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.

Every May the Bealtaine Festival takes place all over Ireland and it “Celebrates arts and creativity as we age”.

This is a difficult description as everybody ages and therefore the tagline doesn’t make THAT much sense. In essence, the organisers “Age & Opportunity” actually want to address the “older age”. Ok, that helps a little, but not too much either as nobody still really knows what the target age is. In previous years, a guidance of 55+ was given but that has disappeared and in all honesty most 55-60 year olds wouldn’t be close to insulted if they were classified as “older age”. ;-)

So where does that leave us? We don’t know really know!! So I guess if you feel older, this festival is for you and if you don’t, then the festival is not for you. ;-) I hope that explanation helps a little.

There will be many events throughout May and a good few of them are free. The website has a good enough search facility, although I never understand why event organisers subdivide Dublin into four or five “territories”. You can see the full programme here but I will also never understand why organisers will not make programmes downloadable.

To find events go to the WHAT’S ON page on the website.

In “Dublin City” there are approx. 72 events, but as I said, not all are free. Oddly, the events are sorted in reverse order, starting with the 30 May. Talk about confusing “older” users!?

Over the coming weeks, I will include a number of free Bealtaine events in the Dublin Event Guide for Free Events, but I won’t be able to include all events, so please check the Bealtaine website here: www.bealtaine.ie

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

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

A whole range of Parkruns take place every week (and if you know some more, please tell me):
+ Malahide Park, Dublin Road, Malahide, Co. Dublin
+ Cabinteely Park, Old Bray Road, Cabinteely, Dublin 18
+ Shanganagh Park, Shankill, Co. Dublin
+ Marlay Park, Grange Road, Rathfarnham, Dublin, Co. Dublin
+ St. Anne’s Park, Raheny, Dublin 5
+ Father Collins Park, Donaghmeade/Clongriffin, Dublin 13
+ Tymon Park, Tallaght, Dublin 24
+ Bushy Park, Terenure, Dublin 6
+ Corcagh Park, Clondalkin, Dublin 22
+ Tolka Valley Park, Finglas South, Dublin 11
+ Porterstown Park, Castleknock, Dublin 15

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

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

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

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

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

A Family Festival Weekend will take place in St. Anne’s Park with Artisan Food Stalls, Arts & Crafts Stalls, Vintage Carousels, Ice Slide, Face Painting and Inflatables from Saturday until Monday.

Admission seems to be free to the festival, but the rides and activities will cost varying prices.

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

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

The Temple Bar Markets (Food Market on Meeting House Square, Book Market on Temple Bar Square and the Designer Mart near Cow’s Lane) are taking place every Saturday from 10:00-16:30.

The Terenure Bushy Park Market is taking place every weekk. The market has more than 30 stalls, offering a whole variety of foods and crafts.

Admission is free.

Dublin City Hall has a museum/exhibition in the basement, called “The Story of the Capital”, it is an exhibition that you should definitely check out at some stage.

To celebrate the Easter Rising Anniversary, admission to that exhibititon was free in 2016, but lucky for us, Dublin City decided to also waive the admission charge for 2018.

Opening hours are Monday-Saturday 10:00-17:15.

Áras an Uachtaráin is the residence of the President of Ireland in the middle of Phoenix Park. It started as a modest brick house for the Phoenix Park Chief Ranger in 1751, was then turned into th ‘occasional residence’ for the Lords-Lieutenant and gradually evolved into a huge mansion. After Ireland gained independence it was turned after 1937 into the residence of the Irish president.

Every Saturday a number of public tours take place and admission is free. Tickets will be issued at the Phoenix Park Visitor Centre on the day, on a first come, first served basis. Group and/or advance booking is not possible.

The tours will be at 10:15, 11:30, 12:45, 14:00 and 15:15 and take approx. 1 hour.

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

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

Admission is free.

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

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

Admission to the gallery and to most events is free.

On the first Saturday every month, the “A Fabulous Market” will take place in the George Bar in South Great George’s Street.

You will find all sorts of art and crafts at this market including Home Decor, Jewellery, Home-ware, Art, Clothing and more.

Admission is free.

The current exhibition in the Science Gallery is called “FAKE” and it will run from 08 March until 03 June.

The exhibition is looking at everything Fake from fake meat and fake cheese to fake emotions. In both the natural world and human society, faking, mimicking and copying can be a reliable strategy for success, a fake may be just as valuable as the real thing. But what about replicating taste, emotions, chemical signatures, facts and trademarks? When is authenticity essential and when is copying cool?

Some of the most interesting exhibits are:

+ synthHAsizer will let you record your own fake laugh and use sonic filters to remix it from fake to real.
+ Mississippi Swan: Daybew! will create fake music: A new album of songs every fifteen minutes or around 700 unique songs every day. You can trigger the creation of a unique album at any time.
+ Altered historic figures from the Daily Herald show the beginning of fake news
+ There is even a deli where you can buy fake food samples for EUR 2. For example they have fake cheese, fake meat or “Dubliner Red Cheddar” cheese that is neither manufactured in Dublin nor is it Red Cheddar, it is coloured white cheddar manufactured in Cork.

The website below lists all exhibits and provides some explanation so that you can either before or after your visit check further details.

All Science Gallery exhibitions are suitable for ALL ages, even younger children will be able to take part/follow. Some of the exhibits need a bit more of an age-appropriate explanation for younger kids than others, but nearly everything can be simplified for kids.

I strongly suggest to use the help of the amazing mediators, who can explain everything you see, especially if you don’t want to read all the explanations that are next to every exhibit.

The Science Gallery has very visitor friendly opening hours of Tue-Fri 12:00-20:00 and Sat+Sun 12:00-18:00.

Admission is free.

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

The Vintage + Flea version of the Bernard Shaw Flea Market is taking place this Saturday. There will be stalls, music, pizzas from the Big Blue Bus and the Bernard Shaw Garden Bar. Expect vintage clothes, shoes, jewellery, art, records, bric-a-brac and more and DJs will provide the entertainment.

Admission is free.

An Scientific Exploration of Emoji is a research project in the Science Gallery to which you can contribute on Saturday and Sunday by participating in various experiments in booths in the Science Gallery. The event will also feature various presentations on emoji: their origins, how new icons are created, their technical features and their influence over pop culture at large.

The experiments have been coordinated by Keith Broni, an emoji research consultant (!!) and Richard Roche, neuroscientist and Senior Lecturer at Maynooth University.

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

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.

Every Saturday a free guided tour will take place in the Chester Betty Library. The tour starts at 14:00.

