Hi all!

[Two hours of work on this week’s Event Guide disappeared within a fraction of a second when my mail program chose to close the window I wrote the mail in – and I hadn’t saved the draft. Aaargh! I am starting a second time….]

Again this week, I want to WELCOME many many new members to the Dublin Event Guide Community, which joined us during the last week! The community is growing rapidly and I take that a) as a confirmation of the need for such an Event Guide for Free Events and b) as an encouragement to provide you with a good and as comprehensive as possible Guide on a weekly basis.

This was SOME week! Since the creation of the facebook group “Dublin Event Guide (for Free Events)” (www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=7276986445) a total of 231 people joined the group. Surprisingly many did NOT send a mail to dublineventguide@gmail.com to subscribe! For another two weeks I will post a copy of the Event Guide in the facebook group, after that the mail will be only sent to the distribution list.

The popularity of the facebook group was so high that it was on Rank 2 or 3 of the most popular groups in the IRELAND network for most of this time as it seems! Tell all your friends and invite your facebook contacts and maybe we will stay there for another little while. :-) The community is growing and the bigger we are the better we can lobby for free events.

[The only tiny downside of this is that another worthy facebook group, one through which you can – if you want – express your political opinion, did drop out of the Top 3 list. The group is called “Resign, Mr Ahern” (www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=6285778826), but I hope that interested people will still find it.]

Let me move to the main business…the event list for this week is impressive for this time of the year. By the way, if you are more into music than into exhibitions, you have to be patient for another little while. The 2008 season of free music events hasn’t fully started yet! ;-)

_________________________
______FRIDAY_____________

KRIS FINNERTY – SINGER/SONGWRITER
Singer/Songwriter Kris Finnerty will play in Pravda from 20:30 until 22:30. I couldn’t find a definite confirmation that this gig is free, but there are strong indications that it is. If you want to check before you go, ring Pravda on 01 874 0090. Finnerty describes himself as a cross between Bob Dylan and David Gray and he says that his music is influenced by Bob Dylan, Counting Crows and Foo Fighters.

___________________________
______SATURDAY__________

AMO @ FILMBASE
In December AMO – a monthly public showcase of home-grown artistic talent – was launched. Dublinks.ie describes (better than the organisers): “It offers up-can-coming local artists the chance to display their paintings and photography in a way that is both affordable and easily accessible to investors, new buyers and other artists. All shows operate without commission – so all profits go directly to the artist.
Through its monthly exhibitions, AMO hopes to not only help artists get exposure, but also to help the public become aware of some of the Dublin’s great artistic talents.” Interested artists can contact AMO via www.myspace.com/amo_art. If you want to see the exhibition, come to Filmbase (Curved Street, Temple Bar) on Sat (19 Jan) between 10:30-17:00.

IRELAND 1913 – PHOTO EXHIBITION
Saturday is your last chance to visit the interesting photographic exhibition “In Search of Ireland, 1913” in the National Photographic Archive (Meeting House Square, Temple Bar). The 50 images featured in the exhibition In search of Ireland, 1913 have been loaned to the National Photographic Archive by the Musée Albert Kahn in Paris. The images, which represent the first ever colour photographs taken in Ireland, were taken in 1913 by two French women, Marguerite Mespoulet and Madeleine Mignon-Alba, who used newly available autochrome colour plates.
Admission is free and the exhibition is open on Saturday from 10:00-14:00. It will end on Monday (21 Jan), so if you want to see it, you have to go this weekend! www.nli.ie

PROTEST
If you are out and about in Dublin on Saturday, you might encounter an Anti-Fur demonstration. CAFT Ireland and the National Animal Rights Association will be having anti-fur demonstrations on Sat (19th Jan) between 12:30 and 15:00. They will meet in South Anne Street (Sydney Vard Furriers) and will be visiting other locations during the day.
And in Glasnevin/Finglas, Shell to Sea will protest outside the Shell Station on Finglas Road from 12:00.

