Hi all!

This week’s Event Guide is arriving in your Inbox a day earlier than usual. I will be away for a few days, but nevertheless can’t leave you WITHOUT a few things to do over the weekend. :-). The week has been in interesting one. The Flamenco competition was very popular – and the lucky winner is announced a little further down -, coincidences and luck played some role and with the help of Áras Chrónáin, the Irish Cultural Centre in Clondalkin, we have a great new competition this week. Ensuring cultural diversity ;-) this time it is very much Irish themed!

Some other good news: In addition to Lauren Richards, Lisa Quish has offered to help with the Dublin Event Guide and I am looking forward to their much valued contributions in the coming weeks. I did get great feedback as well last week about the Event Guide and there were a number of good suggestions and ideas. All will be considered and I will do everything to improve this Event Guide further.
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FREDDIE WHITE – COMPETITION
Did you know that Clondalkin Village is the home of a little Irish (as in: Gaelic) oasis? I only found out during the week, when Brían Ó Gáibhín from Áras Chrónáin contacted me. Áras Chrónáin (www.araschronain.com) is an Irish Cultural Centre and operates as a community based, voluntary run, non-profit making organisation, promoting all aspects of the Irish Language, Culture etc. They have an impressive line-up of bands, gigs and events for the next few months in addition to all their evening classes in Spoken Irish, Painting, Fiddle & Flute, Uilleann Pipes, Music for Adults and Children, Irish Dancing for Children and Set Dancing!! Did I mention “impressive”?!
This Friday (01 Feb) there are Set Dancing & Sean Nós Dancing Class from 20:00-22:00 and they are free!
On Friday of next week (08 Feb) Áras Chrónáin presents Freddie White, a singer/songwriter from Cork (www.freddiewhite.com), who I admittedly hadn’t heard of either, but the great thing about Ireland is that you can always discover new little gems in the cultural and music scene. I only heard a few samples on his website, but Freddie White could be one of these little gems. – And the great news is that Áras Chrónáin is making a pair of tickets available for one reader of the Dublin Event Guide!!!
If you want to win the pair of tickets, just send a mail to dublineventguide@gmail.com with “White” in the subject line. Please but your phone number in the body of the mail and make sure that your mail is with me by 18:00 on Wednesday (06 Feb). I will notify the winner by phone on Wednesday evening.
And here some more information about the Freddie White gig. It will start at 20:30 with Special Guests “JUNAH” and will take place in Áras Chrónáin in Clondalkin Village. (To get there: www.araschronain.com/gpage.html). Tickets are EUR 20 at the door and you get more information via eolas@araschronain.com or during business hours through 01-4574847.

FLAMENCO WORKSHOP
Thanks to Solo Flamenco there were two tickets up for grabs in last week’s Event Guide and the lucky winner is Aaron Sherlock. Congrats! I am sure he will have a great time at the Flamenco Workshop.
For the rest of you it is not too late yet, you can still register for the event!
The Flamenco Workshop will be conducted by the acclaimed Spanish flamenco dancer, choreographer and teacher Felipe de Algeciras (www.flamencoyalegria.net/?page_id=64) who comes from a city in the very south of Spain that I know quite well. The workshop takes place on
Sunday, 3 Feb from 12:00-17:00 and will be held in Studio 2 in DanceHouse in Foley Street. The day is subdivided in a number of lessons/workshops for different levels of prior Flamenco knowledge and there is specific Taster class for the absolute beginners (12:00-13:00). This Taster Class is for students with no experience who want to learn about flamenco. The price per participant is EUR 15.

