting local bands, musicians, poets, comedians and performers to share their talents at the new Addison Lodge Open Mic Nights in Glasnevin (opposite the Botanic Gardens). The event takes place every week. Admission is free.

The Stillorgan Orchard provides regular live music. The upcoming gigs are detailed on the website below.