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.

Update: Due to the bad weather this event has been cancelled this week.

To help you with your Christmas entertainment and Christmas shopping, the Dublin Event Guide (for Free Events) has a comprehensive list of all (free) Christmas Markets in Greater Dublin for you!

The first markets start on 22 Nov and the longest run is until 03 January.

Check it out at www.dublinchristmasmarkets.com and tell all your friends!

If you are involved with any Christmas Market that is not listed there, just send a mail to dublineventguide@gmail.com with the subject XMAS and I will look at your event and include it in the list if it fits.

Trinity College is running an Open Day for Leaving Cert students. 175 presentations, activities and tours take place over the day and more details can be found on the website below.

Admission is free.

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

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.

PLEASE NOTE: Due to the strong winds, the Food & Craft Market has been cancelled! However all indoor events are going ahead until 15:00.

————————–

Every weekend before Christmas (05+06/12+13/19+20 Dec) the Farmleigh House Christmas programme will bring you lots of things to do for the whole family.

Storytelling Sessions, Carol Singing, Puppet Shows and Barbershop Singers will take place and all is free. On Sundays, Horse&Carriage rides are also provided.

And on top of that, there will be a food and craft market every Saturday and Sunday from 10:00-17:00.

The full schedule can be found via the website below, or you can download the PDF brochure HERE.

To give you a rough idea, here is the outline of the programme for the weekend:

10:00-17:00 Food & Craft Market
10:00-17:00 Festive Crib
12:00-16:00 Christmas Puppet Shows at 12:00/13:45/15:30 (Duration: 30 min)
12:45-17:00 Storytelling for CHildren at 12:45/14:30/16:15 (Duration: 45 min)
— and it continues on Saturday with
13:00-15:00 Christmas Carol Singing
14:00-16:00 Festive Barbershop Meoldies with The Mellowchords
— and on Sunday the programme is slightly different:
13:30-15:30 Christmas Carol Singing
12:00-16:00 Festive Barbershop Meoldies with The Mellowchords (The times might be wrong!)
13:00-16:00 Horse & Carriage Rides

Please note: The Farmleigh House website says that from 15:00 on Saturday 05 Dec, Farmleigh House will be closed due to government business. This does not affect the Christmas events, but there won’t be any self-guided tours in the house after 15:00.

The Christmas Kingdom Market in Malahide will run until 03 January on the following dates 27-29 Nov/4-6 Dec/11-13 Dec (Fri 14:00-20:00, Sat+Sun 10:00-20:00) and then daily 18-23 Dec (10:00-20:00) and 26 Dec-03 Jan (10:00-20:00).

Visiting the Craft Village and the Food Village is free, Ice Rink and Santa Visit cost money.

Unfortunately the reports from others about the Craft & Food Village are not that great. Maybe the fact that the market only got a permission after last minute negotiations and after agreeing to a compromise and a scaling down is the reason for that. Or maybe it was never planned properly. We don’t know what the reason is, but it doesn’t sound as if the organisers of the Christmas Kingdom in Malahide will win a prize with their market. Pity!

“Design it” is an exhibition exploring design in a child’s world and it is part of Irish Design 2015.

The exhibition and a range of (non-free) events will introduce children to the process of design, illustrating how designers take an idea and then make it a reality.

The Ark have challenged five Irish designers to create new products for children, taking inspiration from iconic children’s toys, furniture and textiles.The Design It exhibition recreates each designer’s individual studio giving us a glimpse at their working practices, using their sketches, photographs and working prototypes, to reveal how they get from an initial idea to the final product.

Admission is free and no booking is required.

The exhibition will be open every Saturday from 7 Nov – 16 Jan (closed Sat 26 Dec) from 10:00-17:00. It will also open on Sundays 22 Nov & 6, 13, 20 Dec from 12:00-16:00.

The Dun Laoghaire Christmas Festival is this year taking place at the new location near the Maritime Museum. It runs from Thursdays to Sundays every week until 24 Dec.

With 20 stalls selling food and crafts, it is not one of the bigger markets but nestled between the new LexIcon library and the Maritime Museum it might have a better chance to create some Christmas atmosphere than the location at “The Metals” (near the Pavilion Theatre) was able to. Admission is free.

The Maritime Museum will also be involved this year and will host some events, but it seems that none of these events are free.

The outdoor children’s amusements that comes with Christmas in Dun Laoghaire will be on Harbour Plaza.

Opening hours of the market are: Thu+Fri 17:30-20:30, Sat+Sun 10:00-18:00

At George’s Dock and at the side of the CHQ building will be this year’s main Christmas market for Dublin. There is a Christmas Village (elsehwere you call that a Christmas Market!) and admission to it is free.

The market runs every day from 26 Nov-23 Dec (Mon-Fri: 11:00-21:00, Sat: 10:00-21:00, Sun 10:00-20:00).

The Christmas Market will be on the platform in George’s Dock and at the side of the CHQ building. The selection of stalls is not bad. The food, though is very limited. Plastic tents are not very helpful to create a Christmas Market atmosphere, but it could be worse. There are also a small number of pop-up-shops and some activities in the CHQ building.

There is a lot of good, but also bad about that market and you will find more in this week’s “This is Odd!” about it. Importantly: It is not the worst and has potential, so I suggest you check it out and decide for yourself!

PLEASE NOTE: Due to the strong winds, the market trrader have moved into the CHQ building for today, but the market is continuing!

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.

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 Christmas Bazaar will be one of Dublin’s biggest Christmas Markets this year. Not in the sense of “Christmas Market”, but more as a “Market at Christmas”. There will be all sorts of crafts, gift ideas and anything else you (or someone else) might buy around Christmas. It is a great event at Smithfield and the 120 stalls will attract thousands of visitors.

Admission is free.

Last year there was only one of these huge markets in Dublin, but this year we will have two. The first one is the Christmas Bazaar from 04-06 December and the second one will be the Dublin Flea Christmas Cracker Market from 11-13 December.

Home Decor and Design Shop “Lyón Loring” got together with like-minded companies in food and other sectors to create a boutique Christmas Market for you. It will run on 27-29 Nov, 04-06/11-13 Dec (Fri: 17:30-21:30, Sat: 11:00-17:00, Sun 12:00-16:00).

Admission is free.

Nigella Lawson will be signing copies of her latest cookbook “Simply Nigella”. Admission is free.

Five times this year the “People’s Art 2015″ 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 art works. 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 Smock Alley Christmas Fayre is happening this weekend on Saturday and Sunday.

The spectacular Banquet Hall will be full with market stalls selling everything from crafts and jewellery to clothing and books and there will also be mince pies, mulled wine and other homemade food goodies.

Admission is free.

The Teeling Whiskey Christmas Craft Fair will place on Saturday between 11:00 and 17:00.

The website lists the event (see below), but the Facebook Page doesn’t even mention it! That’s a little odd! But it is definitely going ahead.

Admission is free.

The Terenure Village Market has moved to Bushy Park and is from now on a weekly market.

The market has now grown to 40 stalls offering a whole variety of foods and crafts.

Admission is free.