The structure of the whole day is like this:
12:00-13:00 Taster – for students with no experience who want to learn about flamenco. Cost: EUR 15
13:00-14:00 Beginners – for dancers with 6 to 18 months experience. Cost: €15
14:00-15:00 Technique – Open to all levels. Cost: €15
15:00-17:00 Intermediate – for dancers with 18 months experience or more. Cost: €30
Solo Flamenco are offering a special discount price of €50 for students attending all three Beginners, Technique and Intermediate classes. Each class is limited to 30 students, so advance booking is essential to secure a place. For information and bookings email info@flamencoyalegria.net  or call Damian at 086 81 46 496. For all the details go to www.flamencoyalegria.net/?page_id=57.

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______Thursday_________________

IMTV LAUNCH PARTY
The Irish Music Television Launch party is taking place in “4 Dame Lane” tonight (31 Jan) from 19:00-23:00. (www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=7818743483). Indications are that this is a free event and it seems that everybody is welcome. The website doesn’t contain any information about this event, but at least you can find out more about the organiser: www.irishmusictelevision.com

PRAVDA LATIN NIGHT
Every last Thursday of the month (31 Jan) Pravda in Lower Liffey Street (near Ha’Penny Bridge) throws a Latin party hosted by the Brazilian DJ and Samba dancer Sisi Rosario. Live bands, DJs and salsa dancers turn Pravda into a sizzling Latin Pub. You will hear sounds of salsa, brazil samba, afro-beat, merengue, reggaeton, urban, zouk and latin house musical styles. Admission is free and there are also cut price mojitos on offer.

BIONIC RATS + BELLYDANCING
Yep, that is the combination that Turk’s Head is promoting for its Thursday night. The Belly Dancing will be at 22:30 and the Bionic Rats are a Ska/Reggae band that plays in Turk’s Head (30 Parliament Street) every Thursday. The roots of the Bionic Rats go back to the well-known but “expired” band “King Sativa”. (www.myspace.com/thebionicrats)

SCULPTURE EXHIBITION
Wall & Plinth is an exhibition of contemporary sculpture in the Peppercanister Gallery (3 Herbert Street). From 31 Jan to 20 Feb (Mo-Fr: 10.00 – 17.30, Sat: 10.00 – 13.00) exhibition will feature the works of gallery artists Sonja Landweer, Deirdre McLoughlin, Breon O’Casey, Graham Gingles and Robert Janz alongside other prominent Irish sculptors such as Michael Warren, John Behan and Brian King. For the first time, the Gallery will also be showing the work of world-renowned Argentinian artist Adolfo Estrada, who will contribute two abstract sculptures in oil and wood.

PROTEST
Moore Street is definitely anachronistic and I am not sure that the old type of trading in Moore Street has a place nowadays, but the internationalisation of the street did add an interesting mix of very old Irish combined with African and Asian traders. Things are changing in that area and it is a pity that the changes seem to be dramatic:
Crisis on Moore St – Meeting at 18:00 in the Teachers Club (Parnell Square).
The description says “Dublin City Council trying to get rid of market traders to make way for giant shopping complex. – A planning application for a giant shopping complex between Moore St and O’Connell St in Dublin is due in the coming days, and the market traders on Moore St fear it will spell the end of their centuries-old tradition. The development is being billed as the largest property development in Irish history, costing a reported €600 million.
The market traders have been using lock-ups on O’Rahilly Parade, just off Moore St, since 1985. Prior to that date, their lock-ups were situated where the ILAC Centre now is. Dublin City Council has informed the traders that alternative lock-ups will not be provided for them once building work starts on the planned development. The traders say that without lock-ups, they will go out of business.
In recent years, the east side of Moore Street has seen the opening of numerous shops and restaurants run by members of Dublin’s immigrant communities. Every single one of these shops is now closed, to make way for the planned development. The last one closed on January 15th. The developer in question is Joe O’Reilly, the man responsible for Dundrum “Town Centre”.
To find out more and to get involved in opposing this plan and helping the traders, please come along to a meeting at the Teachers Club (Parnell Square) this Thursday at 18:00. Several of the market traders will be there to explain the latest in their negotiations with Dublin City Council and property developer Joe O’Reilly.
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______Friday___________________