___________________________
______SUNDAY_____________

HUGH LANE GALLERY CENTENARY
This year is a BIG year for the Hugh Lane Gallery on Parnell Square. At 16:00 on the 20th of January 1908 Hugh Lane officially opened his Gallery and consequently this weekend sees the centenary of the Gallery. The Hugh Lane Gallery is one of the shining lights on the Dublin Museum and Gallery circle as far as free events are concerned. Only about 6 months ago, I have been to the gallery for the first time and I can definitely recommend it, especially in the context of one of the upcoming events!

At 14:00 on Sun (20 Jan) students from the Learning Through Arts Programme, from Larkin Community College will perform, the “Eve of St Agnes”, a work that combines dance, theatre, music and visual arts. Inspired by the Harry Clarke stained glass window in the Hugh Lane collection and the poem by John Keats, the children have worked together with professional artists and teachers at Larkin College to create a vibrant and contemporary piece of musical theatre. The performance will take place in the Hugh Lane Sculpture Hall. No pre-booking is required and admission is free, but it is recommended to arrive early.
Earlier on the same day, at 12:00 another “Sunday at Noon” concert will take place in the Gallery. This week it is a performance by Henja Semmler (violin) and Tido Semmler (piano) and they are playing Schubert, Janacek and Joerg Widmann. Admission is free and the concert duration is 1 hour.

But there is more!
Part of the centenary programme is an outdoor exhibition in O’Connell Street. “Walking down O’Connell Street” by Julian Opie I son display from 20 Jan to 08 Nov and the gallery describes “Following the tremendously successful presentation of 2006’s large-scale outdoor exhibition of works by renowned sculptor Barry Flanagan on Dublin’s O’Connell Street, Dublin City Gallery The Hugh Lane will present an exhibition by Julian Opie. Walking Down O’Connell Street will respond to the central median of O’Connell Street and the Hugh Lane’s collection of figurative art with animated walking figures Sara, Julian, Jack and Suzanne.”
Additionally the Gallery displays an exhibition of new works from Mark Francis (20 Jan – 22 Feb). The detailed explanation can be found on the website, here only an abbreviated summary: “Borrowing from scientific imagery and maps of both the natural and manmade world, Mark Francis’ recent work renews one’s interest in abstraction. The content is neither figurative nor abstract. What are they? Pictures of things from so close up, that they seem to pixelate.” Can’t imagine it? I can’t either! So let’s go to the Hugh Lane Gallery to have a look! :-)
www.hughlane.ie
By the way, the gallery is offering a brilliant programme of lectures and workshops for children and the programme sounds very interesting:
www.hughlane.ie/education/Programme_of_Events_Jan_Mar_2008.pdf
Children’s workshops and lectures are not free, but are very inexpensive at EUR 5!

DUN LAOGHAIRE RATHDOWN – RECHARGE FESTIVAL
On Sunday from 12:00-15:00 the People’s Park in Dun Laoghaire will be full of action! According to the organisers, “the second last Sunday in January has been shown to be the most depressing day off the year; bad weather, post-Christmas and New Year depression, credit card debts and failed resolutions” (Already!?!?!). The solution is to recharge and revitalise yourself and Dun Laoghaire is supporting you with the “Recharge Festival”. The event that kicked off the 2006 and 2007 DLR Events programme with a bang is back for 2008. It was a huge success in previous years when over 3,000 people came out to chase away the winter blues. Recharge will once again be a riot of street entertainment and activities for all the family. A DJ will provide the background music for face painters, balloons, “make and do”, inflatable games and bouncy castles

TOYS OF YESTERDAY
The Collector’s Association has a monthly toy fair for “Toys of Yesterday”. The event takes place on Sun (20 Jan) in the Sandymount Community Centre from 11:00-16:00. Admission is not totally free, but the very affordable EUR 1 is nearly free. ;-) And the proceeds go to the charity ALONE. Do you remember the doll houses, plastic soldiers, board games, diecasts or railway sets of your youth? Maybe you want them back? And if you are interested in selling or exchanging toys at the fair, you can contact the Collectors Association on 2852308 or 4576751.