Three free Yoga sessions take place in MVP in Dublin 8 every Saturday and every Sunday. The times are 12:00, 13:00 and 14:00 and the duration is 1 hour. At every session only 8 places are available, so get your bookings in early (you can book weeks in advance).

The sessions can be booked following these links:

+ 11:00-12:00
+ 12:00-13:00
+ 13:00-14:00

Classes are open level, so everyone is welcome. The Yoga Union is run by Love8.

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

The 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.

How does trauma affect the brain, the body, the national psyche or all three? How do buildings, bodies, artworks and stories record the traumas of our past? How do we bounce back after a trauma?

The exhibition “Trauma – Built to Break” (20 Nov – 21 Feb) in the Science Gallery is exploring the biological, psychological and societal aspects of trauma. As a sudden, violent, stressful event, trauma can be short-lived or long-lasting with impacts that range from deeply personal to universal.

Like all Science Gallery exhibitions, TRAUMA is suitable for all ages and while younger children might need some further explanation, there are lots of exhibits that can easily explained.

The Science Gallery mediators are helpers (usually students or graduates) that know the whole exhibition inside out and are very happy to help with a lot more information than the little labels at the exhibits can provide. Use their excellent service!

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.

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

The Luas Christmas Express will be parked at St. Stephen’s Green Stop and everyone is invited to board the tram for a magical Christmas experience. There will be festive entertainment on board including a choir, elves, a very special guest and more.

And for kids Luas has arranged face painting, balloons and photos with the special guest. After being entertained, you can enjoy some festive treats on the tram as well.

Admission is free.

Qigong is a traditional Chinese form of meditation coordinating slow flowing movement, deep rhythmic breathing, and a calm state of mind.

Come to this gentle Qigong practice outdoors on the Roof Top Garden of the Library (weather permitting) or indoors with a view of the roof garden. Suitable for all ages.

Admission is free and no booking required, but numbers are limited.

“These Are a Few of My Favourite Things” is the title of a Walking Tour that Emily Gallagher will run every Saturday. It will be an Alternative Arts and Culture Trail and she will bring you to “Dublin’s Best Cafes, Bars, Markets, Unusual Stores, Galleries, Theatres, Arts Spaces, and more! And hear some tales you’ve never heard before!”

Meeting point is at the Spire. The tours are free but donations are welcome and booking is required via myfavouritesdublincitywalktour@gmail.com or 085-2725095

An Intercultural Tour in Arabic Langauge with Community Ambassador Karma El Shawa will take place on Saturday.

Admission is free.

GLOW Fest is coming back to Smithfield Square in its second year. It is an event for the whole family and has themes of winter and light…and unfortunately this Saturday, the theme RAIN will probably have to be added to it.

Here is what you can expect:
+ Glow Tent with camp fire stories, music, comedy (14:00-16:00) and kids disco (16:00-18:00)
+ Fireflies: A light installation on Smithfield Square
+ Big Screen Pictionary
+ Glow Workshops
+ Outdoor Performances

Admission to all events is free. Find out more on the Facebook Page below.

And remember that the Christmas Bazaar is at Smithfield Square as well, so you can go to both.

PLEASE NOTE: Due to the bad weather, Glow has been POSTPONED to next Saturday 12 Dec.

Every Sunday until 05 December, 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.

The talk “Plant-hunters in Petticoats – a history of Irish women in botany” with Charlotte Salter Townsend will take place in the Botanic Gardens.

Women like Ellen Hutchins, Ireland’s first female botanist, Matilda Knowles, the first female curator of the National Herbarium and Lady Charlotte Wheeler-Cuffe, who collected plants in Burma will be discussed, who contributed to the world of botany at a time when ladies were much restricted in the pursuit of science.

Admission is free,

The personalised (!) short film “Santa & The Starkeeper” (5 min) will be screened every day at Dundrum Town Centre and the remarkable difference to other screening is that it will be screened on Ireland’s only Waterscreen (!!), which is in the Mill Pond at Dundrum Town Centre.

The screening will happen every 20 minutes from 16:40 until Christmas. Admission is free.

This is a weekly Saturday night live music event event downstairs in the Wine Cave of KC Peaches Cafe. Food will be served until 21:30 and wine, minerals & music will be available until later. Admission is free and a donation into a hat at the end of the evening is appreciated.

The Viking Project, a band from Dublin and Wicklow, are playing folk rock.

Admission is free.

The Jazz Cafe has live Jazz, Blues and Soul music performances every Saturday from 20:030-23:00.

This week Liza Nelson (vocals) and August Koorsgaard (piano) will perform.

Admission is free.

Jazz on the Green is now provided every Saturday in the bar of the Fitzwilliam Hotel. Admission is free.

This week Linzi McKeon (vocals) and Shane Smith (piano) will perform.

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.

Robert Coyle is performing his show “Being Wrong is Right with Robert Coyle” in Accents Cafe.

Doors open at 20:00, the show starts at 20:30 and finishes at 22:00.

Admission is free, but donations are welcome.

One Horse Pony from Cork are playing their acoustic Blues at this gig in Whelan’s.

Admission is free.

Blades Club are playing a gig in Whelan’s from midnight and admission is free if you arrive before 22:30 or if you sign up for the guest list.

80s Metal Band SHIFT are playing the midnight gig in The Mezz.

Admission is free.

To help you with your Christmas entertainment and Christmas shopping, the Dublin Event Guide (for Free Events) has a comprehensive list of all (free) Christmas Markets in Greater Dublin for you!

The first markets start on 22 Nov and the longest run is until 03 January.

Check it out at www.dublinchristmasmarkets.com and tell all your friends!

If you are involved with any Christmas Market that is not listed there, just send a mail to dublineventguide@gmail.com with the subject XMAS and I will look at your event and include it in the list if it fits.

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.

Every weekend before Christmas (05+06/12+13/19+20 Dec) the Farmleigh House Christmas programme will bring you lots of things to do for the whole family.

Storytelling Sessions, Carol Singing, Puppet Shows and Barbershop Singers will take place and all is free. On Sundays, Horse&Carriage rides are also provided.

And on top of that, there will be a food and craft market every Saturday and Sunday from 10:00-17:00.

The full schedule can be found via the website below, or you can download the PDF brochure HERE.

To give you a rough idea, here is the outline of the programme for the weekend:

10:00-17:00 Food & Craft Market
10:00-17:00 Festive Crib
12:00-16:00 Christmas Puppet Shows at 12:00/13:45/15:30 (Duration: 30 min)
12:45-17:00 Storytelling for CHildren at 12:45/14:30/16:15 (Duration: 45 min)
— and it continues on Saturday with
13:00-15:00 Christmas Carol Singing
14:00-16:00 Festive Barbershop Meoldies with The Mellowchords
— and on Sunday the programme is slightly different:
13:30-15:30 Christmas Carol Singing
12:00-16:00 Festive Barbershop Meoldies with The Mellowchords (The times might be wrong!)
13:00-16:00 Horse & Carriage Rides

Please note: The Farmleigh House website says that from 15:00 on Saturday 05 Dec, Farmleigh House will be closed due to government business. This does not affect the Christmas events, but there won’t be any self-guided tours in the house after 15:00.

