An Evening of Art, Music and Performance with the Hugh Lane Gallery
5-9.30pm; Hugh Lane Gallery, Parnell Square North, Dublin 1, 01-2225550, hughlane.ie; no booking required
An evening of art, music and performance inspired by modern and contemporary art through online and (subject to current guidelines) in-gallery activity, as well as opportunities to see the permanent collection and temporary exhibitions. Artists and performers include Asbestos, Felispeaks, Cora Venus Lunny, Teatro Sin Fin, Paul G Smyth, Sorca McGrath (Ships), Djackulate and Méabh Meir (Landless).
The Liberties Weavers: Live Demonstration
5-9pm; Fumbally Stables, Fumbally Lane, Dublin 8, 01-5298732, facebook.com; no booking required
The Liberties Weavers are a community group dedicated to bringing weaving back to this part of Dublin, which used to be at the heart of Ireland's textile production. Pop in to see and learn about various techniques, chat about weaving in the Liberties, and learn why there are no cows in Cow Parlour.
Do Fish Ever Get Seasick: Ulysses For Kids
6.30-7.30pm; James Joyce Centre, 35 North Great George's Street, Dublin 1, 01-8788547, jamesjoyce.ie; no booking required
You’re never too young to be introduced to one of the greatest books ever written. Through performance, song and storytelling, the James Joyce Centre will bring the child characters in Ulysses to life and explain the elements at the heart of the book: the importance of curiosity and learning to respect others; the trickiness of family relationships and love; and why everyone needs a place to call home.
Culture Night at the National Gallery of Ireland
5-9pm; National Gallery of Ireland, Merrion Square West, Dublin 2, 01-6615133, nationalgallery.ie; no booking required
The National Gallery goes global this year as it lights up its Merrion Square facade with the Drawing Project, in collaboration with the French embassy, featuring top international artists.
Dublin Holds My Mind
4-7.30pm; Bedford Lane, Temple Bar, Dublin 2, iconfactorydublin.com; no booking required
Responding to the poem Dublin by Louis MacNeice, this commission will see two live murals completed by Kevin Bohan and IIjin. Audiences can stroll by to watch the artists at work or join one of two street-art tours.
Mother Tongues
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Rua Red, a contemporary art space, will temporarily host the touring Interactive Museum of Languages for young people. Children can join the team to play games and learn about the many cultures of Tallaght. Through artwork, sculptures and spaces, the exhibit encourages children to interact with different letters and alphabets across languages.
Graft
3-10pm; various venues, Cork city, 021-4901844, facebook.com; no booking required
Graft is a programme of public artworks across Cork city by five contemporary Irish artists. Featuring newly commissioned work by Vanessa Donoso Lopez, Adam Gibney, Brid Murphy, Seoidin O’Sullivan and Linda Quinlan, and curated by the Glucksman and the National Sculpture Factory, Graft explores the city as a site of inclusive and innovative artistic practices.
Let’s Go Outside: Art, culture and music at the Quiet Man station
6-9pm; Ballyglunin station, Tuam, Co Galway, 087-9677732, eventbrite.com; free, booking required
Live performances of zydeco music and an exhibition of art in all forms. Make your way to Ballyglunin station to see the Barcelo Brothers band, who will transport you away with their zydeco music, infused with R&B, reggae, soul and funk, and socially engaged musical poetry. The station's platform will host this year's art exhibition, titled Amach Is Amach, from designers, sculptors, painters and performers from An Criu Collective.
Guido Fanzini’s Impossible Circus
6.30-7.15pm; Killarney House and Gardens, Killarney, 085-8017973, fanzini.ie; booking required
A circus tale of sibling rivalry, brotherly love and pogo sticks. The Fanzini Brothers, Guido and Ronaldo, have returned from Covid lockdown in Italy to their spiritual homeland of Kerry. Join them on Culture Night as they share the joy of live performance in this homecoming celebration.
An Evening with John Spillane
8-9:30pm; Muckross Traditional Farms, Muckross House, Killarney, muckross-house.ie; free, booking required
An evening of song and stories under the Muckross skies with John Spillane and band. John Spillane is a musician, songwriter, performer, storyteller and poet rooted in people, place and story.
De Bruir Leather Workshop Tour
4-9pm; De Bruir, Monasterevin Road, Kildare town, 087-6182290, debruir.com; no booking required
Leather atelier De Bruir welcomes visitors through its doors for a glimpse behind the scenes at the studio and view the collection of leather bags and accessories being handmade by Garvan de Bruir, and perhaps even try out some of the tools.