RUSH HOUR RECITAL
The Royal Irish Academy of Music Students’ Union presents the third concert in their recently inaugurated ‘Rush Hour Recital’ series. The concert will feature a variety of classical music, including works from Shostakovich, Mendelssohn, Bach and Chopin, performed by some of the talented students of the Academy. The concert will take place in the Katherine Brennan Hall on Friday 1st February from 18:00-19:00. Admission is free. More information: 01 6764412 – www.riam.ie/en/Concerts.aspx

SOUL – SANTORIA
Santoria (www.santoria.ie) the Irish soul band from Dublin is playing a free gig in  Quinlan’s, The Black Lion in Clondalkin Village, Dublin 22. The gig starts at 22:00.

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______Saturday_________________

SCIENCE GALLERY
A brand new museum in the Irish museum circle is the newly built Science Gallery (www.sciencegallery.com), which is part of Trinity College and has been built along Pearse Street. The building is called The Naughton Institute and the entrance is off Pearse Street. The gallery says about itself “The Science Gallery is a world first. A new type of venue where today’s white-hot scientific issues are thrashed out and you can have your say. A place where ideas meet. We’re all about opening science up to passionate debate and want your involvement. How do you want science to develop? What direction should it go in? Get involved!”
From 02 Feb – 09 Feb “Lightwave” will take place in the museum/gallery and all exhibitions and many events are free. “Lightwave” is the launch event for the new gallery. I will give you a brief overview, but for details you should go to the website:

Exhibitions (02-08 Feb, open from 16:30-20:30 and from 16:30-19:30 on 09 Feb):
– Lumia Domestica by Willie Williams
– Light Drops by Elke Harras
– Hand-Cranked Luminescent Jewellery by LoVid
– Forest by The OpenEnded Group
– The Heliosphere by Anna Hill & Peter Gallagher
– Light Tracer by Karl D. D. Willis
– De Pong Game 111 by Benjamin Gaulon aka Recyclism
– The Daylight Lounge
– Be Made by Mentors & Young Makers
– Camera Lucida by Dmitry Gelfand & Evelina Domnitch

In addition there is a LONG list of events or outside exhibitions. Many of them are free of charge, I will only list a few here:
– Lightmobile & Bubble Heads by Eric Staller (ON THE STREETS)
31 Jan 2008 – 02 Feb 2008 (Time: 17:00 – 21:00) Location: Various
– Dublin 24 by Connor McGarrigle (ON THE STREETS)
01 Feb 2008 – 09 Feb 2008 (Time: 16:30 – 00:00) Location: Irish Times Building
The Hive by KMA (ON THE STREETS)
01 Feb 2008 – 09 Feb 2008 (Time:17:00 – 22:00) Location:Grand Canal Square, D2
I am totally impressed by the launch programme of this new museum/gallery and hope you will get a chance to have a look at some of the events/exhibitions. I can already promise that this new venue will be mentioned regularly here in the Dublin Event Guide, if the launch is an indication for what the future will bring!

FACEBOOK PARTY
What seems to be the first Irish facebook party is happening on Saturday in Café en Seine. I would have gone to it, but it is a little far from Germany for a night. :-) So instead I need you to go and to tell everybody about the “Dublin Event Guide (for Free Events)”. :-) Remind everybody to send a mail to dublineventguide@gmail.com so that they get the weekly mail. …enough of the self-promo. :-P Here is some more info about the event: It is organised by David Hague and will start at 19:00 in Café en Seine. Currently 87 people have confirmed their attendance and 97 MIGHT show up. So if you have no other plans, meet some of the facebook members. By the way, the table is reserved under the name “Lord Latchford” if you are early. (www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=10160911421)

CHINESE WRITING
Irish Writers Centre, next door to the Writers Museum on Parnell Square will host a feast of activities celebrating Chinese Literature and Music. Opening on Saturday 2nd February, an exhibition of Chinese Writing, representing all literature genres and Chinese traditional musical instruments, will run for the week. Along with “Out to Lunch” Readings, the centre will run a Chinese Creative Writing Course. For more information or to book a place at any of the Readings or Courses call 01 8721302.