The Christmas Kingdom Market in Malahide will run until 03 January on the following dates 27-29 Nov/4-6 Dec/11-13 Dec (Fri 14:00-20:00, Sat+Sun 10:00-20:00) and then daily 18-23 Dec (10:00-20:00) and 26 Dec-03 Jan (10:00-20:00).

Visiting the Craft Village and the Food Village is free, Ice Rink and Santa Visit cost money.

Unfortunately the reports from others about the Craft & Food Village are not that great. Maybe the fact that the market only got a permission after last minute negotiations and after agreeing to a compromise and a scaling down is the reason for that. Or maybe it was never planned properly. We don’t know what the reason is, but it doesn’t sound as if the organisers of the Christmas Kingdom in Malahide will win a prize with their market. Pity!

The Dun Laoghaire Christmas Festival is this year taking place at the new location near the Maritime Museum. It runs from Thursdays to Sundays every week until 24 Dec.

With 20 stalls selling food and crafts, it is not one of the bigger markets but nestled between the new LexIcon library and the Maritime Museum it might have a better chance to create some Christmas atmosphere than the location at “The Metals” (near the Pavilion Theatre) was able to. Admission is free.

The Maritime Museum will also be involved this year and will host some events, but it seems that none of these events are free.

The outdoor children’s amusements that comes with Christmas in Dun Laoghaire will be on Harbour Plaza.

Opening hours of the market are: Thu+Fri 17:30-20:30, Sat+Sun 10:00-18:00

At George’s Dock and at the side of the CHQ building will be this year’s main Christmas market for Dublin. There is a Christmas Village (elsehwere you call that a Christmas Market!) and admission to it is free.

The market runs every day from 26 Nov-23 Dec (Mon-Fri: 11:00-21:00, Sat: 10:00-21:00, Sun 10:00-20:00).

The Christmas Market will be on the platform in George’s Dock and at the side of the CHQ building. The selection of stalls is not bad. The food, though is very limited. Plastic tents are not very helpful to create a Christmas Market atmosphere, but it could be worse. There are also a small number of pop-up-shops and some activities in the CHQ building.

There is a lot of good, but also bad about that market and you will find more in this week’s “This is Odd!” about it. Importantly: It is not the worst and has potential, so I suggest you check it out and decide for yourself!

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.

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 Christmas Bazaar will be one of Dublin’s biggest Christmas Markets this year. Not in the sense of “Christmas Market”, but more as a “Market at Christmas”. There will be all sorts of crafts, gift ideas and anything else you (or someone else) might buy around Christmas. It is a great event at Smithfield and the 120 stalls will attract thousands of visitors.

Admission is free.

Last year there was only one of these huge markets in Dublin, but this year we will have two. The first one is the Christmas Bazaar from 04-06 December and the second one will be the Dublin Flea Christmas Cracker Market from 11-13 December.

A Christmas Market will take in the St. Anthony Parish Hall in CLontarf. Admission is free.

The Drumcondra Village Market is an arts and crafts fair in the centre of Drumcondra. There will be Food Stalls, Flea Market, Vintage Clothing, Arts&Crafts and a Pop-Up Record Store.

Admission is free.

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 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.

Five times this year the “People’s Art 2015″ 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 art works. 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 next Pure Vintage Fair will take place this week and it is what it says on the tin. A market/flea market for vintage items, which will take place on the first Sunday of every month.

There will be vintage clothes, furniture, collectibles, jewellery and many more vintage items. Sounds interesting and with 30 stalls, it is well worth a visit. There will also be food, hot drinks and a DJ.

Admission is free.

On Sunday at 11:00 Kids can learn about the connection between Santa and Robins and how you can help them survive the winter.

Admission is free, but booking is essential via 01 677 0095

The Smock Alley Christmas Fayre is happening this weekend on Saturday and Sunday.

The spectacular Banquet Hall will be full with market stalls selling everything from crafts and jewellery to clothing and books and there will also be mince pies, mulled wine and other homemade food goodies.

Admission is free.

Three free Yoga sessions take place in MVP in Dublin 8 every Saturday and every Sunday. The times are 12:00, 13:00 and 14:00 and the duration is 1 hour. At every session only 8 places are available, so get your bookings in early (you can book weeks in advance).

The sessions can be booked following these links:

+ 11:00-12:00
+ 12:00-13:00
+ 13:00-14:00

Classes are open level, so everyone is welcome. The Yoga Union is run by Love8.

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

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

Christmas at the Phoenix Park Visitor Centre means that at weekends from 28 November to 20 December, you can visit the live crib and on Sundays at 14:00 (and on Saturday 19 Dec at 14:00), there will be choirs performing (see here). Storytelling will take place on Sundays at 12:00 and Woodturning demos are also there.

Admission is free.

“Design it” is an exhibition exploring design in a child’s world and it is part of Irish Design 2015.

The exhibition and a range of (non-free) events will introduce children to the process of design, illustrating how designers take an idea and then make it a reality.

The Ark have challenged five Irish designers to create new products for children, taking inspiration from iconic children’s toys, furniture and textiles.The Design It exhibition recreates each designer’s individual studio giving us a glimpse at their working practices, using their sketches, photographs and working prototypes, to reveal how they get from an initial idea to the final product.

Admission is free and no booking is required.

The exhibition will be open every Saturday from 7 Nov – 16 Jan (closed Sat 26 Dec) from 10:00-17:00. It will also open on Sundays 22 Nov & 6, 13, 20 Dec from 12:00-16:00.

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.

Home Decor and Design Shop “Lyón Loring” got together with like-minded companies in food and other sectors to create a boutique Christmas Market for you. It will run on 27-29 Nov, 04-06/11-13 Dec (Fri: 17:30-21:30, Sat: 11:00-17:00, Sun 12:00-16:00).

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 The Clementi Sonatas IV with Fionnuala Moynihan, piano.

How does trauma affect the brain, the body, the national psyche or all three? How do buildings, bodies, artworks and stories record the traumas of our past? How do we bounce back after a trauma?

The exhibition “Trauma – Built to Break” (20 Nov – 21 Feb) in the Science Gallery is exploring the biological, psychological and societal aspects of trauma. As a sudden, violent, stressful event, trauma can be short-lived or long-lasting with impacts that range from deeply personal to universal.

Like all Science Gallery exhibitions, TRAUMA is suitable for all ages and while younger children might need some further explanation, there are lots of exhibits that can easily explained.

The Science Gallery mediators are helpers (usually students or graduates) that know the whole exhibition inside out and are very happy to help with a lot more information than the little labels at the exhibits can provide. Use their excellent service!

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.

A giant snow globe, balloon modellers, Santa’s Postbox, face painters and more are going on a Christmas Roadshow to Henry Street (near Debenhams) and Grafton Street (near Stephen’s Green Shoppinc Centre) over four Sundays from 13:00-16;00.
This is the schedule:

+ 29 Nov: Henry Street
+ 06 Dec: Grafton Street
+ 13 Dec: Henry Street
+ 20 Dec: Grafton Street

Learn drawing techniques, including line drawing, shading, perspective and decoration during these relaxed and informal sessions. Admission is free and no booking required. Suitable for ages 13+. Materials are provided

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!

