The Ferocious Mingle Marcade (Market and Arcade) is back in a new location. The Marcade is now in Camden Street next to Daintree Paper and opposite the Centra and off-license there. It takes place every Thurs-Sun and is a flea-market-type permanent market with stalls and “chalets” for traders.

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.

(Nearly) every Friday a European Folk Dance Workshop/Session will take place in the Exchange in Temple Bar.

The dances are French, Greek, Italian, Hungarian, Polish, Portuguese folk and traditional dances and everybody interested to join in or to learn is welcome. Admission is free.

Because there are some Fridays when the event can’t take place, you should check on the Facebook Page below, before making your plans.

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.

“Ska ‘n’ Reggae” is the theme in Sin É every Friday. The Bionic Rats play live and the Real Reggae Boys DJs are on the decks until late. Admission is free.

A weekly car boot sale, one of less than a handful that is still reliably taking place, has up to 200 cars/sellers. The stadium is just a few minutes walk from the Red LUAS line stop and numerous bus stops. For traders the Car Boot Sale opens at 06:30 for buyers from 08:00. If you are interested in selling, check the details and register on their website.

The weekly Honest2goodness food market in Glasnevin has fresh meat, vegetables, fish, baked goods, and wines. It is open from 09:30-16:00. It is behind Lidl in the Industrial Estate just after the Glasnevin Cemetary coming from the City Centre.

Parkrun Ireland is organising free weekly runs in parks. It is a timed run over 5km and participation is completely free, but registration before your first parkrun is required.

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 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.

On Saturday 18 Jan “Iyengar Yoga Day” will take place and around Ireland, free Yoga taster classes will be provided for all Iyengar Yoga beginners. Because the classes already start at 10:00 and in some cases might require pre-booking

+ The Posture Centre, 32 Pembroke St, Dublin 2 (10:00-11:00 – check www.posturecentre.ie/ )
+ iYOGA, 1st Floor, 365-367 North Circular Road, Phibsboro, Dublin 7 (10:00-17:00 – check www.iyoga.ie/events.php )

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

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.

The Ark in Temple Bar always runs interesting events for children. But because they are usually not free, I don’t get a chance to mention them much here. However, for the next three Saturdays (and one Sunday) they will show the “Secrets of Kells Exhibition” and admission is free. The exhibition is suitable for ages 4+. It contains limited edition art prints of scenes from The Secret of Kells, the animated feature film by Kilkenny’s Cartoon Saloon.

There is also a screening of the animation “Moon Man” at 15:00, but there is an Admission charge of EUR 3 for that. Suitable for Age 7+

Over the coming weeks there are more interesting (but not free) events. If you have children, check them out. You might find something really interesting.

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 Ferocious Mingle Marcade (Market and Arcade) is back in a new location. The Marcade is now in Camden Street next to Daintree Paper and opposite the Centra and off-license there. It takes place every Thurs-Sun and is a flea-market-type permanent market with stalls and “chalets” for traders.

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

“Winter Wonders” is a tour for famlies with Geraldine Breen (zoologist). You will discover the challenges animals face in winter, which ones truly hibernate in winter and which ones love the cold. The tour will take place twice: 12:00-13:00 + 14:00-15:00

Admission is free.

This is the very last weekend for this exhibition:

The current Science Gallery exhibition (25 Oct – 19 Jan) is called GROW YOUR OWN…. and is exploring synthetic biology and life after nature. How does the future of designed and artificially enhanced life look like? What possibilities are there.

This exhibition is very different from the previous ILLUSION exhibition. GROW YOUR OWN is a lot more scientific and very futuristic. Maybe you could call it “science and art fiction”? The exhibition is full of interesting ideas and concepts, but also contains eye-brow raising stuff like human cheese and self-diagnosing excr ement. Younger children will be lost in it, so it is more suitable for a slightly older audience (16+) in comparison to the previous exhibition.