CHINESE FAMILY WEEKEND
The Hugh Lane Gallery will offer Chinese New Year Workshops on Sat + Sun (02/03 Feb) from 12:00-13:00, 13:30-14:30, 15:00-16:00 each day. As part of Dublin’s Chinese New Year Festival, the Gallery will host a number of educational workshops. These workshops will have a Chinese theme, with artists and teachers from the Chinese Community giving short workshops in traditional Chinese arts, like paper-cutting, calligraphy and lantern-making. All workshops are free of charge.
www.hughlane.ie/education/kidsclub/workshops.asp

JAMES JOYCE FILM
Pennilesse, Joyce. His Odyssey in Trieste is a film shown at 18:00 on 01 Feb in the Italian Cultural Institute (11 Fitzwilliam Square East, D2, 01 662 0509 / 662 1507, E-mail: iicdublino@esteri.it). The Institute’s description says “On his birthday we will remember James Joyce with a special event: the screening of the film “Penniless, Joyce his Odyssey in Trieste”, an unmissable opportunity for all fans of the great writer.
The film’s director Massimiliano Cocozza and a delegate from Trieste’s PEN CLUB will briefly introduce the work which is sure to become a valuable addition to our understanding of Joyce.
This creative documentary is aimed at offering an interpretation of the genesis of Joyce’s masterpiece “Ulysses”: a Triestine path along the images that inspired Joyce when writing Ulysses, his buildings, visions and deliriums reinterpreted with a special attention to his real world, daily life problems and poetical inspiration, perfectly mirroring the town and its seductions.
www.iicdublino.esteri.it/IIC_Dublino/webform/SchedaEvento.aspx?id=151&citta=Dublino

MONSTER TRUCK – BIGFOOT EXHIBITION
What do you think of when you hear “Monster Truck” or “Bigfoot”? Most would probably think of these huge American trucks that have hyper-sized wheels and race against each other jumping over cars. Well, that is what I thought of! But I am COMPLETELY wrong here! Monster Truck is a gallery in 73 Francis Street (D8) and Bigfoot is an art exhibition!!! How wrong was I!!??? :-)

For a very limited time (01 Feb – 05 Feb) the Monster Truck Gallery (www.monstertruck.ie) is working with the Royal Hibernian Academy (www.royalhibernianacademy.ie) to host the exhibition “BIG FOOT”, a collection of work by all artists who have exhibited in solo or group shows in Monster Truck Gallery, over the past two years, as part of the Monster Truck/RHA Collaboration Launch Party. The Royal Hibernian Academy closed in November to refurbish the building and galleries and is due to re-open at the end of Summer 2008. It is using this opportunity to work hand in hand with innovative artists’ group Monster Truck to help with its ever-expanding agenda and goals.
Artists have been invited to submit one piece each for the exhibition, all works to be 1 ft sq or a “BIG FOOT”’ and will be showing for 5 nights only. Opening night is Friday 1 February at Monster Truck, Francis St. from 18:00-20:00. “BIG FOOT” also references the fact that the building where Monster Truck Galleries & Studios are was once a record shop and that LP’s take on the 1 ft x 1 ft size limit. The exhibition title also refers to the big wheeled iconic monster truck famous in the 80’s and Monster Truck/RHA’s big foot in the right direction for 2008!
Well, we weren’t TOTALLY wrong then, there is a reference to the big truck thingies!
Opening times: 01 Feb: 18:00-20:00, 02 Feb-05 Feb: 13:00-19:00.