An Intercultural Tour in Japanese Langauge with Community Ambassador Hiromi Anzai will take place on Sunday.

Admission is free.

Third Age Ireland are hosting an event with Christmas Gingerbread House competition on Sunday in the Clayton Hotel, Ballsbridge (former Bewley’s Hotel) as a fundraiser.

The event is a family day of fun with a and other fun and games.

If I understand the rules correctly, you can’t enter your Gingerbread House anymore if you have not registered with them before. But you are very welcome to come to watch and have the kids do some games and get their faces painted.

Admission is free. Find out more details on the website below.

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!

On Sunday people from the Middle Ages will be preparing for the feast of Christmas with music, food, crafts and skills that you can join in and enjoy.

There will be a Jongleur with his musical instruments, including a Hurdy-Gurdy, playing and singing medieval carols, dance tunes and songs. The Goodwives have a selection of sweetmeats and spices that will show how many of our favourite Christmas flavours began. The Chandler brings sweetness and light with wax from the honey bee and shows how candles are made, with the chance to make your own Christmas candle. The Cistercian monk will show the young how to write a fair hand with a goosequill pen. The Armourers are back with a selection of arms and armour for young squires to try on and get familiar with the heft of a sword. Pots and pottery will be explained, from the earliest pinch pots to the practical glazed ware used in everyday cooking and daily life.

Admission is free and no booking required.

Sounds really interesting! Bring your children! ;-)

Afternoon Jazz in Café en Seine. The Stella Bass Jazz Trio play every Sunday from 14:00-16:00 in Café en Seine in Dawson Street. Admission is free. A video is here www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8aKqtOB5S8

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

The yearly Big Smoke Winter Literary Cafe will take place on Sunday in Arthur’s Pub on Thomas Street.

It’s the highlight oin the Big Smoke social calendar and an opportunity for friends, students and teachers to come together, experience some wonderful music, prose & poetry and celebrate the season. The evening will be a mixture of readings from established writers as well as from the students & teachers.

Admission is free and open to anyone who wishes to attend.

“A Church With Music” is a recital to celebrate the restoration of the Dublin Unitarian Church pipe organ.

Some of Ireland’s highest regarded will perform on the newly restored pipe organ: Charles Pearson, David Adams, Robbie Carroll, Simon Stroughair and Siobhan Kilkelly.

Admission is free but booking is required via hello@dublinunitarianchurch.org However, since the event is already on Sunday, it is doubtful that your mails will be seen before it. So you could risk turning up at the Unitarian Church on Sunday even without tickets, but you might be told that the event is booked out.

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

During these workshops for 4 to 12 year olds, they will explore paintings, sculpture and architectural features through discussion and drawing.

Admission is free and no booking is required, but numbers are limited.

Brian Keary is a classically trained guitar player who also has experience of different styles / genres of music ranging from ragtime and folk to baroque and contemporary. He will perform in Sweeney’s (Ground Floor) on Sunday afternoon.

“Light Up A Life” at Our Lady’s Hospice & Care Services Harold’s Cross is a festive market with musical entertainmen, including folk musician Finbar Furey from 17:00. Free tea, coffee and soup will be provided.

Up to 7000 people are expected to this outdoor event.

Our Lady’s Hospice & Care Services Harold’s Cross and Blackrock is a care service from rehabilitation to end-of-life with 600 staff, 300 volunteers looking after 218 beds and caring for around 2000 people every year.

Admission to the Christmas event is free.

The personalised (!) short film “Santa & The Starkeeper” (5 min) will be screened every day at Dundrum Town Centre and the remarkable difference to other screening is that it will be screened on Ireland’s only Waterscreen (!!), which is in the Mill Pond at Dundrum Town Centre.

The screening will happen every 20 minutes from 16:40 until Christmas. Admission is free.

06 December is the 10th birthday of Ditial Rights Ireland, an organisation that fights for Open Internet, and Civil, Human and Legal rights in the digital age.

At their birthday party, there will be food and cake, as well as prizes and a very special announcement. Admission is free.

The Sweeney’s Dixeland Jazzmen play their weekly gig on the ground floor in Sweeney’s. 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 Gardiner Street Gospel Choir sings every Sunday from September to June at their “Gig in God’s Gaff”, a Mass in St. Francis Xavier Church at the top of Gardiner Street near the junction with Dorset Street.

The Gardiner Street Gospel Choir, one of the best known gospel choirs in Ireland will give you a chance to experience a mass with a difference. It is uplifting and inspiring and everybody is welcome independent from your level of religiousness or your relationship with the Catholic Church in other contexts.

Disclaimer: I am involved with the Gardiner Street Gospel Choir, so the description above MIGHT not be totally unbiased. But just take it from me, they are brilliant! ;-)

The Song Room will bring a variety of Emerging Talents to the Harbour Bar for live performances.

Admission is free.

Every Sunday this singer-songwriter night takes place in the Bleeding Horse in Camden St. from 8.30pm. It is an Open mic night and performers can just turn up and put their name on the list for that night.

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

“Rhythm Rocker at The Globe” is a weekly event on Sunday night in The Globe. Admission is free.

The Pavement Kings play Rockabilly from 21:00 and
DJs Popocorn Peete and Little Dakota follow from 23:00-01:30 with a white variety of styles (Rockabilly, Calypso, Soul, Rock ‘n’ Roll, etc).

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

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

To help you with your Christmas entertainment and Christmas shopping, the Dublin Event Guide (for Free Events) has a comprehensive list of all (free) Christmas Markets in Greater Dublin for you!

The first markets start on 22 Nov and the longest run is until 03 January.

Check it out at www.dublinchristmasmarkets.com and tell all your friends!

If you are involved with any Christmas Market that is not listed there, just send a mail to dublineventguide@gmail.com with the subject XMAS and I will look at your event and include it in the list if it fits.

Emily Gallagher will run a weekly “just for fun” photo trail where you get instructions to hunt for specific snaps around the city centre. Afterwards the symbolic significance to the snaps will be shared. The overall theme is “Get a glimpse of directions you may wish your life to take and discover decisions you may desire to make.”

Meeting point is the Meeting House Square.

Participation in the photo trails is free but donations are welcome and booking is required via egaldog@gmail.com or 0852725095

At George’s Dock and at the side of the CHQ building will be this year’s main Christmas market for Dublin. There is a Christmas Village (elsehwere you call that a Christmas Market!) and admission to it is free.

The market runs every day from 26 Nov-23 Dec (Mon-Fri: 11:00-21:00, Sat: 10:00-21:00, Sun 10:00-20:00).

The Christmas Market will be on the platform in George’s Dock and at the side of the CHQ building. The selection of stalls is not bad. The food, though is very limited. Plastic tents are not very helpful to create a Christmas Market atmosphere, but it could be worse. There are also a small number of pop-up-shops and some activities in the CHQ building.

There is a lot of good, but also bad about that market and you will find more in this week’s “This is Odd!” about it. Importantly: It is not the worst and has potential, so I suggest you check it out and decide for yourself!

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

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

“The First Irish Renaissance Scholar? The Case of Muiris Ó Fithcheallaigh (c.1460-1513)” with Jason Harris (UCC) is the next lecture in the “Centre for Early Modern History Seminar Series 2015-16”.