In addition there is another free tour every Wednesday at 13:00 and one on Sundays at 15:00

“Fishy Business” is a drop-in activity in the Archaeological Museum in Kildare Street. Discover the Stone Age replica objects in the Museum’s handling collection. Examine the replica fish trap and flint stone tools to learn about how people in Stone Age Ireland caught their dinner. Then make your own paper fish to take home.

Admission is free. Located in Kildare Room, Ground Floor. Suitable for Ages 8+

The themed guided about “The Silk Road” will take place on the four Saturdays in May.

The Silk Road was an ancient network of trade routes that wound through China to the Mediterranean Sea. Though silk was the major trade item, many other plant-derived goods were exported along this route, such as cotton and wine. Hear the fascinating tales surrounding the uses and folklore of these plants while also catching some of our most beautiful Chinese plants at their best.

Admission is free.

To celebrate the closing of ‘Seasons End: More Than Suitcases’, artist Tamara Henderson will talk to Georgina Jackson (Director of the Douglas Hyde Gallery and curator of the exhibition) about her work.

The talk will be followed by a “finissage” in the Douglas Hyde Gallery.

The Bray Jazz Festival is taking place this bank holiday weekend and a gig in the Harbour Bar will feature these bands:

Umbra 15:30-17:00
Five to Two 17:45-19:15
ZoiD 20:00-21:40
Metropolis 22:30-00:30

Admission is free.

“Grandchildren, bring your grandparents! Come and take part in A Life of Play where everyone can create, anyone can dance, and all can play. Use your body, move to music, dress up and explore in a playground of the imagination – a place of mischievous, magical invention where fun feels right at home.

A Life of Play is a creative dance and play project for children aged 5–10 and their older family members aged 50+. Pair up and join Emma O’Kane on 3, 4 or 5 May at Project Arts Centre. Then on Sunday 6 May, everyone is invited to PLAY outdoors together in Meeting House Square, all as part of Bealtaine @ Temple Bar (3–7 May).”

Admission is free, but booking is required.

The Bray Jazz Festival will run from Thursday until Monday this weekend with the main days of Friday, Saturday and Sunday. There are plenty of non-free events taking place, but in addition to that the “Wicklow Wolf Jazz Trail” is a series of free Jazz events in pubs and restaurants in Bray.

On Saturday the line up is:

+ Harbour Bar: Umbra 15:00
+ Porterhouse: Spacevolk 22:00
+ The Coach Inn: Mike Nielsen Trio 22:00
+ The Martello, Strand Road: Max Zaska Band 22:00
+ The Hibernia Inn, Strand Road: Five to Two 22:00
+ Ocean Bar & Grill, Strand Road: Riona Sally Hartman 2 19:30

Apolgies for the odd way of putting this list together with location at the front and the perfomer at the back, but that’s how the Jazz Trail website shows it and I didn’t fancy re-organising everything.

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.

MUNKY are playing a gig in Sin E and will get support from Clara Marie.

Admission seems to be free.

The 7-piece funk band Dysfunktional will play a gig in Whelan’s.

Admission is free before 22:30.

Rock Tribunal are playing a rock gig in the Porterhouse.

Admission is free.

Dawn Chorus Day 2018 is on 06 May. It is a celebration of the early morning songs of millions of birds worldwide and in Ireland it will be celebrated with a radio programme form midnight until 07:00 and with a number of local events.

The Bealtaine Festival is chirping in with a Dawn Chrous Premiere at Grattan Bridge (the Liffey Bridge at Capel Street). The Line-Up Choir with conductor Roísín Savage will perform a new composition by Tom Lane that was especially created for Dawn Chrous Day.

Admission is free.

In addition to the Saturday Car Boot Sale in Tallaght, Irish Car Boot Sales run a weekly Sunday Car Boot Sales in Ballymun.

Admission for buyers is free.

Every May the Bealtaine Festival takes place all over Ireland and it “Celebrates arts and creativity as we age”.

This is a difficult description as everybody ages and therefore the tagline doesn’t make THAT much sense. In essence, the organisers “Age & Opportunity” actually want to address the “older age”. Ok, that helps a little, but not too much either as nobody still really knows what the target age is. In previous years, a guidance of 55+ was given but that has disappeared and in all honesty most 55-60 year olds wouldn’t be close to insulted if they were classified as “older age”. ;-)

So where does that leave us? We don’t know really know!! So I guess if you feel older, this festival is for you and if you don’t, then the festival is not for you. ;-) I hope that explanation helps a little.

There will be many events throughout May and a good few of them are free. The website has a good enough search facility, although I never understand why event organisers subdivide Dublin into four or five “territories”. You can see the full programme here but I will also never understand why organisers will not make programmes downloadable.

To find events go to the WHAT’S ON page on the website.

In “Dublin City” there are approx. 72 events, but as I said, not all are free. Oddly, the events are sorted in reverse order, starting with the 30 May. Talk about confusing “older” users!?

Over the coming weeks, I will include a number of free Bealtaine events in the Dublin Event Guide for Free Events, but I won’t be able to include all events, so please check the Bealtaine website here: www.bealtaine.ie

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.

Burns Pet Food is inviting to a “Dogs’ Day Out” at Kilruddery House south of Bray.

There will be Fun Dog Shows + Classes, a Dog Agility course, lots of stalls, food for the humans, nutrition advise for your dog, training tips and advise, pet food samples and more. All proceeds raised from activities will go towards Dogs for the Disabled and the Alzheimer’s Society of Ireland.

Admission is free (if you want to visit Kilruddery House or Gardens, there will be an admission charge, but access to the Dogs’ Day Out is free.)

A Family Festival Weekend will take place in St. Anne’s Park with Artisan Food Stalls, Arts & Crafts Stalls, Vintage Carousels, Ice Slide, Face Painting and Inflatables from Saturday until Monday.

Admission seems to be free to the festival, but the rides and activities will cost varying prices.

A Farmers’ Market will take place in the Farmyard behind Farmleigh Gallery on Sunday and Monday.

Admission is free.

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

The Magazine Fort in Phoenix Park was for a long time completely neglected, but it is hugely rich in history. Many have seen it as a barred off concrete fortress in a corner of Phoenix Park and even more don’t even know or have forgotten that it exists. The old Phoenix House, the home of the British Viceroy, was on the site where the fort was built from the early 17th century and then in 1734 the Fort was built and extended in 1801.

In 1916 the Fort was raided by the rebels who expected to find a lot of explosives there, but found the Fort nearly empty. In 1939 the IRA raided the Fort and stole more than a million rounds of ammunition, but most of it was recovered over the following weeks.

Since 1988, the Irish Army doesn’t use the Fort anymore and gave it back to the Office of Public Works (OPW), but not much good has happened to the Fort in the last 30 years (!!) and there were numerous speculations about the reasons for that.