As with all Science Gallery exhibitions, I definitely recommend visiting it, but this time you have to bring a bit more time to comprehend all 21 exhibits and you need to bring your curiosity for science. It is worth it, though! The great (and unique) thing about the Science Gallery is that there are always mediators there, helpers that explain every exhibit in simple terms.

The exhibition is open Tuesday-Sunday. (Weekdays: 12:00-20:00, Sat+Sun: 12:00-18:00) Admission is free.

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

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.

An Intercultural Tour in Mandarin takes place in the Chester Beatty Library and will be followed by family-friendly activities with Tiedong Yang. Admission is free and no booking required.

“Everything must go now” is a 1-day event of tastes, sights and sounds. It is the closing event for Bubblewrap Game: Hugh Lane, part of the Sleepwalkers series with James Barry, Jeremy Deller, David Eager Maher, Padraic E. Moore, Kevin Powell, and Jim Ricks.

For this event, Jim Ricks has curated a range of artists and practices that could not normally be shown in an ordinary exhibition. An entertaining selection of responses or micro-exhibitions will start on 18 Jan, culminating in a reception.

An exclusive showing of new work specially produced for this show by Jeremy Deller will be up for the duration of the day situated in an unexpected place.

Chef Kevin Powell, founder of Guerrilla Gruel, will produce a reduced, minimal 6 course banquet which will be available to the public all afternoon. It will be served on a correspondingly minimal ‘long table’ that will bisect the elegance of the Sculpture Hall.

Jim Ricks will be showing a large new textile piece, titled Painting is Dyed, derived from an abstract painting in the Hugh Lane collection.

David Eager Maher subverts historical motifs and methods into complex new narratives.

“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

An Irish language tour with Jack Fitzgerald will take place. Admission is free and no booking required.

Author Damien Lawlor will give a Historical Lecture about Na Fianna Eireann. This will be followed by a Q & A session. The event will take place in Collins Barrack’s lecture room and is organised by the Sean Heuston Dublin 1916 Society. Admission is free.

A Tiny Tot Workshop for the under 3 year olds and their grown-ups is offered in the National Gallery. Brilliant service, because small children often are excluded from activities. Have fun exploring colours, shapes and sounds with storytelling and art.

There workshop takes place every month on the 3rd Friday and Saturday, BUT you have to book a week in advance. (All details on the website below.) So unfortunately you won’t be able to go to that event this time, but check out all the details and maybe already pre-book it for next month. (There are only 15 places!).

‘Create a Calendar’ with Joe Coveney is teh Family Programme this Sunday. Admission is free and no booking is required, but places are limited, so come early.

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.

Early House will play a free gig in Wehlan’s. Expect “funkifying, electric soul – with covers from the likes of James Brown, Amy Winehouse, Doobie Brothers, Etta James, Sly & the Family Stone, Aretha Franklin & more”.

The gig “Faces of 2014” with new and upcoming bands and performers will take place in the Mercantile. The line up is Moscow Metro, Floor Staff, Simi Crowns and Maria Somerville and they are presented by state.ie. Admission is free.

Dublin Indie rock band “Kapitals”, are performing a free gig in the Workman’s club.

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.

The Devils Jukebox is live music from 20:00-23:00 and DJs with Alternative, Punk, Rock, Metal & Garage after that. Every Saturday! Admission is free.

Darktown, a Beat Noir Groove Combo from Sligo/Leitrim, will launch their EP “Deepwater Quay” in Bewley’s Cafe Theatre. Admission is free.

The Lee Harveys / Checkpoint / Blazin 38’s / The Black Pitts will perform a free gig presented by Foad Musick.

Big Arfican Sounds with with Sadjo Sissoko//Brian Lynch. It is a live performance of African percussion & the unusual Kora. Admission is free.

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

Blues, Soul and Rock & Roll with Ray Scully, a semi-finalist of The Voice.