World Music Evening
6-9pm; Butler Gallery Gardens, Evans Home, John's Quay, Kilkenny city, 056-7761106, butlergallery.ie; no booking required
Butler Gallery celebrates Culture Night 2021 with a collection of music and dance from around the world. Maracatu Ilha Brilhante is an ensemble of percussionists, singers and performers from all four corners of Ireland, specialising in the beautiful songs and powerful rhythms of maracatu baque virado from Pernambuco, in Brazil’s northeast.
Farah Elle is a singer-songwriter whose music reveals the beauty in the ephemeral everyday. Farah has eclectic influences, including north African echoes from her Libyan heritage. The South Sudanese Song and Dance Troupe will entertain guests with traditional larakaraka music and dance of the Acholi people. Dance is a central part of Acholi cultural heritage and the group will use Culture Night to introduce this distinctive art form to Irish audiences.
Pádraig Rynne and Tara Breen with Jim Murray and Dónal Lunny in concert
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This quartet of creative folk musicians shape melodies from past and present into something dynamic, from the gentle to the rhythmical. The event will showcase Nasc, the new album from Co Clare musicians Tara Breen and Pádraig Rynne, who have been performing regularly since 2009; 2020 offered them the perfect opportunity to enter the studio with long-time collaborators Dónal Lunny and Jim Murray.
Outdoor Art & Culture Trails and Culture Hubs
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Limerick city will host a number of outdoor cultural hubs where audiences can prebook into live music-, literature-, art- and food-themed evenings, set in some of the city’s cultural outdoor spaces. The Milk Market, The Hunt Museum and King John’s Castle will all open their doors for the evening. You can take a self-guided tour of Limerick street art, take an audio tour of the poetry town, Adare, explore the work of contemporary visual artists in shop windows, navigate the human geography of the city’s laneways with a podcast or seek out new street installations for young and old across the county’s towns.
Creative Spark Pop-up Printing
6-8pm; St Helenas Park, Dundalk, 042-9385745, creativespark.ie; no booking required
Keep an eye out for the Creative Sparks’ new print bike in St Helena’s Park, where a bicycle has been transformed into a portable printing press. Anyone who goes to see the bicycle can create a free screen-printed tote bag.
Bodhrán Workshop
6pm-7pm and 8pm-9pm; Glenisland National School, Barnastang, Castlebar, 083-1003427, eventbrite.ie; free, booking required
In this interactive Irish music workshop everyone – even beginners – will get the chance to play the bodhrán along to famous Irish songs. Suitable for all ages.
Between the Lines: Traditional Music and Poetry Evening
6.30-8.30pm; Outside Custom House Studios, The Quay, Westport, 087-7633257,customhousestudios.ie; no booking required
A performance featuring newly composed music and poems interlaced with older songs and poetry. The Moynihan siblings will join forces with poet Ger Reidy to explore the themes of inclusion, human rights and diversity, which have been a constant in the music and spoken traditions of Ireland.
At the Castle, Roscommon
9pm-11:30pm; Loughnaneane Park, Roscommon town, 090-6637321, roscommonartscentre.ie; free, booking required
Emma Brennan’s film At the Castle will be projected on to the walls of the atmospheric ruins of Roscommon Castle, portraying a new dance piece performed and choreographed by contemporary dance artist Mintesinot Wolde. Live dance and music performances will also take place on the night, both on the castle grounds and at the amphitheatre of the adjoining Loughnaneane Park. Visuals and lighting will be projected on the walls by Algorithm Productions from dusk until midnight, enabling passers-by to view the projections and lighting spectacle after the live shows.Children’s
Treasure Hunt at King House
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Artists Naomi Draper and Kate Wilson were commissioned to enhance the experience of King House, in Boyle, for younger visitors, culminating in the creation of the cat and mouse treasure hunt.
Reality Ends!
8-9:30pm; Presentation Arts Centre, Convent Road, Enniscorthy, 053-9233000, presentationcentre.ie; free, booking required
A night of cabaret-style performance, spoken word, experimental theatre and alternative drag performance with multimedia artist Kitsch Doom. Kitsch is inspired by theories on gender, sociology and posthumanism.
Poetry Town Laureate Event
7.30-8.30pm; Bray bandstand, Bray seafront, eventbrite.com; free, booking required
As part of Poetry Town, there will be an outdoor hour-long performance of poetry and music on the Culture Night stage in Bray. The night will feature performances by strong female voices in poetry and spoken word, including Bray poetry town laureate Kayssie K and the poets Jane Clarke and Nell Regan, plus music by singer-songwriter Amy Barrett. The town poem written for Bray by Kayssie K will be unveiled at this event.