Finally since 2016, guided tours are provided and this year from April until end of October there will be three tours every Sunday at 10:00, 12:00 and 14:00. Only 20 places are available on each tour and if there is a big event in Phoenix Park the tour will be cancelled.

Tickets are available at the Phoenix Park Visitor Centre on a first come, first served basis and can not be pre-booked. A shuttle bus will bring the ticket holders to the Fort.

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

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

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

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

Admission is free.

The National Botanic Gardens run “Kids Drop by Activities” on Sunday.

There will be fun activities in the dedicated Children’s Garden. Sow seeds, make seed bombs, design bug hotels and re-use everyday items to create your own piece of eco art. Suitable from age 4. All children must bring their own grown up.

The event times are 11:00, 11:30, 15:00, 15:30

Admission is free.

Every Sunday (with a few exceptions) an art workshop takes place for children from 6-11 years of age. Admission is free and children must be accompanied by an adult.

The theme this week is “Felt Making with Gabi”.

The downloadable brochure is here.

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

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

Admission is free.

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

The New Market Collective is a warehouse market on the first Sunday of each month. You will find there Clothes, Accessories, Vintage, Home-Decor, Craft. Irish Design, Art, Vinyl Records, Jewellery, Food & Coffee and Live Music. There is also a Craft Corner.

Admission is free.

The Drop-in family session “Draw your own Dublin” will take place. Join artist Eimear Murphy for this hands-on workshop that will take inspiration from the Drawing Dublin exhibition in the Print Gallery.

These art-making workshops take place every Sunday and are an opportunity for children and their parents/guardians/carers to work together on creative projects. Drop-in and stay for as long (or as little!) as you wish!

These workshops are suitable for children of all ages. Admission is free and no booking is required.

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

Admission to the gallery and to most events is free.

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

The current exhibition in the Science Gallery is called “FAKE” and it will run from 08 March until 03 June.

The exhibition is looking at everything Fake from fake meat and fake cheese to fake emotions. In both the natural world and human society, faking, mimicking and copying can be a reliable strategy for success, a fake may be just as valuable as the real thing. But what about replicating taste, emotions, chemical signatures, facts and trademarks? When is authenticity essential and when is copying cool?

Some of the most interesting exhibits are:

+ synthHAsizer will let you record your own fake laugh and use sonic filters to remix it from fake to real.
+ Mississippi Swan: Daybew! will create fake music: A new album of songs every fifteen minutes or around 700 unique songs every day. You can trigger the creation of a unique album at any time.
+ Altered historic figures from the Daily Herald show the beginning of fake news
+ There is even a deli where you can buy fake food samples for EUR 2. For example they have fake cheese, fake meat or “Dubliner Red Cheddar” cheese that is neither manufactured in Dublin nor is it Red Cheddar, it is coloured white cheddar manufactured in Cork.

The website below lists all exhibits and provides some explanation so that you can either before or after your visit check further details.

All Science Gallery exhibitions are suitable for ALL ages, even younger children will be able to take part/follow. Some of the exhibits need a bit more of an age-appropriate explanation for younger kids than others, but nearly everything can be simplified for kids.

I strongly suggest to use the help of the amazing mediators, who can explain everything you see, especially if you don’t want to read all the explanations that are next to every exhibit.

The Science Gallery has very visitor friendly opening hours of Tue-Fri 12:00-20:00 and Sat+Sun 12:00-18:00.

Admission is free.

Every Sunday, the National Botanic Gardens invite to two guided walks. The first one is at 12:00 and the second one at 14:30.

Admission is free.

The 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 Danny Diamond (fiddle) & Tom French (word) with “What To Bring When We Leave”

What To Bring When We Leave is live performance by poet Tom French (word) and music Danny Diamond (fiddle). Each artist stretches the other’s narratives in spoken and unspoken airs, finding solace in the unexpected places between.

This Family Tour is specially designed for children and their guardians, parents and carers to make the works on display in the National Gallery fun and engaging for kids.

Admission is free. Meet at the Merrion Square information desk.

An Scientific Exploration of Emoji is a research project in the Science Gallery to which you can contribute on Saturday and Sunday by participating in various experiments in booths in the Science Gallery. The event will also feature various presentations on emoji: their origins, how new icons are created, their technical features and their influence over pop culture at large.

The experiments have been coordinated by Keith Broni, an emoji research consultant (!!) and Richard Roche, neuroscientist and Senior Lecturer at Maynooth University.

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

“Grandchildren, bring your grandparents! Come and take part in A Life of Play where everyone can create, anyone can dance, and all can play. Use your body, move to music, dress up and explore in a playground of the imagination – a place of mischievous, magical invention where fun feels right at home.

A Life of Play is a creative dance and play project for children aged 5–10 and their older family members aged 50+. Pair up and join Emma O’Kane on 3, 4 or 5 May at Project Arts Centre. Then on Sunday 6 May, everyone is invited to PLAY outdoors together in Meeting House Square, all as part of Bealtaine @ Temple Bar (3–7 May).”

Admission is free, but booking is required.

The “Dublin Sketchers” is an informal group of (hobby) artists who go somewhere different in Dublin every Sunday (e.g. National Museum, Maritime Museum, Dublin Flea Market, Farmleigh, Botanic Gardens, Dublin Castle, Science Gallery, …), sketch for one to two hours and then meet up for coffee afterwards and discuss their sketches.

There are some hugely talented people among them and it is a great idea to meet up with others who have the same hobby. Find out on their website below or on their Facebook Page where they will meet and join them if you do some sketching/drawing yourself. I know that the Dublin Sketchers often use the Dublin Event Guide to find interesting free events and I am delighted to be able to help!

Every Sunday a free tour takes place in the Hugh Lane Gallery.

Admission is free and booking is not required, but places are limited, so early arrival is recommended.

An Intercultural Tour in Japanese Language with Community Ambassador Hiromi Anzai will take place.

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

There will be Music in the Courtyard at the Phoenix Park Visitor Centre on Sunday.

Ye Vagabonds are playing harmony rich folk music, influenced by Irish traditional music, Appalachian singing and the 1960s folk revival.

Admission is free.

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

Travel around European traditional dancing culture without a ticket at the weekly Bal Folk Dance Sessions.

And if you don’t know how to dance, don’t worry! Workshops are provided and admission is free. Donations are appreciated.

The event normally takes place every Sunday in the Cobblestone Pub, but over the summer there will be a number of outdoor events.

Every Sunday a free guided tour will take place in the Chester Betty Library. The tour starts at 15:00.