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 Brocante Market will take place on Sun. It is a collection of antiques, furniture, vintage jewellery, collectables and curiosities from the past and present, second-hand, refurbished, antique and hand-crafted stuff for your house and garden. If you are an interior designer or just have and eye for style and are looking for a special piece or maybe a bargain then this is the market for you. The market is held every 3rd Sunday of the month.

A weekly market with lots of food, but also many other products (art & crafts, books, etc) takes place every Sunday in the beautiful People’s Park in Dun Laoghaire. It is a very popular market and with around 50 vendors also one of the bigger markets.

There 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.

The Ferocious Mingle Marcade (Market and Arcade) is back in a new location. The Marcade is now in Camden Street next to Daintree Paper and opposite the Centra and off-license there. It takes place every Thurs-Sun and is a flea-market-type permanent market with stalls and “chalets” for traders.

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

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

This is the very last weekend for this exhibition:

The current Science Gallery exhibition (25 Oct – 19 Jan) is called GROW YOUR OWN…. and is exploring synthetic biology and life after nature. How does the future of designed and artificially enhanced life look like? What possibilities are there.

This exhibition is very different from the previous ILLUSION exhibition. GROW YOUR OWN is a lot more scientific and very futuristic. Maybe you could call it “science and art fiction”? The exhibition is full of interesting ideas and concepts, but also contains eye-brow raising stuff like human cheese and self-diagnosing excr ement. Younger children will be lost in it, so it is more suitable for a slightly older audience (16+) in comparison to the previous exhibition.

As with all Science Gallery exhibitions, I definitely recommend visiting it, but this time you have to bring a bit more time to comprehend all 21 exhibits and you need to bring your curiosity for science. It is worth it, though! The great (and unique) thing about the Science Gallery is that there are always mediators there, helpers that explain every exhibit in simple terms.

The exhibition is open Tuesday-Sunday. (Weekdays: 12:00-20:00, Sat+Sun: 12:00-18:00) Admission is free.

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

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 a double will with
1. Project Evolution presented by the Association of Irish Composers
2. Jack Quartet

Find more information on the website below.

Japanese language tour with Hiromi Anzai. Admission is free and no booking is required.

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 screening of “Los Angeles Plays Itself” (2003) will take place in the Lecture Room of the IMMA. It is a documentary film focusing on the representations of LA in cinema, and the truths and fictions that have been woven into the city’s urban fabric as well as its myth on screen. Admission is free, but booking is required via the link here. At the time of writing this, there were 17 tickets left, so hurry!

On Sunday 26 Jan, the film “Radio On Screening” will take place at 14:00 and if you already want to book your free ticket, do it now here.

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 Tour of the “Dublin Street Scenes” that are on display in the Hugh Lane Gallery will take place. Admission is free and everyone is welcome. No booking is required, but places are limited, so arrive early.

At this Hands on History event in Collins Barracks you have a chance to explore some of the artefacts from the Museum’s collection of objects. Suitable for all ages. Admission is free. No booking required.

At the My Museum event “Live by the Sword, Die by the Sword” for Ages 8-12 you will learn about Viking Swords.

For Viking warriors, their swords were so important that they took them to the grave, and even gave them their own names. Join Gordon Bond to learn more about swords and other weapons on display at the Museum, and become a Viking weapon-smith by making your own sword to take home. Admission is free, but there are only 15 places. Meet at the reception. Places will be distributed on a first come, first served basis.

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

The next Sunday Sketching for 7+ Year olds has the title “A Time to Rhyme”. No booking necessary. Admission is free and early arrival is recommended.

A weekly Jazz gig will take place in the Sunshine Cafe for your Sunday afternoon entertainment. The Jazzwise Duo (piano and double bass) play classic jazz including Broadway standards, Bossa Nova, Blues etc

The Sunday Lecture “Turner: Romantic landscape painter, watercolourist & printmaker” with Dr Philip Cottrell, University College Dublin will take place. Admission is free.

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

The Sweeney’s Dixeland Jazzmen play their weekly gig on the ground floor in Sweeney’s. 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: Gavin Glass, Stephen Young & The Union, RudyTrixX, Stephanie Rainey, Michael MacLennan, Like A Fire and Christian Collins.