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______Sunday __________________

SUNDAY AT NOON – CLASSICAL MUSIC
For all lovers of classical music: After a week’s break due to the centenary festivities, the Sunday at Noon concert in the Hugh Lane Gallery (Parnell Square North) is back. This week, the Amstel Saxophone Quartet will be playing Ian Wilson – Ghosts (2006), Alexander Glazunov – Quartet Op. 109 (1932), Jan P. Sweelinck – Chromatic Fantasy (arr. Bas Apswoude). The four saxophonists were all members of the Dutch National Youth Orchestra and decided to form a quartet where they could test the boundaries of the conventional saxophone repertoire of the time. The concert goes from 12:00- 13:00.

CONTEMPLATIVE MEDITATION
Susan Howard Lynch is running a meditation meeting again. It takes place on Sunday (03 Feb) from 12:00-14:00 in the Daydream Health Spa (5-7 Terenure Place Behind Brady’s Pub, in Terenure, Dublin). Here phone number is 087-988-6237. The event is free and some further information is provided here: meditation.meetup.com/460/calendar/7043877 and here www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=6531892982.
The meetings are suitable for Newbies and experienced practitioners and there will be no preaching or “convincing” done, it is just a learning experience.

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______Next Week_______________

CLIMATE CHANGE LECTURE
The Environmental Protection Agency is hosting a series of lectures on climate change. The seven part series has/will explore key aspects of climate change ranging from predictions and impacts, to its economic and political consequences. Speakers will include top international experts in science, economics and technology.
The series will continue with a lecture to be given by Professor Lucht, of the Potsdam Institute in Germany. The next lecture will take place on Tuesday 5th February in The Round Room, The Mansion House, Dawson Street, Dublin 2.
The lecture series is chaired by Dr John Bowman.
Schedule: 18:00 Refreshments and Registration, 18:30 Lecture, 19:30 Question & Answer Session, 20:00 Ends. The title of this fourth lecture is “A World Transformed
– The Consequences of Climate Change and Human Land Use”. Attendance is free, but advance booking is essential. Bookings and enquiries to: Clara Clark Tel: 01- 289 8533 Email: info@claraclark.ie (www.epa.ie/news/events)

CHINESE NEW YEAR
Next week is the Chinese New Year and there are a number of events and activities. (www.dublin.ie/arts-culture/chinese-new-year.htm) I will tell you more about the events for next weekend in the next Event Guide, but here are some events that happen during the week:

DRAGON BOAT RACE
As part of the Chinese New Year Festival, there will be Dragon Boat Racing on the River Liffey in Dublin on Wed 06 Feb at 12:00. The dragon boats will take to the River Liffey at the Sean O’Casey Pedestrian Bridge in the Dublin Docklands for a series of races from 12:00 to 14:30.
Participants in the event include media personalities, members of the local Chinese community and students from Trinity College and UCD, who will battle it out in traditional boating spirit.
The 98FM Thunder Bus and promotional team will also be dockside to cover the event live on air and distribute goodies to the spectators. This fantastic event, which promises to be hugely enjoyable for participants and spectators alike, is open to the public and is free of charge. Contact 01-6316100 for more information.

SPANISH FILM SCREENING – FLAMENCO
The Instituto Cervantes (Spanish Cultural Institute) will show the film “Polígono sur” on Wed 06 Feb at 18:30. The description says “An intense journey through the most troubled and most artistic neighbourhood in Seville, where old gypsies from Triana blend with new generations of artists. From this unusual melting pot comes a documentary that seeks to find the roots of the so-called “new flamenco” from that of traditional flamenco, pure flamenco, and the most avant-garde musical trends. As a tribute to “Pepe el Quemao”, a concert is organized where personalities of all different styles and ages come together and speak about the problems of their neighbourhood. We discover how music helps this fascinating but little-known group to live.” I expect that the film will be in Spanish, but most probably it will have English subtitles.
dublin.cervantes.es/FichasCultura/Ficha47008_16_2.htm

NATIONAL LIBRARY LECTURE
The National Library of Ireland Society’s annual JJ O’Meara Memorial lecture will take place in the NLI Seminar Room on Wednesday 6 February 2008 at 19:00. The lecture, entitled ‘Latin and the Mass: should we mind and does it matter?’ will be given by Prof. Eamon Duffy. Admission is by ticket only. Please contact Orla Sweeney at 01 6030244 for further details. I am not sure if the lecture is free, but if you ring that number, you will find out.