In addition there is another free tour every Wednesday at 13:00 and one on Saturdays at 14:00

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

Families are invited to explore and respond together the gallery’s collection and temporary exhibitions through discussion and drawing. Bring your own sketchbook along or use the drawing materials provided.

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

The Bray Jazz Festival will run from Thursday until Monday this weekend with the main days of Friday, Saturday and Sunday. There are plenty of non-free events taking place, but in addition to that the “Wicklow Wolf Jazz Trail” is a series of free Jazz events in pubs and restaurants in Bray.

On Sunday the line up is:

+ The Martello, Strand Road (lunchtime): Moon & Son Trio 13:00
+ Harbour Bar: Tommy Halferty Station Midi 15:30
+ Mt Everest of Kathmandu: Leopoldo Osio 18:30
+ The Martello, Strand Road: Paj 21:30
+ The Coach Inn, Dublin Road: Dirt Road Blues Band 22:00
+ Butler & Barry: Charlie Moon Organisation 22:00
+ The Hibernia Inn, Strand Road: Julien & John 22:00

Apolgies for the odd way of putting this list together with location at the front and the perfomer at the back, but that’s how the Jazz Trail website shows it and I didn’t fancy re-organising everything.

On Sunday, the line-up for the Bray Jazz Festival in the Harbour Bar is

Tommy Halferty Trio 15:30-17:00
Aoife Doyle 17:45-19:15
The MushBurgers 20:00-21:40
Vernon Jane 22:30-00:30

Admission is free.

The High Leeson is a Bluegrass band that plays every Sunday in the Leeson Longe.

Admission is free, donations are appreciated.

The Dixeland Jazzmen play a weekly gig in Sin E. Admission is free.

At the Jawbone Gig night in Arthur’s Pub, Acoustic Folk & Blues will be performed every Sunday. Admission is free.

www.facebook.com/pages/Jawbone-Dublin-Acoustic-Folk-Blues-Commune/724102984268967

The Workman’s Club is inviting to their May Bank Holiday Sunday Party and the line up will be

+ Melts
+ Badhands
+ Joey Gavin (Acoustic)

In addition there will be Djs and the Workman’s Karaoke Club.

Admission is free.

Pete Cummins, Grammy award winning songwriter will play a gig in the Leeson Lounge.

Admission is free.

The Comedy Crunch is a free Stand Up comedy downstairs in Stag’s Head, Dame Lane from 21:00 every week on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. Every week different comedians entertain and on top of that there is some free ice cream. The line-up can be found via the Comedy Crunch Facebook Page (see link below).

The Luna Boys will play a gig in the Porterhouse in Bray. Admission is free.

The Dublin Blues Cartel will be in Whelan’s again and will perform mostly a version of New Orleans R’n’B with a classic Rock twist, sandwiched with Swing, Rock’n’Roll, Soul, Funk, Blues and Rap of all eras.

Admission is free.

On the May Bank Holiday Monday there the free events are usually a little more quiet, but this year we have a few things happening and the weather is meant to be quite nice. So, I recommend outdoor events or walks etc.

All shops are open and Ikea is usually PACKED on a bank holiday. In the City Centre the Pay & Display rules are not enforced, but all bus lanes are off limits on a bank holiday Monday and wheelchair car park spaces are ALWAYS off limits.

Have a great bank holiday Monday!

Every May the Bealtaine Festival takes place all over Ireland and it “Celebrates arts and creativity as we age”.

This is a difficult description as everybody ages and therefore the tagline doesn’t make THAT much sense. In essence, the organisers “Age & Opportunity” actually want to address the “older age”. Ok, that helps a little, but not too much either as nobody still really knows what the target age is. In previous years, a guidance of 55+ was given but that has disappeared and in all honesty most 55-60 year olds wouldn’t be close to insulted if they were classified as “older age”. ;-)

So where does that leave us? We don’t know really know!! So I guess if you feel older, this festival is for you and if you don’t, then the festival is not for you. ;-) I hope that explanation helps a little.

There will be many events throughout May and a good few of them are free. The website has a good enough search facility, although I never understand why event organisers subdivide Dublin into four or five “territories”. You can see the full programme here but I will also never understand why organisers will not make programmes downloadable.

To find events go to the WHAT’S ON page on the website.

In “Dublin City” there are approx. 72 events, but as I said, not all are free. Oddly, the events are sorted in reverse order, starting with the 30 May. Talk about confusing “older” users!?

Over the coming weeks, I will include a number of free Bealtaine events in the Dublin Event Guide for Free Events, but I won’t be able to include all events, so please check the Bealtaine website here: www.bealtaine.ie

A Family Festival Weekend will take place in St. Anne’s Park with Artisan Food Stalls, Arts & Crafts Stalls, Vintage Carousels, Ice Slide, Face Painting and Inflatables from Saturday until Monday.

Admission seems to be free to the festival, but the rides and activities will cost varying prices.

A Farmers’ Market will take place in the Farmyard behind Farmleigh Gallery on Sunday and Monday.

Admission is free.

“Forgotten Voices” is a 2-hour walking tour that will explore the lives of the people who lived in Dublin’s inner city from the Georgian Period to the middle of the last century.

Meeting point is at the entrance of the Four Courts Dublin. The tour is free but donations are welcome and booking is required via email to forgottenvoiceswalkingtour@gmail.com or – if you can’t book beforehand – just show up on the day.

Private group bookings off up to 25 people can be accommodated at a different time and or day on request.

On this first ever “National Open Farm Day” organised by Agri Aware, you will have the opportunity to visit a farm in Ireland and explore the ‘farm to fork’ journey of local food.

There will be plenty of activities for the kids to enjoy (e.g. face painting, butter discos, colouring tables, milk races and more). The event is open to all ages and for the grown ups there will be cookery demos. Farm walks are for everyone to enjoy.

Admission is free and there will be free parking. (Please note, no dogs will be allowed on the farm unless they are registered service dogs.) Bring your camera, pack a picnic and enjoy a day out on the farm!

Thanks to Cathy G for telling me about this event!

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

Admission to the gallery and to most events is free.

This Family Tour is specially designed for children and their guardians, parents and carers to make the works on display in the National Gallery fun and engaging for kids.

Admission is free. Meet at the Merrion Square information desk.

If you regularly or occasionally buy books online, you can help the Dublin Event Guide hugely even without having to pay cent directly. In fact you even save money this way:

Buy your books from The Book Depository and get better prices and free (!!) delivery for all orders independent from the volume and when you click on the picture here before you buy, then 5% of what normally The Book Depository would get, they give back to the Dublin Event Guide. Everybody wins!

www.bookdepository.com?a_aid=dubevg

If you prefer Amazon to buy your books (for free postage you need to order a minimum of GBP 25), then use this Amazon link to help the Dublin Event Guide. Thanks!