The Gardiner Street Gospel Choir Mass invites to a Mass in St. Francis Xavier Church at the top of Gardiner Street near the junction with Dorset Street every Sunday at 19:30. The Gardiner Street Gospel Choir, one of the best known choirs in Ireland will sing during the mass and everybody is welcome independent from your level of religiousness.

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 Crafty Monday Sessions is an Open Mic night for acoustic singer/songwriters and original bands. Admission is free. The line-up on Monday is Kevin Ryan, Jessie Ronan, Marc Kavanagh, Sarah Something, Daimhín De Naois, Sive, Quattro band.

At the Jawbone Gig night in Sin É, Acoustic Folk & Blues will be performed every Sunday. Admission is free. Check the Facebook Page www.facebook.com/pages/Jawbone-Dublin-Acoustic-Folk-Blues-Commune/724102984268967 to find out the line-up.

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: Trampoline Scene, Wild Tibetan Monks, Donal Quinn, The Van Sprangs

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.

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.

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

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

The South Dublin Adult Learning Centre invites to an information session to give you an insight into the workings of the Adult Literacy Service in Dundrum and to provide an overview of the general commitment involved in being an adult literacy tutor.

This is an open mic night with Special Guests every Monday. Arrive, sign in (from 19:00) and play. Admission is free.

A unique (for a pub), but interesting series of events will take place from Monday until Thursday of this week.

The Battle of the Paddles is a Table Tennis Tournament in the Workman’s Club. Doors open at 19:00 and the tournament starts at 19:00. And YOU can enter, no formal training etc required. Register via the Facebook Page to playing on Mon, Tues or Wed. The winners of every day will go forward to the Grand Finale on Thursday. All rules – there aren’t too many – are explained on the website below.

And if you are not interested in taking part or of all places are filled, then you can watch this epic battle. Free admission.

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.

“NGI Victorian buildings enter the 21st century” with Christiaan Clotworthy, National Gallery of Ireland is the next talk that covers the history of the National Gallery. The talk will outline – as far as I understand – how the current modernisations will change and improve the Victorian building of the National Gallery.

Admission is free and no booking necessary.

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

A series of four free concerts of the RTE Orchestra will take place featuring different Irish composers.

The next concert is on 21 Jan. Admission is free, but booking is required via the website below.

The featured composer will be Marian Ingoldsby and before the concert starts at 13:05, CMC Director Evonne Ferguson will interview Marian Ingoldsby at 12:30.

All details about the event are on the website below.

Join Members of the Maker Faire Community: Andrew Healy of Glitch n’Stitch will scan beautiful details from images found in the “Costumes Parisiens” exhibition to create templates for you to stitch. Admission is free and no booking required. This event will take place from Tues-Fri and on Sun 26 Jan. Each day from 13:00-15:00.

‘To Talk Peace in the Parables of War: The League of Nations after World War I’ is a lecture by Patricia Clavin (University of Oxford) as part of Europe’s Violent Memories Lecture Series.

The lecture offers a new history of the League of Nations, and the history of interwar internationalism, that challenges this familiar story.For more details check: www.tcd.ie/trinitylongroomhub/events/details/2013-10-08%20europesviolentmemories.php

Admission is free to this public lecture.

“To hell or to Kimmage: planning outcomes of the 1913 Church Street disaster” is the title of the History Ireland Hedge School on Tuesday.

The popular Hedge School series continues in 2014 with a round table discussion hosted by Tommy Graham, Editor of History Ireland. The panel will include:

Ellen Rowley (Trinity College Dublin), Ruth McManus (Dublin City University), Mary Daly (University College Dublin), Chris Corlett (archaeologist with the National Monuments Service of the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and author of Darkest Dublin; the story of the Church Street disaster and a pictorial account of the slums in Dublin 1913)

Admission isfree, all are welcome and no booking required.

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

A unique (for a pub), but interesting series of events will take place from Monday until Thursday of this week.