MARY STOKES BAND
One of many regular free gigs that will be mentioned every now and then is a gig of one of Ireland’s best blues singers with her band. The Mary Stokes Band will play in Bruxelles (Harry Street, just off Grafton Street) on Sundays from 18:00.

_____________________________
_____Next Week_______________

CUBAN NIGHT EXTRAVAGANZA
Do you remember, last week we had a competition in the Event Guide for a pair of tickets for “Cuban Night Extravaganza”, an event organised by Sinead Hughes, as a fundraising event for the ARC Cancer Support Centre (www.arccancersupport.ie). Arc Cancer Support is a support centre that provides courses, therapies and counselling for cancer sufferers to complement other therapies. The event is taking place in the coming week, on Tuesday the 22nd of January at 20:00 in the Sugar Club. The concert features Havana Son (www.myspace.com/havanasondublin), a brilliant Dublin based Cuban Band and there will be a DJ and salsa dancing. In addition to the sound of great Salsa, Rumba, etc. there will be a raffle for a Cuban hamper from Cafe de Cuba and meal vouchers for Trocadero, Floridita, Paloma, Havana, Odessa, Chez Max and Brazil. Tickets cost EUR 15 and are available at the door. Sinead can be reached on 085-7307630 and via sinead_hughes1919@hotmail.com.
Now the great thing is that you have another chance to enter your name in the competition for the pair of free tickets to that event. If you want to win this pair of tickets send an e-mail to dublineventguide@gmail.com with “Havana Son” in the Subject Line, and with your phone number in the body of the mail. Your mail has to be with me before 21:00 on Friday (TODAY!) the 18th of January and the winner will be informed on the 19th of January.
So, if you like Latin Music or if you just want to help ARC Cancer Support, make sure to put this Cuban Night in your diary!

TEMPLE BAR TRAD
Is Irish Music your thing? If you have only the slightest interest in Irish Music you HAVE to go to Temple Bar between the 23rd and 27th of Jan. “Temple Bar Trad”, the Irish Music & Culture Festival is on during that time and in addition to ticketed headline events, Temple Bar will be buzzing with Irish music. Thanks to the Temple Bar Traders Association TASCQ, a huge number of events are free. You can find the details on www.templebartrad.com, but I will try to give you an overview here:

Wed 23, Thur 24, Fri 25 of Jan:
– Festival Club in Project Art Centre (23:00-01:00)
– Pipers on the Street (Street Entertainment), Temple Bar Streets (early evening)
– Outdoor Projections TG4 Gradam Ceoil 10 Year Celebration, Temple Bar Meeting House Square (18:00-20:00)
– Trad/Fold Pub Trail in pubs/bars/hotels throughout Temple Bar!
Viperoom (13:00-15:00), Clarence Hotel (17:00-19:00), Foggy Dew (15:00-17:00), Oliver St. John Gogartys (15:00-23:00+23:30-02:00), Temple Bar Pub (14:00-16:00+17:00-19:00+20:30-23:30), VAT House (16:00-18:00+21:00-close), The Quays (15:30-17:30+18:00-20:00+21:30-23:30), Porterhouse (18:00-20:00), Farringtons (21:30-23:30), Fitzsimons (16:00-18:00), Auld Dubliner (17:00-19:00+21:30-23:30), Purty Kitchen (15:00-17:00+18:30-20:30), Palace Bar (15:00-17:00+21:00-close), Fitzgerald’s (14:00-16:00)

An impressive list!!!!! All gigs are free and show the pubs/bars, that you appreciate the efforts and that you support the Festival!

On Saturday (26 Jan) all children are invited to The Ark in Eustace Street. At 12:00 a Children’s Concert will be performed by young musicians from Colaiste Eoin. (Duration: 40 Minutes). Afterwards a Come and Try Workshops for Tin whistle and Bodhran will be held (Duration: 40 min). Starting time is 13:30 for age range 6 – 8, and 14:30 for age range 9 – 11 years. All the events in The Ark are free, but booking is essential: boxoffice1@ark.ie or 01 670 7788.