On the last day of the Bray Jazz Festival, the line up in the Harbour Bar is

Ätsch 19:30-21:00
David Keenan & Band 21:30-23:30

Admission is free.

Song Cycle is a weekly Singer/Songriter showcase in Wheelan’s.

Admission is free.

The Circle Sessions is an “Open Mic” that provides an opportunity for up and coming musicians, spoken word artists, poets and comedians to perform.

Come to this weekly show to perform or to simply watch a great mix of music, poetry, spoken word and comedy.

Admission is free.

Every Monday 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).

Every Monday the Woolshed Bar hosts “The Comedy Shed”, usually with 3 headline acts.

Admission is free.

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

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

That’s It Recordings is an open mic every Monday at Sin E. Just turn up and play. Sign up before 22:00 to ensure you get a slot. Bring a USB stick along and you will get a recording of your music to take home.

Admission is free.

Every May the Bealtaine Festival takes place all over Ireland and it “Celebrates arts and creativity as we age”.

This is a difficult description as everybody ages and therefore the tagline doesn’t make THAT much sense. In essence, the organisers “Age & Opportunity” actually want to address the “older age”. Ok, that helps a little, but not too much either as nobody still really knows what the target age is. In previous years, a guidance of 55+ was given but that has disappeared and in all honesty most 55-60 year olds wouldn’t be close to insulted if they were classified as “older age”. ;-)

So where does that leave us? We don’t know really know!! So I guess if you feel older, this festival is for you and if you don’t, then the festival is not for you. ;-) I hope that explanation helps a little.

There will be many events throughout May and a good few of them are free. The website has a good enough search facility, although I never understand why event organisers subdivide Dublin into four or five “territories”. You can see the full programme here but I will also never understand why organisers will not make programmes downloadable.

To find events go to the WHAT’S ON page on the website.

In “Dublin City” there are approx. 72 events, but as I said, not all are free. Oddly, the events are sorted in reverse order, starting with the 30 May. Talk about confusing “older” users!?

Over the coming weeks, I will include a number of free Bealtaine events in the Dublin Event Guide for Free Events, but I won’t be able to include all events, so please check the Bealtaine website here: www.bealtaine.ie

Join artist Patricia Fitzgerald as she takes you on a journey through the ancient art form of mandala.

Admission is free, but places are limited and booking is required via 01-8905563

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

Admission to the gallery and to most events is free.

Trinity Academics for Repeal Talks (TARTs) is a series of short talks where speakers draw on their research to support the case for Repeal of the 8th Amendment.

Speakers on May 8th are:
+ Prof Ivana Bacik, School of Law
+ Dr Catherine Conlon, School of Social Work & Social Policy
+ Prof Veronica O’Keane, School of Psychiatry
+ Dr Tómas Ryan, School of Biochemistry and Immunology

Admission is free but registration is required via the link below.

A pop-up talk in front of Jacques Yverni’s painting “The Annunciation” by Mary Dowling will take place.

Admission is free. Meet in Room 32, no booking necessary.

At this Bealtain event, an introduction to Ballroom Dancing will be given.

Admission seems free. A contact phone number is 01-4590770

The talk “Glendalough: The Ancient Church” by Frank Tracy will take place.

Admission is free.

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

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

Camden Comedy is a weekly comedy night on a Tuesday that I only found recently.

Every Tuesday they have a whole range of comedians and admission is free.

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

Jesters is a weekly open mic comedy event where a lot of comedians do 5 minutes of material.

Admission is free. If you would like to perform then send a message to the Jesters Facebook Page via the link below.

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.

Ben Prevo will be for his weekly gig in the Bowery. Expect Blues, Funk, Jazz and even Country.

Admission is free.

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

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

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

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

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

Every Tuesday, a pub quiz is taking place in the Woolshed.

Admission is free. Max team size is 6 people.

Every May the Bealtaine Festival takes place all over Ireland and it “Celebrates arts and creativity as we age”.

This is a difficult description as everybody ages and therefore the tagline doesn’t make THAT much sense. In essence, the organisers “Age & Opportunity” actually want to address the “older age”. Ok, that helps a little, but not too much either as nobody still really knows what the target age is. In previous years, a guidance of 55+ was given but that has disappeared and in all honesty most 55-60 year olds wouldn’t be close to insulted if they were classified as “older age”. ;-)

So where does that leave us? We don’t know really know!! So I guess if you feel older, this festival is for you and if you don’t, then the festival is not for you. ;-) I hope that explanation helps a little.

There will be many events throughout May and a good few of them are free. The website has a good enough search facility, although I never understand why event organisers subdivide Dublin into four or five “territories”. You can see the full programme here but I will also never understand why organisers will not make programmes downloadable.

To find events go to the WHAT’S ON page on the website.

In “Dublin City” there are approx. 72 events, but as I said, not all are free. Oddly, the events are sorted in reverse order, starting with the 30 May. Talk about confusing “older” users!?

Over the coming weeks, I will include a number of free Bealtaine events in the Dublin Event Guide for Free Events, but I won’t be able to include all events, so please check the Bealtaine website here: www.bealtaine.ie

Did you ever want to give drawing a go? Or maybe you are a budding artist looking for like-minded people to draw with? The Drawing Group for Adults in Rua Red runs free weekly drawing sessions on Wednesdays from 11:00-12:00. Materials are provided.

Did you ever want to give drawing a go? Or maybe you are a budding artist looking for like-minded people to draw with? The Drawing Group for Adults in Rua Red runs free weekly drawing sessions on Wednesdays from 11:00-12:00. Materials are provided.

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

Admission to the gallery and to most events is free.

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

Dancing Artificial Intelligence is a 15min long performance every hour (on the hour) from Wednesday until Sunday (09-13 May) during the opening hours of the Science Gallery. (Wednesday 09 – Friday 11 May: 13:00-19:00 / Saturday 12+ Sunday 13 May: 13:00-17:00). Admission free but there is limited capacity (first-come, first-served).

The DAI event is part oof the Dublin Dance Festival.

‘Born’ in 2017, DAI is more than a robot. It is an Artificial Intelligence artist. DAI thinks, but doesn’t follow a script or acts randomly. It learns through experience. DAI is learning how to move by exploring its body and its environment and by observing the gestures of the people it encounters. DAI invites you to be part of its movement creation process.

Based on his publication “Dublin Since 1922”, Historian & author Tim Carey relates the story of Ireland’s capital city since independence. Taking an in depth look at major events from the Civil War, the Eucharistic Congress and President Kennedy’s visit, to the 1986 earthquake and the Stardust disaster.