The Battle of the Paddles is a Table Tennis Tournament in the Workman’s Club. Doors open at 19:00 and the tournament starts at 19:00. And YOU can enter, no formal training etc required. Register via the Facebook Page to playing on Mon, Tues or Wed. The winners of every day will go forward to the Grand Finale on Thursday. All rules – there aren’t too many – are explained on the website below.

And if you are not interested in taking part or of all places are filled, then you can watch this epic battle. Free admission.

Ben Prevo & friends play saucy Blues & soul every Tuesday

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 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).

Then Open Ukulele Night in Kilmainham is back. Ukulele players of all levels are welcome and all listeners are welcome too. Everything from rock to hip-hop might be played. A full PA and lighting is available. For more info call 0851356790.

The Phoenix Big Band is a 16 piece band playing songs of the 1930s, 1940s and other big band arrangements and they are playing every Tuesday in the Tara Tower Hotel (since 2012!) for adult dancing. If you like to waltz, cha cha or foxtrot, come and enjoy their performance.

Admission is free.

The band plays in the main function room which is occasionally booked, so to confirm that they are playing, please ring the hotel on the day: Phone 01-2694666

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

The Little Museum of Dublin secured sponsorship from Johnston, Mooney & O’Brien until October 2014 and will therefore be able to continue the Big J Wednesday: Every Wednesday from 12:00-17:00 admission into the museum is free thanks to the bread company. There are free guided tours every hour.

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.

Join Members of the Maker Faire Community: Andrew Healy of Glitch n’Stitch will scan beautiful details from images found in the “Costumes Parisiens” exhibition to create templates for you to stitch. Admission is free and no booking required. This event will take place from Tues-Fri and on Sun 26 Jan. Each day from 13:00-15:00.

In the event series “Hidden treasures of the National Botanic Gardens”, the next event is entitled “Art collections in the Gardens”.

Alexandra Caccamo will show examples of some of the many thousands of original paintings the Botanic Gardens own. As well as fabulous botanical art, there are also paintings from the jungles of Burma, the limestone pavements of the Burren and the Botnaic Gardens own glasshouses. These form an important scientific record of what was growing in the gardens over a century ago, as well as the importance of communicating botanical discoveries at the gardens to international journals.

Admission is free. The event will take place in the visitor centre.

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 film “Primos / Cousins” (2011) by director Daniel Sánchez Arévalo will be screened in the Instituto Cervantes (Spanish with English subtitles). Admission is free.

The 9th Temple Bar TradFest will run from Wed 22 Jan – Sun 26 Jan. Over 5 days and 5 nights a whole range of high-profile, headline events (not free) will take place and in addition there will more than 200 (!) free events on the music trail and the family programme.

The Music Trail is a series of free concerts in the pubs of Temple Bar with well known bands and performers. Fureys, Bagatelle, Dublin Legends (former Dubliners), Dublin City Ramblers and Kilkennys are the bands and they perform in a total of 13 gigs. The details are here www.templebartrad.com/irish-folk-legends/ I am not sure, though how access works. The gigs are free, and you seemingly can’t pre-book tickets, so I assume it is first come, first served?

The Family programme brings street performers, face painting, mobile farms, outdoor stages, live painting and much more to the streets of Temple Bar. Some required pre-booking, hence the listing of it for the last two weeks in the Upcoming events section in the Dublin Event Guide.

I picked up a programme brochure a few weeks ago, but it doesn’t list the outdoor stage locations and doesn’t contain anything about the Family Programme, so I thought that the brochure is a bit useless. But then I realised that there is another one. The more interesting one is here www.templebartrad.com/events/events-programme/ (Unfortunately in the issuu format, which I distinctly dislike, because it is unwieldy. It would be soo much easier if brochures could also be provided in PDF format.)

Have a look at the links above to get a good picture of what the TardFest is all about. There will be a good few more Outdoor events at the next weekend (22+23 Jan) and I will tell you more in the next Dublin Event Guide.