Admission is free,

“No Say No Way” is a a show by François Sarhan, performed by Jennifer Torrence.

“François Sarhan (composer/director) and Jennifer Torrence (performance) collaborate to create an evening-length solo production about reticence, obsession and the failure to execute. Through body, voice and ritual, Jennifer Torrence presents No Say No Way, a fascinating lecture-performance on the history, mystery, beauty, truth and transcendence of the iconic percussion instruments, the triangle.”

Admission is free.

The Book Launch of noevel “The Chains” by Pakistani writer Waheed Mohiuddin will take place. Film Maker Vanessa GIldea will launch the book.

Admission is free.

Brahma Kumaris is inviting to a free course on how to learn Raja Yoga Meditation from 07 Dec for three weeks every Monday.

T”he course provides a logical and practical understanding of the relationship between spirit and matter, as well as an understanding of the interplay between souls, God and the material world. The series of classes in this course will facilitate your inward journey in an efficient and effective way.” Facilitator is Catherine Kenny.

Song Cycle is a weekly Singer/Songriter showcase. The line-up is not always easily findable on the Whelan’s website, but admission is always free.

Every Monday the Woolshed Bad hosts “Al Porter’s Comedy Shed”. Admission is free.

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

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).

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

Donal Kirk and Anto Drennan are playing music from Lowell George Little Feat, Bonnie Raitt, Free, Bad Company, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Beatles, Bobby Bland, Vince Gill, Ray Charles, Etta James, Elvis, Ry Cooder, Dobie Gray, Guy Clarke, early ZZ Top, Dave Edmunds, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Willie Nelson.

Admission is free.

To help you with your Christmas entertainment and Christmas shopping, the Dublin Event Guide (for Free Events) has a comprehensive list of all (free) Christmas Markets in Greater Dublin for you!

The first markets start on 22 Nov and the longest run is until 03 January.

Check it out at www.dublinchristmasmarkets.com and tell all your friends!

If you are involved with any Christmas Market that is not listed there, just send a mail to dublineventguide@gmail.com with the subject XMAS and I will look at your event and include it in the list if it fits.

The Royal Irish Academy of Music is inviting to a Schubert Workshop for vocal & piano with international accompanist Iain Burnside.

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

Christmas Wreath Making for Adults with Aoife Munn will take place on Tuesday morning. Admission is free, but booking is required as there are only 10 places. You are asked to book with your local library if you live in Dun Laoghaire Rathdown.

“These Are a Few of My Favourite Things” is the title of a Walking Tour that Emily Gallagher runs on Tuesdays now as well. It will be an Alternative Arts and Culture Trail and she will bring you to “Dublin’s Best Cafes, Bars, Markets, Unusual Stores, Galleries, Theatres, Arts Spaces, and more! And hear some tales you’ve never heard before!”

Meeting point is at the Spire. The tours are free but donations are welcome and booking is required via myfavouritesdublincitywalktour@gmail.com or 085-2725095

At George’s Dock and at the side of the CHQ building will be this year’s main Christmas market for Dublin. There is a Christmas Village (elsehwere you call that a Christmas Market!) and admission to it is free.

The market runs every day from 26 Nov-23 Dec (Mon-Fri: 11:00-21:00, Sat: 10:00-21:00, Sun 10:00-20:00).

The Christmas Market will be on the platform in George’s Dock and at the side of the CHQ building. The selection of stalls is not bad. The food, though is very limited. Plastic tents are not very helpful to create a Christmas Market atmosphere, but it could be worse. There are also a small number of pop-up-shops and some activities in the CHQ building.

There is a lot of good, but also bad about that market and you will find more in this week’s “This is Odd!” about it. Importantly: It is not the worst and has potential, so I suggest you check it out and decide for yourself!

The Live Animal Crib at Mansion House is a yearly Christmas feature. It will be open from 08 Dec until Christmas Eve and is brought to you in association with the Irish Farmers Association.

And just in case you are worried: The animals in the crib are brought there in the morning and brought back home in the evening, so they are looked after well.

Admission is free, but donations for the charity “Mansion House Fuel Fund” are appreciated.

The opening on 08 Dec will start at 10:30.

All Together in Dignity Ireland (ATD) and Misean Cara will launch in Ireland the new Handbook “Make Human Rights Work”, launched at UN Geneva in September 2015. It is a set of United Nations principles on Human Rights and Poverty situations that has been translated into concrete suggestions for everyday people to take action.

Find the full programme and a list of speakers on the Eventbrite site below, where you should register to attend. Admission is free.

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

“Think Global Eat Local: Exploring local food solutions for healthy people and planet” is the theme of this one-day networking forum on 8 December.

Are you worried about food issues affecting your community and our planet in general? Want to encourage positive change by promoting sustainable healthy eating in your local community?

Come along if you are interested in gaining or sharing ideas for taking action to increase access to healthy, sustainable food at a local level.

Admission is free, but booking is required via this Eventbrite link.

The Irish School of Ecumenics, Confederal School of Religions, Peace Studies and Theology will host a public lecture by Professor Jake Lynch, Director of the Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies (CPACS) at the University of Sydney.

He will speak about “Does Peace Journalism make any difference?”

Admission is free. The room is G16.

Come to a “Drop in Maker Evening”, if you have an idea but need some help figuring out where to get started or what creative technologies might help bring the idea to life. Or maybe you just want to bounce your idea off someone else?

Creative Technology Curator Dr. Jake Rowan Byrne and other “makers” and members of the community will be there and keen to help out.

Admission is free and no booking required.

Milk and Cookie Stories is a story telling event for for anyone who has a story to tell, or wants to hear a tale told well, in a relaxed, friendly environment – a place with tea, cookies and friends.

Admission is free, everyone is welcome and stories of all kinds are welcome. If you would like to tell a story, just come along and sign up on the night, or “if you feel inspired to share your own home-baked goods with Dublin’s friendliest audience, we’ll also be having our awesome Bake-Off.”

At the December event the theme is “Oh No, Not again!”. www.facebook.com/events/1118559041495089/

The more the economic and social crisis intensifies, the more common beliefs about the people living in poverty spreads. Prejudices hurt and contribute to confining those who live in poverty into silence.

Bruno Tardieu, French delegate national for ATD quart monde from 2008 to 2014 and author of “Quand un peuple parle” tells the story of the movement “ATD Quart Monde”, which works to overcome the injustices of persistent poverty and social exclusion by bringing together people from all walks of life.

Admission is free, but booking is required via rsvp@alliance-francaise.ie with subject “ATD Quart Monde”

The public lecture “Why Commemorate Yeats?” by Professor Chris Morash (Seamus Heaney Professor of Irish Writing) and a reading of translations of Yeats’ poetry by contributors to ‘Regenerating Yeats’, a project launched by the Trinity Journal of Literary Translation, will take place.

Admission is free.

A special 2-part “Positive Thinking Course” will take place on 08+15 Dec at Brahma Kumaris.

Explore the power and influence of thoughts and the impact of positive attitudes on our lives and learn methods for being more positive and constructive.

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.

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

Live sessions with the Blue Moon Folk and Blues Collective are taking place every Tuesday at the Beerhouse. Admission is free.