Admission is free, but booking is required via 01-6689575

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

The tour will focus on World War I, in which nearly 50,000 Irish soldiers died. You will also hear about the main features of the gardens at this tour.

Meeting point is the car park at 14:00 (next to the Trinity College Boat Club). For further information and to check that it is taking place, contact 01-6770095 (Phoenix Park Visitor Centre).

Roddy Doyle, Joanna Banks, Rhona Clarke and Abigail O’Brien are all artists of different disciplines with significant and celebrated careers. They will come together with Chair Cliodhna Ni Anluain to discuss the milestones, challenges and choices made by them as artists.

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

To celebrate the Bealtaine Festival, the Print Museum will host its yearly Print Industry Reminiscence Evening with a panel of volunteer active retired printers and compositors. Hear the captivating memories of their time in the printing industry, shared in an informal and relaxed setting.

Admission is free.

The talk “Sport entertainment and politics in Dublin in 1916” with Cormac Moore & Richard McElligot will take place on Wednesday.

Admission is free, But booking is required via 01-8477781

In the talk “Why 1918 Matters? Historian in Residence Maeve Casserly will explore the importance of key events in this pivotal year in Irish and global history. From the Representation of the People Act, to the Conscription Crisis, the outbreak of the Spanish Flu to the end of the Great War, the impact of 1918 can still be seen today.

Admission is free, but booking is required via 01-4907035

“Celebrations: The Evolution of the Bulgarian Community in Ireland” is an event to mark the Bulgarian presidency of the EU on Europe Day 2018.

Celebrations is a show, tell and make seminar on the evolving make up of community through geographical, cultural and personal change with Dr. Niki Collier, visual artist and Ms Ljudmila Dimitrova, Director of Cultural Institute Bulgaria. Using visual narrative, members of the Bulgarian community reflect on the shift from personal and collective boundaries to making connections in the community. The show is a collaborative project between Niki Collier and photographer Ivaylo Petrov from the Bulgarian community.

Admission is free.

Competitive Tension is an artist group discussion at The Green on Red Gallery on Wednesday.

Participants are moderator Ramon Kassam, and painters Emma Roche, Kevin Cosgrove, Kathy Tynan and Paul Hallahan. The event is taking place against the backdrop of Kassam’s current solo exhibition at the gallery called “Study for a Studio by the Sea”.

Within his show, the artist includes a presentation of other works by studio peers Fiona Burke and Seán Guinan. This presentation titled ‘His Painting Landscape (Bitter Rivals)’ will be a starting point for Competitive Tension.

Admission is free.

The Dwarf Jar House Trio (Daniel Rorke (sax), Cormac O’Brien (bass) and Matthew Jacobson(drums)) will play a weekly Jazz gig every Wednesday in Dwarf Jar Cafe and they usually have one or more guest musicians or singers supporting them.

Admission is free.

The Roots Band “Brand New Switcharoo” will perform in the Harbour Bar. Admission is free.

The Dublin Jam Session is an open Jam with full back line. It is open to all levels of musicians and singers and all genres of music and the only rule is that you must jam with others (not all your own band).

It takes place every Wednesday and admission is free.

The Wow Wignal Sessions is a weekly gig night in Bagots Hutton. The line up is usually announced just a few days before on the Facebook Page below.

Admission is free.

The Anseo Comedy Club takes place every Wednesday in Anseo (upstairs).

Admission is free, donations are welcome.

Ten talented songwriters will compete in this Singer Songwriter competition for a place in the final.

Admission is free.

“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.

Dance Forro every week at this “Forro Wednesday” in the Woolshed for free.

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

“Shipwrecked” is the name of the Bowery’s Open Mic on Wednesdays.

Each week there will be an array of music, comedy, spoken word and all things in between.

Admission is free.

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

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

Admission is free.

Every May the Bealtaine Festival takes place all over Ireland and it “Celebrates arts and creativity as we age”.

This is a difficult description as everybody ages and therefore the tagline doesn’t make THAT much sense. In essence, the organisers “Age & Opportunity” actually want to address the “older age”. Ok, that helps a little, but not too much either as nobody still really knows what the target age is. In previous years, a guidance of 55+ was given but that has disappeared and in all honesty most 55-60 year olds wouldn’t be close to insulted if they were classified as “older age”. ;-)

So where does that leave us? We don’t know really know!! So I guess if you feel older, this festival is for you and if you don’t, then the festival is not for you. ;-) I hope that explanation helps a little.

There will be many events throughout May and a good few of them are free. The website has a good enough search facility, although I never understand why event organisers subdivide Dublin into four or five “territories”. You can see the full programme here but I will also never understand why organisers will not make programmes downloadable.

To find events go to the WHAT’S ON page on the website.

In “Dublin City” there are approx. 72 events, but as I said, not all are free. Oddly, the events are sorted in reverse order, starting with the 30 May. Talk about confusing “older” users!?

Over the coming weeks, I will include a number of free Bealtaine events in the Dublin Event Guide for Free Events, but I won’t be able to include all events, so please check the Bealtaine website here: www.bealtaine.ie

For the month of April the GUM Collective, a group of Dublin-based visual artists, were artists-in-residence in the Gallery, investigating the life and work of Emil Nolde through their individual art practices.

Their work, created in response to the exhibition, will be on view in the Millennium Wing Studio all day.

Admission is free.

Every Thursday a free tour of Grangegorman Military Cemetery on Blackhorse Avenue takes place. Meet inside the cemetery gates.

Admission is free and everybody is welcome. Ring 01-6770095 for more information.

Grangegorman Military Cemetery is in Blackhorse Avenue just outside Phoenix Park. It is the largest military cemetery in Ireland. It was first opened in 1876 to serve as a graveyard for the soldiers of what was then Marlborough Barracks, now McKee Barracks, and their families. Specific zones were laid out for English, Canadian, New Zealand, and Australian service men. The cemetery’s pedestrian gate is open from 10:00-16:00 seven days a week.

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

Admission to the gallery and to most events is free.

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

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

Dancing Artificial Intelligence is a 15min long performance every hour (on the hour) from Wednesday until Sunday (09-13 May) during the opening hours of the Science Gallery. (Wednesday 09 – Friday 11 May: 13:00-19:00 / Saturday 12+ Sunday 13 May: 13:00-17:00). Admission free but there is limited capacity (first-come, first-served).

The DAI event is part oof the Dublin Dance Festival.

‘Born’ in 2017, DAI is more than a robot. It is an Artificial Intelligence artist. DAI thinks, but doesn’t follow a script or acts randomly. It learns through experience. DAI is learning how to move by exploring its body and its environment and by observing the gestures of the people it encounters. DAI invites you to be part of its movement creation process.