From Warren Street Dublin to Galilee Israel: writer Margaret Callan Bergin from Dublin, whose mother Carmel Moore grew up in Warren Street in Portobello, is running a creative research project which has so far taken her on a journey of living memories and brought her into contact with senior citizens from Portobello to Galilee.

Terenure Library (22 January at 18:30) and Rathmines Library (29 January at 18:30) and will be running two sessions where people can come along and share their memories with Margaret in a very relaxed atmosphere.

If you or your family have memories of growing up and living in Warren Street or any part of Portobello when it was a thriving Jewish Community (1920s-1960s) get in touch with Margaret by e-mailing garbo@live.ie or call Margaret at Garbo Productions on 01-4642219 or contact Rathmines and Terenure Libraries. Admission is free. Booking Advised.

“The Music Composition Centre is continuing its collaboration with the Association of Irish Composers by presenting a concert in their Irish Canon series, which sees performers performing Irish new music in venues across the country, creating a new canon of Irish works. In this organ recital in Trinity College’s Chapel, David Bremner will play a specially selected programme of Irish works for the audience.” Admission is free and everybody is welcome.

Should you wish to reserve a seat, send an email to compcent@tcd.ie

The Vegan Information Project (VIP) invite to two educational and thought-provoking talks:

1. ‘The Land for the People and the Bullock for the Road’ by Frank Armstrong. An exploration of how the combination of domesticated cattle and human beings has been destructive to the Irish environment, and created a belligerent society in Gaelic times and gross inequalities in the imperial age.

2. Introduction to ‘Happy Degrowth’. Social Movements of Economic Downsizing and Self-Sustainability (the Italian experience) by Althea Brandonisio

The Facebook Event Page doesn’t mention if the event is free, but it also doesn’t specify an admission charge. I assume it is free, but make sure you check beforehand.

A unique (for a pub), but interesting series of events will take place from Monday until Thursday of this week.

The Battle of the Paddles is a Table Tennis Tournament in the Workman’s Club. Doors open at 19:00 and the tournament starts at 19:00. And YOU can enter, no formal training etc required. Register via the Facebook Page to playing on Mon, Tues or Wed. The winners of every day will go forward to the Grand Finale on Thursday. All rules – there aren’t too many – are explained on the website below.

And if you are not interested in taking part or of all places are filled, then you can watch this epic battle. Free admission.

“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.

The next Inn Jokes Comedy Club takes place on Wed in the Patriot Inn. The Line-up is: Patrick McDonnell, Aidan Bishop and Shane Browne. MC and organiser is comedian Colm O’Regan.

Every Wednesday 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.

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).

“Creativity meets Technology” is the theme of Digital Biscuit, a 3-day event for creatives in film and TV production. Think “Directors, writers, photographers, producers, editors and directors of photography” and you can imagine a large proportion of the target group. There will be talks, an expo, workshops and the launch of the National Youth Film School. The spotlight is on the Danish Film and TV Industry.

A number of interesting talks will take place, but you need to buy a ticket (EUR 60 per day) for it. Fifteen workshops also take place (for the low fee of EUR 5).

The free events in the 3-day programme are the “Kinoplay” Expo on 23+24 Jan and the launch of the National Youth Film School on 23 Jan at 13:00. Tickets are needed for the free events and you can get them in the TICKETS section on the website below.

The event is organised by the Screen Directors Guild of Ireland.

The Ferocious Mingle Marcade (Market and Arcade) is back in a new location. The Marcade is now in Camden Street next to Daintree Paper and opposite the Centra and off-license there. It takes place every Thurs-Sun and is a flea-market-type permanent market with stalls and “chalets” for traders.

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

Join Members of the Maker Faire Community: Andrew Healy of Glitch n’Stitch will scan beautiful details from images found in the “Costumes Parisiens” exhibition to create templates for you to stitch. Admission is free and no booking required. This event will take place from Tues-Fri and on Sun 26 Jan. Each day from 13:00-15:00.