The Folk Club in Whelan’s will bring you the best in Trad, Ballads, Americana & World Music every Tuesday. The line-up this week is on the Facebook Page below. Admission is free.

The Comedy Crunch is a free Stand Up comedy event every Sunday and 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).

Pete Cummins, Grammy award winning songwriter will play songs from his album “Crooked Highways”. Every Monday he and his band will be in the Leeson Lounge. Admission is free, donations are welcome.

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

Admission is free.

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

Every week there is a free pub quiz in Sober Lane, the new-ish pub in Irishtown. There are lots of other weekly events happening there too, check them out here.

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.

A totally unplugged Singer/Songwriter night (no PA, no microphones) with original music is taking place upstairs in Anseo every Tuesday from 21:30.

Please check on the Facebook Page below if the event is going ahead as it seems to get cancelled every now and then and if you want to play a 15-30 min set or just want to play one song make yourself heard via the same Facebook Page.

Admission is free.

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.

To help you with your Christmas entertainment and Christmas shopping, the Dublin Event Guide (for Free Events) has a comprehensive list of all (free) Christmas Markets in Greater Dublin for you!

The first markets start on 22 Nov and the longest run is until 03 January.

Check it out at www.dublinchristmasmarkets.com and tell all your friends!

If you are involved with any Christmas Market that is not listed there, just send a mail to dublineventguide@gmail.com with the subject XMAS and I will look at your event and include it in the list if it fits.

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 Creative Den in Rua Red runs free weekly drawing sessions on Wednesdays at 11:00.

At George’s Dock and at the side of the CHQ building will be this year’s main Christmas market for Dublin. There is a Christmas Village (elsehwere you call that a Christmas Market!) and admission to it is free.

The market runs every day from 26 Nov-23 Dec (Mon-Fri: 11:00-21:00, Sat: 10:00-21:00, Sun 10:00-20:00).

The Christmas Market will be on the platform in George’s Dock and at the side of the CHQ building. The selection of stalls is not bad. The food, though is very limited. Plastic tents are not very helpful to create a Christmas Market atmosphere, but it could be worse. There are also a small number of pop-up-shops and some activities in the CHQ building.

There is a lot of good, but also bad about that market and you will find more in this week’s “This is Odd!” about it. Importantly: It is not the worst and has potential, so I suggest you check it out and decide for yourself!

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

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

Author Marion Reynolds will talk about and read from her book “A Soldier’s Wife”.

Set during the tumultuous years between 1916 and 1922, “A Soldier’s Wife” is a compelling, dramatic exploration of love, loss, resilience and divided loyalties. It explores the effects that war and political upheaval can have on an ordinary family.

Marion will be in Rathmines Library on Wednesday 09 December at 16:00 and in Terenure Library on the same day at 18:30.

The lecture “A perfect duality? Irish medical missionaries in British India” is the next lecture in the “Centre for Contemporary Irish History Seminar Series 2015-16”.

Admission is free.

The “Havana International Language Exchange” is taking place every Wed from 16:30-19:30 in Havana Tapas Bar in George’s Street. There are many Spanish speakers and English-speakers are explicitly invited, but everyone else is certainly very welcome too, to meet for a chat to improve your Spanish or English.

The Clogh Writers Group Poetry reading session will take place. It will be accompanied by music from The Carlow Ramblers.

From a village in north Killkenny, The Clogh Writers’ Group have published a number of anthologies and members will read a selection of their writings, poetry and prose. The Carlow Ramblers will provide music, including a set dancing performance.

Readings will begin at 18:00 and there will be light refreshments from 17:30.

Admission is free and no booking necessary.

The “Medical Humanities & Health Initiative Seminar Series 2015-16” will continue with the lecture “Other Bodies: Late Medieval Tuscan Sanctity and the Body” by Dr Catherine Lawless (Trinity Centre for Gender and Women’s Studies).

Admission is free.

The Book Launch of poetry collection “Shafts, Shards” by Madeleine Grace is taking place.

Shafts, Shards is a collection of poems and it captures the journey of a woman observing and living in the changing city of Dublin and its suburbs, particularly Finglas where Madeleine Grace grew up.

Admission is free.

The talk “Cycle Ways in Ireland and the National Cycle Manual” by Seamus Mac Gearailt (Consulting Engineer, Director of Roughan O’Donovan Transportation) will take place on Wednesday.

Admission to the talk/lecture is free and all are welcome. Booking is required via ili@irishlandscapeinstitute.com

In the lecture Seamus will track the evolution of cycleway design in Ireland with examples of good and bad practice. He will also discuss current developments in the planning of a network of rural cycleways across the country.

The talk “Support for Start Ups and Researchers” with James Gillespie from Mintel will take place on Wednesday.

If you are interested in Consumer Behaviour, Attitudes and Trends OR Market Research OR Thinking of Starting OR Growing a Business OR a busy Business Student with projects to complete, then this event could help you.

Admission is free, booking is recommended on 01-8733996

This is an open mic night every Wednesday. Arrive, sign up and play. Admission is free.

The Goethe-Institut Irland and the Dublin architecture gallery darcspace present a series of films from various eras of German film history on the topic of cities. The films will be in German with English subtitles. Admission is free, but booking is required via info@darcspace.ie

The films are:
+ Berlin: Sinfonie der Großstadt (11 Nov)
+ Oh Boy / A Coffee in Berlin (18 Nov)
+ Unter Dir die Stadt / The City Below (25 Nov)
+ Alice in den Städten / Alice in the Cities (09 Dec)

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

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

Check the Facebook Page below for the line-up.

The Anseo Comedy Club, run by comedian Aidan Killian, takes place every Wednesday in Anseo (upstairs).

Admission is free, donations are welcome.

“The Song Room” is another open mic event. It takes place in The Globe in George’s Street at 20:30 every Wednesday.

“The Zodiac Sessions” is a regular open mic event from 20:30 in Bruxelles (between Grafton Street and Westbury Hotel) for unsigned musicians. Admission is free and there is a different line-up every week.

Bad Boy Jake are every Wednesday in the Gypsy Rose Rock & Blues Bar playing their rock, blues and American.

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

The Jazz Pigs with a classic multi-brass front line play a mix of Lounge, lively sixties Jazz and driving Funk. Every Wednesday downstairs in 4 Dame Lane. Admission is free.

Every Wednesday the Tetratonic Quartet will perform Jazz in Mother Reilly’s. 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).

To help you with your Christmas entertainment and Christmas shopping, the Dublin Event Guide (for Free Events) has a comprehensive list of all (free) Christmas Markets in Greater Dublin for you!

The first markets start on 22 Nov and the longest run is until 03 January.

Check it out at www.dublinchristmasmarkets.com and tell all your friends!

If you are involved with any Christmas Market that is not listed there, just send a mail to dublineventguide@gmail.com with the subject XMAS and I will look at your event and include it in the list if it fits.

At George’s Dock and at the side of the CHQ building will be this year’s main Christmas market for Dublin. There is a Christmas Village (elsehwere you call that a Christmas Market!) and admission to it is free.