If you regularly or occasionally buy books online, you can help the Dublin Event Guide hugely even without having to pay cent directly. In fact you even save money this way:

Buy your books from The Book Depository and get better prices and free (!!) delivery for all orders independent from the volume and when you click on the picture here before you buy, then 5% of what normally The Book Depository would get, they give back to the Dublin Event Guide. Everybody wins!

www.bookdepository.com?a_aid=dubevg

If you prefer Amazon to buy your books (for free postage you need to order a minimum of GBP 25), then use this Amazon link to help the Dublin Event Guide. Thanks!

“The impact of strong women like Margaret Stokes & George Eliot on Frederic William Burton RHA” is a talk by Dr Marie Bourke about the role that 19th century women like antiquarian and illustrator Margaret Stokes played in the life of Sir Frederic William Burton (1816-1900) RHA, who is renowned for his painting “Hellelil and Hildebrand – The Meeting on The Turret Stairs” (1864).

Dr Bourke is an art and cultural historian, who curated the recent Burton exhibition at the National Gallery of Ireland.

Admission is free but booking is required via educationarch@museum.ie or 01 648 6334.

The talk “Flowers, Feathers and Fun: Illuminating the Margins of the Coëtivy Hours” with Dr Jill Unkel, Curator of Western Collections, Chester Beatty Library will take place on Thursday.

Admission is free.

A Lunchtime song recital with soprano Aoife Masterson and tenor Oisin O Dalaigh will take place. They will perform a mix of opera, aria and song.

Admission is free.

The Temple Bar Craft Market during the week is back and it has moved to Thursdays in 2018. Organised by the Temple Bar Company the market will bring handcrafted jewellery, wood design, handmade soaps, original art, photography, fashion, specialised cards and stained-glass crafts.

The market starts at 14:00 and finishes at 20:00, but is still carrying the totally nonsensical and completely misleading name “Temple Bar NIGHT Market”. I will just ignore this unsuitable and incorrect name and will rename it to “Temple Bar Craft Market”. ;-)

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

WWIreland is at 2/3 Kildare Street, just along from our main building.

Admission is free.

Denise Gill (RHSI) will give a talk about Gardening in the 18th Century.

Admission is free.

The film “Bienvenido Mister Marshall / Welcome Mr Marshall” (1953, 95 min, Dir: Luis García Berlanga) will be screened in Spanish with English subtitles.

It is the ingenious and subversive story of a small Castillian town preparing to impress their American visitors, representatives of the Marshall Plan.

There will be light refreshments and chat from 17:00.

A weekly Jazz Club event with live band is taking place at J.W. Sweetman’s.

Admission is free.

Every Thursday the Little Museum of Dublin waives their admission charges for two guided tours thanks to sponsorship from Guinness. The first tour is at 18:00 and the second tour is at 19:00. Make sure that you are there at least 10 minutes before the start of the tour to get one of the limited places.

The Little Museum of Dublin has a fascinating collection of artefacts from the last 100 years Dublin’s history.

On other days and other times, admission is EUR 10 for adults and admission is by guided tour only.

“The Public and the Political” is a discussion about the exhibition “Emil Nolde: Colour is Life” through the lens of the politics of art in the public sphere. This event is organised by artists-in-residence and GUM Collective members Stephen Lau and Sadbh O’Brien in collaboration with the National College of Art and Design’s MA in Art in the Contemporary World. Drawing on key theorists discussed during the MA seminar Politics of Participation, this event will take the form of two short introductions followed by a panel discussion led by the ACW course team.

Admission is free.

The tour “Baroque art and Guercino” with Jessica Fahy will explore baroque art and the Italian artist Guercino.

Admission is free. Meet at the Merrion Square Information Desk.

Slovenian artist Janez Janša’s work deals with problems of identity, reconstruction, copying and acting. In November 2007, he directed Fake It! a dance piece based on five famous choreographies by other artists. It was created as a response to the lack of access to acclaimed international dance performances in post-communist Slovenia. In this talk, Janez will explain the process and products of this performance, and how authorship and copyright can be viewed within performance art.

Janez Janša will be joined by Róise Goan, after his talk for a Q&A about the place of copyright within dance, theatre and visual art.

The event is part of the Dublin Dance Festival.

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

Angela Amirault (Psychologist and Counsellor) will discuss the theme “You can be happier in your life once you realise the only person you can change is yourself. If you are ready to react differently, you are ready for your life to be different”

Admission is free, but booking is required via 01 6269324

Twice every year, the Central Library together with the Local Enterprise Office in Dublin City are running a series of six free Business Lectures for everybody who wants to start or grow a business. The lectures will cover subjects such as the characteristics needed to run and fund your business. Digital marketing strategies and writing business plans will also be included.

The next series will take place on Thursdays from 18:30-20:00 between 05 April and 10 May.

Admission is free, but booking is required via 01-8733996 or businesslibrary@dublincity.ie. All topics and speakers are listed on the website below and to make it easier for you, they are also here:

05 Apr: Becoming a Successful Entrepreneur – How You Can Create and Produce Ideas
12 Apr: Creating the best Business Plan for your Business
19 Apr: Market Research Skills – What You Need To Do To Be Successful
26 Apr: Managing your Online Presence – Having A Digital Plan To Help You Increase Sales
03 May: Financial Support and Grants for Entrepreneurs
10 May: Essential Supports and Services for Entrepreneurs – Who’s Out There To Help You

An expatriate or expat is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country other than that of their citizenship.

And this is a weekly meeting for all Expats in Dublin (new and old!). If you are new to the city, this is an excellent way to meet people.

Admission is free (no booking required!), but you are asked to give the same kind of welcoming to new members as is given to you.

John O’Donnell and Amanda Bell will be in conversation with Niall MacMonagle.

Poets from WB Yeats to Seamus Heaney have used the National Library’s reading rooms and the literary papers of many poets are part of the library’s manuscripts collections.

In this talk series poets will discuss their work with critic, editor and broadcaster Niall MacMonagle.

On Thursday poets Amanda Bell and John O’Donnell will be the poets. Beginning with a conversation about poetry in general and what led the participants to poetry, the discussion will move on to consider a specific work. Each poet will choose one poem from their work prior to the event. Niall will lead the discussion on the story of the poem and how it came to be written, imagery, narrative etc. The aim is to have a relaxed conversation which will give the audience an insight into the work of the poet and the making of the chosen poem

Admission is free.

The Thursday Night Board Gaming event is running for more than 10 years already and it is a weekly event for all Board Game enthusiasts. But even if you are a Board Game newbie, you are welcome. Just come along! More information can be found here: www.meetup.com/IrishGamesAssociation/

Admission is free.