LAUNCH OF 2008 BEIJING OLYMPIC PACK
To mark the 29th Olympiad, the Olympic Games in Beijing 2008, DCNYFA in association with UCD, DCC and the OCI will officially launch the 2008 Beijing Olympic Pack. The launch will take place in UCD Sports Centre in Belfield on Tuesday 5th February and will be followed by a small sports session for children from schools around Dublin who will gain experience of various Olympic sports.
Unfortunately no time is specified!

PROJECTS ART CENTRE – EXHIBITION OPENING
The Project Arts Centre in Temple Bar is showing “Handed Over” from Rosa Barba & David Maljkovic from 07 Feb – 15 Mar. I will write more about that exhibition next week, but let me tell you this week, that the exhibition will open with a reception at 18:00 on Thursday (07 Feb). The opening will be preceded by an informal discussion with the artists at 17:00.
If you are a regular reader of this Event Guide, you probably have read about my pure amazement when it comes to reading exhibition descriptions for the Project Arts Centre. The exhibitions are great and worth a visit, but the descriptions are unique! I understand the words, but am not much wiser after reading it than before. ..and they have done it again! :-) …read for yourself: www.project.ie/cgi-bin/eventdetail.pl?id=659
While you are on their website, have a look at all the theatre performances the Project Arts Centre is offering! They are not free, but definitely worth a look, maybe you find something that you like.

COMPOSITION SEMINAR FOR MUSICIANS
And finally a pre-announcement because you have to request tickets if you want to take part. It is very much a specialist event, but maybe it is exactly what you were looking for:
The RTE Living Music Festival will take place from the 15-17 Feb
RTÉ will host a celebration of Arvo Pärt, one of the most famous living composers. Pärt has accepted RTÉ’s invitation to attend, on what will be his first visit to Ireland.
The artistic director is leading Scottish composer James MacMillan. The three-day festival features a wide selection of music representing the breadth of Pärt’s distinguished musical career.
Pärt has attained exceptional public popularity within his own lifetime. He received five Grammy nominations between 1989 and 2003, winning the Grammy for Best Choral Recording in 2007 for Da Pacem, and was named ‘Composer of the Year’ by Musical America in 2005. His music has been used in over 50 films, including Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 9/11, Kevin Macdonald’s Touching the Void and Léos Carax’s Les Amants du Pont-Neuf. Closer to home, Spiegel im Spiegel is one of the most-requested tracks on RTÉ lyric fm.
On Sun 17 Feb from 11:00 a Composition Seminar will be held in the Lecture Theatre of the National Gallery of Ireland. The seminar will be lead by Ivan Moody and will be hosted by the composer Ivan Moody, with James MacMillan and Arvo Pärt in attendance. Ivan Moody will use a number of Pärt’s works, both vocal and instrumental, to explore issues relating to the setting of texts and the concept of the ‘spiritual’ in music. The seminar will include an opportunity for questions and answers. Limited number of free tickets available. Admission strictly by ticket only.
To apply please email music@rte.ie
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If you managed to read to the end of this week’s Dublin Event Guide, then I whisper something else in your ear. ;-) We, i.e. the Dublin Event Guide Community, and that includes you, might be mentioned in this Sunday’s “Sunday Times” newspaper! Kathy Foley, who is part of the Event Guide Community, is writing a regular column for the Sunday Times and will write about facebook. She might mention the Dublin Event Guide facebook group, so keep an eye out for it. ;-)

Don’t forget to send your mail for the new competition and have a super weekend!

–Joerg

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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. ;-)
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