The market runs every day from 26 Nov-23 Dec (Mon-Fri: 11:00-21:00, Sat: 10:00-21:00, Sun 10:00-20:00).

The Christmas Market will be on the platform in George’s Dock and at the side of the CHQ building. The selection of stalls is not bad. The food, though is very limited. Plastic tents are not very helpful to create a Christmas Market atmosphere, but it could be worse. There are also a small number of pop-up-shops and some activities in the CHQ building.

There is a lot of good, but also bad about that market and you will find more in this week’s “This is Odd!” about it. Importantly: It is not the worst and has potential, so I suggest you check it out and decide for yourself!

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

The Temple Bar Christmas & Book Market is an extension and expansion of the weekly (small) Book Market on Temple Bar Square. Craft stalls are added to the market.

It was planned to run on the three weekends 05+06/12+13/19+20 Dec, but because of the storms this weekend, the market on 05+06 Dec has been cancelled and instead moved to Thurs and Friday (10+11 Dec).

Admission 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.

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:

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A “Music Medley of Christmas Music” with Orla Shannon, Nicole Lahert, Lea Foersterling (Vocalists) and Accompanist Aileen Cahill will take place in the Central Library.

Admission to this Family Event is free, but booking is recommended via 01 8734333

“The Curious Taste for Caricature” is a lunchtime lecture by Dr Nicola Figgis (School of Art History & Cultural Policy, University College Dublin).

Admission is free and no booking required.

“Aspects of science fiction since the 1980s: China, Italy, Japan, Korea” is a research project on science fiction in East Asia and in the West. It involves essays on cultural studies, literary criticism, creative writing, and translation.

A number of talks will take place and all details are either on the website below or can be found in the PDF that is available via the website.

Admission is free.

From Thurs until Saturday 10-12 December the designer/maker-organised “Wilde Design Fair” pop-up event will showcase unique, original, Irish design-led Christmas gifts.

The personalised (!) short film “Santa & The Starkeeper” (5 min) will be screened every day at Dundrum Town Centre and the remarkable difference to other screening is that it will be screened on Ireland’s only Waterscreen (!!), which is in the Mill Pond at Dundrum Town Centre.

The screening will happen every 20 minutes from 16:40 until Christmas. Admission is free.

The Cow’s Lane Christmas Evening with Carols & Mulled Wine will take place on Thursday. Ceilúr, the Loreto School choir, will sing carols at 17:00 and there will be mulled wine & mince pies. Businesses are offering discounts and free demonstrations on the night.

Admission is free.

The Dublin Simon Community is inviting you to their “Simon House of Light” festival at the Powerscourt Townhouse Centre in South William Street, which is an important fundraiser for the Simon Community.

It is a three day festival (Thurs 10 – Sat 12 Dec) every day from 17:00-22:00 with music and light projections onto the front of the building. There will also be the Hamley’s Christmas Toy hunt, visits to Santa, live music, street performances and even some celebrity volunteers.

The live music performers that have been rumoured are Key West, Wyvern Lingo, The U-Band, Penrose, Lucan Gospel Choir, Culwick Choral Society. (Unfortunately the guys at the Simon Community are a little held back regarding their social media communication and haven’t told us who and when.)

Admission is free. Funds are raised through collections.

The Dun Laoghaire Christmas Festival is this year taking place at the new location near the Maritime Museum. It runs from Thursdays to Sundays every week until 24 Dec.

With 20 stalls selling food and crafts, it is not one of the bigger markets but nestled between the new LexIcon library and the Maritime Museum it might have a better chance to create some Christmas atmosphere than the location at “The Metals” (near the Pavilion Theatre) was able to. Admission is free.

The Maritime Museum will also be involved this year and will host some events, but it seems that none of these events are free.

The outdoor children’s amusements that comes with Christmas in Dun Laoghaire will be on Harbour Plaza.

Opening hours of the market are: Thu+Fri 17:30-20:30, Sat+Sun 10:00-18:00

Irish Aid and the Irish Forum for Global Health, in collaboration with the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, invite you to attend the 2015 Irish Aid Annual Professor Michael Kelly Lecture on HIV and AIDS. The lecture will take place at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and will be followed by a reception.

This year’s theme is:

Keeping HIV on the Agenda: Women’s Unequal Equality

Admission is free, but booking is required via info@globalhealth.ie

In their Spanish Film CLub Series, the Pearse Street Library is screening the thriller “25 Kilates / 25 Carat”. The film will be in Spanish and Catalan with English subtitles.

Admission is free.

A weekly Forro Night (Brazilian Dance) with a Forro Live Band takes place in the D-One Bar & Brazilian Grill every Thursday.

Admission is free.

On Thursdays from 18:00-20:00, the Little Museum of Dublin waives all admission charges thanks to sponsor Guinness.

Visit the museum and find out lots more about Dublin.

Prof David Fallows (Manchester University) will talk about “The 15th-century English Carol”.

Admission is free.

On Thursday Front Line Defenders and the Netherlands Embassy will join forces to celebrate International Human Rights Day.

You are invited to come to a the documentary screening of “We Are The Giant”. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2014 and tells the story of ordinary individuals in Libya, Syria and Bahrain who are transformed by the critical moral and personal challenges they encounter when standing up for what they believe is right.

The screening will be followed by a brief questions and answers session with a representative from Front Line Defenders who has worked directly with some of the protagonists, and there will also be a reception.

Admission is free, but booking is required via this Eventbrite page.

The Book Launch of “Harry Clarke’s War – Illustrations for Ireland’s Memorial Records 1914-1918” by Marguerite Helmers takes place.

“Ireland’s Memorial Records, 1914-1918 contain the names of 49,435 enlisted men who were killed in the First World War. Commissioned in 1919 by the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and published in 100 eight-volume sets, the Records are notable for stunning and elaborate page decorations by celebrated Irish illustrator Harry Clarke.”

Admission is free.

From October until February, the Italian Institute of Culture is running eight screenings of Italian Opera. The screenings starts at 18:30 and admission is free, but booking is required via iicdublino@esteri.it

The next screening is “Macbeth” by Giuseppe Verdi.

Introduction to the screening is by Deirdre O’Grady (Emeritus Professor of Italian and Comparative Studies, UCD)

“These Are a Few of My Favourite Things” is the title of a Walking Tour that Emily Gallagher will run next Thursday. It will be an Alternative Arts and Culture Trail and she will bring you to “Dublin’s Best Cafes, Bars, Markets, Unusual Stores, Galleries, Theatres, Arts Spaces, and more! And hear some tales you’ve never heard before!”

Meeting point is at the Spire. The tours are free but donations are welcome and booking is required via myfavouritesdublincitywalktour@gmail.com or 085-2725095

Every Thursday, the Xchange invites to a Language Exchange (19:00-20:30). Admission is free.

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

John Bleck and the Rats are a 6-piece band that plays a mix of folk, country and Americana.

Admission is free.

LOQ Thursday is an event with spoken word/poetry followed by Hip-Hop. The music headliners is hip-hop legend Nugget. SUpport comes from Mythill Grim

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.

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.

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

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.

To help you with your Christmas entertainment and Christmas shopping, the Dublin Event Guide (for Free Events) has a comprehensive list of all (free) Christmas Markets in Greater Dublin for you!