Adults can try their luck with Irish Instruments at the free Come & Try Workshops in the Filmbase Building in Curved Street (Duration 45 minutes) on Saturday. The Tin Whistle workshop is at 16:00 and the Bodhran workshop is at 17:00. Instruments are provided and the workshops are for people that have absolutely no previous experience. Again pre-booking is essential! Please pre-book tickets by emailing trad@tascq.ie or telephone 677 23 97.

In the same building Irish Culture Workshops are run on Saturday from 11:00-13:00 or from 14:00-16:00 and on Sunday from 14:00-16:00 (Duration: 2hrs). These workshops are not free (EUR 15), but if you always wanted to take a fun crash course in traditional Irish dance, song and language, these workshops might be for you. (Pre book tickets by emailing trad@tascq.ie or telephone 677 23 97).

More free events are taking place on Saturday and Sunday of NEXT weekend and I will tell you more about them in next week’s Event Guide. Today I have mentioned the events that are taking place before the next issue will be out or because you have to pre-book.

CRIME WRITERS WORKSHOP
This is another pre-announcement because pre-booking for this free event is necessary: “Whodunnit? A workshop for crime writers with crime” on 25 Jan (Friday) in Pearse Street Library (138-144 Pearse St., Dublin 2). Have you ever felt you could write a whodunnit? Take part in a workshop for crime writers and aspiring writers! Speakers are Jane Gregory the literary agent for best selling crime authors such as Val McDermid, Minette Walters & Mo Hayder. Maria Rejt the publishing director of Macmillan, Pan & Picador as well as editor for Colin Dexter, Minette Walters, Kathy Reics & Scott Turow. Please pre-book via dublincitypubliclibraries@dublincity.ie or 01 674 4873

ARTISTS AND DESIGNERS WANTED
Cow’s Lane in Temple Bar is home of the Cow’s Lane Market for a number of years. Every Saturday from 10:00-16:30 clothes, fashion and hand-made designer goods are sold in and around Cow’s Lane. Recently a new area near to Cow’s Lane was pedestrianised and the Cow’s Lane Christmas Market took place there. The Temple Bar Cultural Trust is now informing: “This March Cow’s Lane Market, Temple Bar is being re-launched. Its new name (to be announced shortly) and identity will depict an outdoor shopping area where hand-made designer goods are sold by Irish and Ireland-based artists and designers. Cow’s Lane has a clear focus where priority is given to artists/designers & makers rather than imported, mass-produced items. Cow’s Lane will sell designer clothing & fashion; hand-bags, accessories & jewellery; ceramics, pottery and visual arts of all disciplines. If you are an artist/designer looking for a platform from which to expose and sell your work, please contact Eimear for an application form at echaomhanach@templebar.ie or for further information please phone on 01 677 2255. Closing date for Applications 31 January 2008.” So if there are any artists or designers in the Dublin Event Guide Community, think about this opportunity. By the way, as you see the new name for the Cow’s Lane area will be announced shortly, but my bet is on “Old Town” and I find that a clever choice. What you can see in and around Cow’s Lane is anything but an “Old Town” as you would expect it from other European Cities. But I guess it is a name we will have to get used to.

I hope you will find something in this list that interests you and if you don’t then give ONE event a try that you would normally not go to. You might like it!!!! Give it a chance! ;-)

Enjoy the weekend!

–Joerg

**********************************************
Disclaimer: This Event Guide (the “Dublin Event Guide (for Free Events)”) is an Event Guide with a difference. It covers mostly free events based on the thinking that free events deserve additional support and that ticketed events have a better chance to pay for advertisement. The Guide is a _guide_ and not just a listing and is sent to friends, colleagues and whoever else is interested.
If you have feedback – good or bad – PLEASE tell me. If you want to be added to the mailing list or know somebody who would like to receive this guide, just send a mail to dublineventguide@gmail.com. If you don’t want to receive this mail anymore, send a mail to the same address, telling me to remove you from the distribution list.
BTW: I am not paid or otherwise rewarded for compiling and distributing this Event Guide it is purely a hobby. Donations are welcome. ;-)
***********************************************

This entry (Permalink) was posted on Friday, January 18th, 2008 at 03:56 and is filed under General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.