The Shogunz of Stank with Mik Pyro and Pete Pamf among others will be in the Bowery every Thursday for a gig. They will play Funk, Hip Hop and Groove.

Admission is free.

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

Admission is free.

Swedish classic rock trio ‘Demimonde’ and Dublin Rock Bands ‘Restive Nation’ and ‘Minus Ten Thousand Hours’ are playing a gig on Thursday in Sin E.

Admission is free.

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

The Orchid Collective will play a gig in the Harbour Bar. Admission is free.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The BIMM Music College is organising the Midnight Hour on Thursdays in Whelan’s. The line-up has not yet been announced.

Admission is free.

The Karma Kings will play a gig in the Porterhouse in Bray. The gig will start at 00:30. Admission is free.

Every May the Bealtaine Festival takes place all over Ireland and it “Celebrates arts and creativity as we age”.

This is a difficult description as everybody ages and therefore the tagline doesn’t make THAT much sense. In essence, the organisers “Age & Opportunity” actually want to address the “older age”. Ok, that helps a little, but not too much either as nobody still really knows what the target age is. In previous years, a guidance of 55+ was given but that has disappeared and in all honesty most 55-60 year olds wouldn’t be close to insulted if they were classified as “older age”. ;-)

So where does that leave us? We don’t know really know!! So I guess if you feel older, this festival is for you and if you don’t, then the festival is not for you. ;-) I hope that explanation helps a little.

There will be many events throughout May and a good few of them are free. The website has a good enough search facility, although I never understand why event organisers subdivide Dublin into four or five “territories”. You can see the full programme here but I will also never understand why organisers will not make programmes downloadable.

To find events go to the WHAT’S ON page on the website.

In “Dublin City” there are approx. 72 events, but as I said, not all are free. Oddly, the events are sorted in reverse order, starting with the 30 May. Talk about confusing “older” users!?

Over the coming weeks, I will include a number of free Bealtaine events in the Dublin Event Guide for Free Events, but I won’t be able to include all events, so please check the Bealtaine website here: www.bealtaine.ie

In celebration of Bealtaine there will be free admission for senior citizens/retired people to Rathfarnham Castle on Friday.

Find out more about his fascinating castle and its colourful owners which included bishops, a rake, aristocrats and Jesuits.

Admission is free.

Dublin City Hall has a museum/exhibition in the basement, called “The Story of the Capital”, it is an exhibition about Dublin’s History and you should definitely check it out at some stage.

To celebrate the Easter Rising Anniversary, admission to that exhibititon was free in 2016, but lucky for us, Dublin City decided to also waive the admission charge for 2018.

Opening hours are Monday-Saturday 10:00-17:15.

Every Friday in May a Laughter Yoga event will happen on Fridays. Join through the Meetup Page via the link below and tell your friends.

The Laughter Youa class starts with some fake laughter (which has shown to be as beneficial as real laughter) but often the fake laughter turns into genuine laughter and either way you will have had a good workout.

Admission is free.

The Bealtaine Festival event “Mindful Drawing” will take place on Friday.

Join artist Ashleigh Downey to explore movement and sound in the Gallery space through mindful drawing.

Admission is free, but booking is required via 01 222 5550

Six times this year the “People’s Art 2018″ exhibition will take place. It is an art exhibition on the rails/fence of St. Stephen’s Green.

(If you want to exhibit at one of the events in the future, check the website for cost and conditions.)

Visiting the People’s Art Exhibition is free and you will be able to admire (and buy) a huge amount of great art works from the artists themselves. The event starts close to 11:00 and typically finishes around 17:00, it runs from Friday until Sunday with the main activity on Saturday and Sunday.

People’s Art Dublin is a voluntary, part time, non profit making group, brought together by Dublin City Council to promote the visual arts to the public of Dublin. A huge variety of art/paintings are displayed and if the weather is nice it is a great art-filled stroll around Stephen’s Green. Definitely recommended!

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

Admission to the gallery and to most events is free.

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

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

A Lunchtime Piano Concert with Eoin Fleming on Friday in the Shaw Room is part of a series of concerts with the six Irish competitors who will take part in this year’s Dublin International Piano Competition.

Admission is free.

Dancing Artificial Intelligence is a 15min long performance every hour (on the hour) from Wednesday until Sunday (09-13 May) during the opening hours of the Science Gallery. (Wednesday 09 – Friday 11 May: 13:00-19:00 / Saturday 12+ Sunday 13 May: 13:00-17:00). Admission free but there is limited capacity (first-come, first-served).

The DAI event is part oof the Dublin Dance Festival.

‘Born’ in 2017, DAI is more than a robot. It is an Artificial Intelligence artist. DAI thinks, but doesn’t follow a script or acts randomly. It learns through experience. DAI is learning how to move by exploring its body and its environment and by observing the gestures of the people it encounters. DAI invites you to be part of its movement creation process.

The Cemetery at Arbour Hill is the last resting place of 14 of the leaders of the 1916 Rising. Among those buried there are Pádraig Pearse, James Connolly and Thomas Clarke. This tour every Friday introduce the Cemetery and will also explain the background and the event of the Easter Rising.

Admission is free and no booking necessary. The meeting point is inside the cemetery gates.

The Bealtaine Debate on Friday is “Does Age have a Bearing on Creativity?”

Featuring visual artists Brian Maguire and Jochen Gerz, together with Professor of Psychology at Trinity College Dublin, Ian Robertson, and Dr David Robinson, consultant physician in geriatric medicine at St James’ Hospital with Chair, Sarah Glennie, Director of the National College of Art and Design, this discussion will explore whether age has a bearing on creativity, at what age artists and creative people reach their full creative potential, what reaching ‘peak creativity’ might mean and the impact of ageism on perceptions around this.

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

The South Dublin Migrant Forum invites to a Bealtine Event with music and food to experience different cultures.

Admission is free.

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

The Crystal Skull Band Competition is a regular competition in Sin E where numerous acts are playing and the audience will pick the winner. It is not 100% clear if this is a competition night or a gig with previous winners. But no matter what, it will be a good gig night.

Admission is free.

The Stillorgan Orchard has live music every Friday and Saturday. Many of the performers are established and very good bands. The upcoming gigs are detailed on the website below. Admission is always free.

The Souljackers are playing a Soul gig in the Harbour Bar. Admission is free.

Gavin Povey and The Fabulous Oke She Moke She Pops” will play New Orleans style Piano Rhythm & Blues, Boogie Woogie and Rock’n’ Roll. Gavin Povey has played piano with Van Morrison, Finbar Wright, Kirsty MacColl, Steve Cropper, Shakin’ Stevens and many more.

Admission is free.