The first markets start on 22 Nov and the longest run is until 03 January.

Check it out at www.dublinchristmasmarkets.com and tell all your friends!

If you are involved with any Christmas Market that is not listed there, just send a mail to dublineventguide@gmail.com with the subject XMAS and I will look at your event and include it in the list if it fits.

From Thurs until Saturday 10-12 December the designer/maker-organised “Wilde Design Fair” pop-up event will showcase unique, original, Irish design-led Christmas gifts.

At George’s Dock and at the side of the CHQ building will be this year’s main Christmas market for Dublin. There is a Christmas Village (elsehwere you call that a Christmas Market!) and admission to it is free.

The market runs every day from 26 Nov-23 Dec (Mon-Fri: 11:00-21:00, Sat: 10:00-21:00, Sun 10:00-20:00).

The Christmas Market will be on the platform in George’s Dock and at the side of the CHQ building. The selection of stalls is not bad. The food, though is very limited. Plastic tents are not very helpful to create a Christmas Market atmosphere, but it could be worse. There are also a small number of pop-up-shops and some activities in the CHQ building.

There is a lot of good, but also bad about that market and you will find more in this week’s “This is Odd!” about it. Importantly: It is not the worst and has potential, so I suggest you check it out and decide for yourself!

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

The Christmas version of the Dublin Flea Market is much larger than the monthly market and with 120 stalls, the Dublin Food Co-op is not enough. The guys who organise the market found a venue in Dublin 8, but that fell through last minute (see Dublin News section of this Dublin Event Guide) and it looked bad for the market, but all was saved when a new venue was found on Thursday or Friday.

The market will now take place indoors in one of the buildings at the Point Village, opposite the Point Depot/3Arena.

Opening hours are Fri 11 Dec: 12:00-19:00 and then Sat+Sun 12+13 Dec: 11:00-18:00.

The Mart Christmas Market will only have 10 stalls, but there will be new traders every day, so you can come a number of times and get new ideas and buy great presents every time.

Expect Art, Design, Craft, Knits/Fashion and Jewellery.

The market will run for 8 days from 11-13 December and then again from 17-21 December (from 12:00-19:00 every day).

The Temple Bar Christmas & Book Market is an extension and expansion of the weekly (small) Book Market on Temple Bar Square. Craft stalls are added to the market.

It was planned to run on the three weekends 05+06/12+13/19+20 Dec, but because of the storms this weekend, the market on 05+06 Dec has been cancelled and instead moved to Thurs and Friday (10+11 Dec).

Admission 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.

Jerry O’Reilly will talk about “Early Classic Ballads In The Irish Song Tradition”. The talk will also feature a mixture of live and archive recordings. It will provide a background for a concert later on the same evening.

Admission is free and no booking required.

The three city centre contemporary art galleries, Project Arts Centre, Temple Bar Gallery + Studios and the Douglas Hyde Gallery are running their next guided walking tour that takes place across these venues on Friday. The tours introduce their current exhibitions to everybody who is interested. The whole tour will take about 60 minutes with 15-20 minute tours taking place in each gallery.

Beginning at Project Arts Centre, you will be introduced to the new exhibition Gretchen Bender. You will then be guided to the next venue, Temple Bar Gallery + Studios, for an introduction to Charlotte Prodger’s solo exhibition Stoneymollan Trail. Finally, the tour will end at the Douglas Hyde Gallery, where you will be guided through the exhibition of artists Serge Charcoune and Merlin James.

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

To mark the 750th anniversary of the birth of Dante Alighieri and to give you a chance to revisit his masterpiece, a reading of “Paradiso” will take place on Friday.

Admission is free and people are welcome to come and leave as required.

Ahead of performances in Dublin, London and New York in 2016, you will get a sneak preview of the Academy’s 2016 commemorative project, which will be artistically led by pianist Iain Burnside.

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

The personalised (!) short film “Santa & The Starkeeper” (5 min) will be screened every day at Dundrum Town Centre and the remarkable difference to other screening is that it will be screened on Ireland’s only Waterscreen (!!), which is in the Mill Pond at Dundrum Town Centre.

The screening will happen every 20 minutes from 16:40 until Christmas. Admission is free.

The Dublin Institute of Advanced Studies is celebrating their 75th anniversary and the talk “Mathematics vs astronomy in early medieval Ireland” by Dr Immo Warntjes (Queen’s University Belfast) is part of the festival programme.

Admission is free, but booking is required via this Eventbrite Link HERE.

The Dun Laoghaire Christmas Festival is this year taking place at the new location near the Maritime Museum. It runs from Thursdays to Sundays every week until 24 Dec.

With 20 stalls selling food and crafts, it is not one of the bigger markets but nestled between the new LexIcon library and the Maritime Museum it might have a better chance to create some Christmas atmosphere than the location at “The Metals” (near the Pavilion Theatre) was able to. Admission is free.

The Maritime Museum will also be involved this year and will host some events, but it seems that none of these events are free.

The outdoor children’s amusements that comes with Christmas in Dun Laoghaire will be on Harbour Plaza.

Opening hours of the market are: Thu+Fri 17:30-20:30, Sat+Sun 10:00-18:00

Home Decor and Design Shop “Lyón Loring” got together with like-minded companies in food and other sectors to create a boutique Christmas Market for you. It will run on 27-29 Nov, 04-06/11-13 Dec (Fri: 17:30-21:30, Sat: 11:00-17:00, Sun 12:00-16:00).

Admission is free.

The Irish Astronomical Society is inviting all amateur astronomers and their friends to their Christmas event that will include a talk on the “Trials and Tribulations of Amateur Astronomy” by Michael O’Connell and a poetry reading with a focus on the night sky by poet and IAS vice president Peter Denman. And if the weather is ok, there will also be some time for observing the night sky. Light refreshments will be available including mince pies and plenty of chat before a warm log fire.

Admission is free, but booking is required HERE.

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 weekly European Folk Dance Workshop/Session takes place in the Tap Bar every Friday.

The dances are French, Greek, Italian, Hungarian, Polish, Portuguese folk and traditional dances and everybody interested to join in or to learn is welcome. Admission is free, but donations (suggested: EUR 3) are very welcome

The Jumptones play Roackabilly from the 1950s.

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.

That’s some line-up if you like Bluegrass and Americana:

Prison Love and support Dublin Bluegrass Collective are in Sin E for a gig on Friday. And even if Bluegrass is not your thing, if you want to experience some talented musicians and singers, go to this gig.

Admission is free.

I wish I could go!

“Ska ‘n’ Reggae” is the theme in the Dive Bar (downstairs in Turks Head) every Friday. The Bionic Rats play live. followed by DJs until late. Admission is free.

The 10 piece Ska band “Gangsters” will perform live in the Grand Social for the “The Selecter” Aftershow Party. The Pauline Black led UK Ska legends “The Selecter” are playing in the Academy and afterwards the Grand Social is the place to go. Following the live gig will Ska Patrol DJs.

Admission is free.

Pop-Punk bands “Glassgears” and “Beware of You” are performing in Whelan’s “Midnight Hour”.

Admission is free if you are there before 22:30 or if you sign up for the guest list.