The Career Direction and Development 2014 lecture “How to avoid Career Stagnation in 2014” takes place in the Centrasl Library. Admission is free, but booking is advised on 01 8733996. Career coach Jane Downes will provide useful tips on building on your career in today’s market.

iYoga (the Iyengar Yoga Centre of North Dublin) is inviting you to their Thursday Sweeteners, a series of free classes in January. The classes take place on 16+23+30 Jan (17:45-18:30). And you can register for classes via info@iyoga.ie

The upcoming taster classes are:
+ 16 Jan: Examining Ancient Wisdom for modern living: Ayurveda and other ancient practices with Elena Agarkova
+ 23 Jan: Iyengar Yoga Taster Class with Margaret Cashman
+ 30 Jan: Pilates Class with Grainne Ahearne

More details are here www.iyoga.ie/ or on the Facebook Page below.

Dr. Jane Humphries discusses how artists have depicted cultures of ‘domesticity’ and the ‘everyday’ to question the larger historical context. A selection of artworks in the exhibition !One foot in the Real World!, will act as a framework to address the artistic transformation of domestic and the everyday.

Admission is free, but booking is required.

An Evening with Couturier and Fashion Designer Umit Kutluk takes place. As part of Costumes Parisiens, join Irish-based fashion designer Umit Kutluk as he discusses his work. There will be traditional Turkish tea and sweets afterwards. Supported by the Turkish Embassy, Ireland. Admission is free, but booking is essential and at the time of writing only a few tickets were left, so hurry! Book via the link on the website below.

The 9th Temple Bar TradFest will run from Wed 22 Jan – Sun 26 Jan. Over 5 days and 5 nights a whole range of high-profile, headline events (not free) will take place and in addition there will more than 200 (!) free events on the music trail and the family programme.

The Music Trail is a series of free concerts in the pubs of Temple Bar with well known bands and performers. Fureys, Bagatelle, Dublin Legends (former Dubliners), Dublin City Ramblers and Kilkennys are the bands and they perform in a total of 13 gigs. The details are here www.templebartrad.com/irish-folk-legends/ I am not sure, though how access works. The gigs are free, and you seemingly can’t pre-book tickets, so I assume it is first come, first served?

The Family programme brings street performers, face painting, mobile farms, outdoor stages, live painting and much more to the streets of Temple Bar. Some required pre-booking, hence the listing of it for the last two weeks in the Upcoming events section in the Dublin Event Guide.

I picked up a programme brochure a few weeks ago, but it doesn’t list the outdoor stage locations and doesn’t contain anything about the Family Programme, so I thought that the brochure is a bit useless. But then I realised that there is another one. The more interesting one is here www.templebartrad.com/events/events-programme/ (Unfortunately in the issuu format, which I distinctly dislike, because it is unwieldy. It would be soo much easier if brochures could also be provided in PDF format.)

Have a look at the links above to get a good picture of what the TardFest is all about. There will be a good few more Outdoor events at the next weekend (22+23 Jan) and I will tell you more in the next Dublin Event Guide.

The “Seven Deadly Sins” series of business talks will teach you to survive and thrive in the modern business environment. The topic this week at the final event of the series is “Social Media and the Opportunities and Pitfalls it presents”.

And speakers are Brian Lucey, Prof of Finance at the School od Business (TCD), Kirstie McDermott, Deputy Editor of Stellar Magazine and founder of frillseeker.ie and co-founder of beaut.ie and Anthony Remedy, co-owner of the restaurant Bite and concert promoter.

Admission is free, but registration via the website below is required and this series of talks is popular, so don’t wait and register immediately.

“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

A unique (for a pub), but interesting series of events will take place from Monday until Thursday of this week.

The Battle of the Paddles is a Table Tennis Tournament in the Workman’s Club. Doors open at 19:00 and the tournament starts at 19:00. And YOU can enter, no formal training etc required. Register via the Facebook Page to playing on Mon, Tues or Wed. The winners of every day will go forward to the Grand Finale on Thursday. All rules – there aren’t too many – are explained on the website below.

And if you are not interested in taking part or of all places are filled, then you can watch this epic battle. Free admission.

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.

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.

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 )

“Creativity meets Technology” is the theme of Digital Biscuit, a 3-day event for creatives in film and TV production. Think “Directors, writers, photographers, producers, editors and directors of photography” and you can imagine a large proportion of the target group. There will be talks, an expo, workshops and the launch of the National Youth Film School. The spotlight is on the Danish Film and TV Industry.

A number of interesting talks will take place, but you need to buy a ticket (EUR 60 per day) for it. Fifteen workshops also take place (for the low fee of EUR 5).

The free events in the 3-day programme are the “Kinoplay” Expo on 23+24 Jan and the launch of the National Youth Film School on 23 Jan at 13:00. Tickets are needed for the free events and you can get them in the TICKETS section on the website below.

The event is organised by the Screen Directors Guild of Ireland.

The Ferocious Mingle Marcade (Market and Arcade) is back in a new location. The Marcade is now in Camden Street next to Daintree Paper and opposite the Centra and off-license there. It takes place every Thurs-Sun and is a flea-market-type permanent market with stalls and “chalets” for traders.

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

Join Members of the Maker Faire Community: Andrew Healy of Glitch n’Stitch will scan beautiful details from images found in the “Costumes Parisiens” exhibition to create templates for you to stitch. Admission is free and no booking required. This event will take place from Tues-Fri and on Sun 26 Jan. Each day from 13:00-15:00.

The 9th Temple Bar TradFest will run from Wed 22 Jan – Sun 26 Jan. Over 5 days and 5 nights a whole range of high-profile, headline events (not free) will take place and in addition there will more than 200 (!) free events on the music trail and the family programme.

The Music Trail is a series of free concerts in the pubs of Temple Bar with well known bands and performers. Fureys, Bagatelle, Dublin Legends (former Dubliners), Dublin City Ramblers and Kilkennys are the bands and they perform in a total of 13 gigs. The details are here www.templebartrad.com/irish-folk-legends/ I am not sure, though how access works. The gigs are free, and you seemingly can’t pre-book tickets, so I assume it is first come, first served?

The Family programme brings street performers, face painting, mobile farms, outdoor stages, live painting and much more to the streets of Temple Bar. Some required pre-booking, hence the listing of it for the last two weeks in the Upcoming events section in the Dublin Event Guide.

I picked up a programme brochure a few weeks ago, but it doesn’t list the outdoor stage locations and doesn’t contain anything about the Family Programme, so I thought that the brochure is a bit useless. But then I realised that there is another one. The more interesting one is here www.templebartrad.com/events/events-programme/ (Unfortunately in the issuu format, which I distinctly dislike, because it is unwieldy. It would be soo much easier if brochures could also be provided in PDF format.)

Have a look at the links above to get a good picture of what the TardFest is all about. There will be a good few more Outdoor events at the next weekend (22+23 Jan) and I will tell you more in the next Dublin Event Guide.

The Beerhouse in Capel Street is running a Beerfest from 24 Jan – 02 Feb. I am not sure yet, what will happen on the launch night on Friday, but over the whole weekend you will be introduced to more than 20 craft beers and there will be Tastings, Games & Music and Guest Speakers from Breweries. The full programme is not yet announced, so keep an eye 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.

(Nearly) every Friday a European Folk Dance Workshop/Session will take place in the Exchange in Temple Bar.

The dances are French, Greek, Italian, Hungarian, Polish, Portuguese folk and traditional dances and everybody interested to join in or to learn is welcome. Admission is free.

Because there are some Fridays when the event can’t take place, you should check on the Facebook Page below, before making your plans.

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.

“Ska ‘n’ Reggae” is the theme in Sin É every Friday. The Bionic Rats play live and the Real Reggae Boys DJs are on the decks until late. Admission is free.