A few years ago, going home from work and oblivious to Culture Night happening all around me, I walked past the GPO and through the windows caught a glimpse of a Fisher King-like scene of people ballroom dancing inside. I stopped to watch. I think of it often when I walk past the GPO, that idea of music and dance in an unexpected place – culture night making a tourist of a native. You can live here all your life and never take a guided bike tour of the Liberties, see the crypt of Christ Church, visit the Dublin Buddhist Centre or notice the little stone dragon perched high over Moore Street. A chance to see a city in a different guise makes it sweeter to live in. Out of the thousands of possible nights you could plan, we suggest three possible routes.
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Temple Bar, Christ Church and Dublin Castle
You rejoiced in the grounds of Dublin Castle in May last year when the marriage equality referendum passed and want to know more about the history that led up to that point. Tonie Walsh, founding editor of Gay Community News and curator of the Irish Queer Archive in the National Library will be leading a tour of the gay history of Dublin city, setting off from Barnardo Square at Dublin City Hall.
Barnardo Square will be filled with the coloured light of short animations from Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board, broadcast outdoors. The programme will include home-grown features old, new, and award-winning such as Cathal Gaffney's classic Give Up Yer Aul Sins and Jack O'Shea's A Coat Made Dark.
At Dublin Castle itself, RTÉ takes over for the night, hosting an evening of arts and music with a live broadcast of RTÉ Radio 1's Arena, with Seán Rocks, in the upper courtyard featuring the RTÉ Concert Orchestra and special guests.
RTÉ Radio 1 programmes such as The Book Show will record before a live audience in the Coach House of Dublin Castle, RTÉ Documentary on One and Drama on One teams will host workshops and there will be a banter event in the Conference Centre with a panel of guests including the ever popular Rubberbandits Blind Boy on the theme "What would an Irish revolution look like in 2016?"
Just weeks after street artist Maser’s “Repeal the 8th” motif on the wall of the Project Arts Centre demonstrated the impact of a strong simple mural, artist Will St Leger will host a guided tour of Dublin’s street art, setting off from Temple Bar, revealing hidden gems that are born out of fun and fury alike.
Temple Bar’s Meeting House Square will be filled with dance and acrobatics from Aerial Cirque, and it’s not often you’re encouraged to wander down side alleys, but while you’re in the area, pop down Asdill’s Lane and have a look at the beautiful stained windows created by the Irish artist and illustrator Harry Clarke.
Outside Christ Church Cathedral, there will be the bustle of gourmet food markets, while inside a silent film screening will be accompanied by organist David Bremner. Storytelling for the kids will take place in the upside down of Christ Church, the medieval crypt beneath.
While you’re in the vicinity of what was once the medieval city-centre, take a look at St Audoen’s, the city’s oldest church, built in the 12th century. Home to the city’s Lucky Stone, the steps of the church are said to be haunted by the ghost of Darkey Kelly, Dublin’s first female serial killer, who was burned to death on Baggot Street in 1761.
If you’re curious whether Darkey Kelly was one of your own, professional genealogists will be on hand at O’Shea’s Merchant on Merchants Quay.
If you need a bit of a sit down, a selection of staged scenes from classic operas in the amphitheatre that is hidden in the heart of the Civic Offices on Wood Quay, with English narration for ease of understanding. Then for the delicious smell of old books, head up to 17th century scholars' library, Marsh's Library, a building unchanged since it was built 300 years ago, and see the "cages" where the readers were locked in with rare books.
St Patrick’s Hospital is also getting in on culture night. Set up with a bequest from author and patriot Jonathan Swift after his death in 1745, it was one of the first dedicated mental health hospitals built in the world. The hospital will host an emerging artists exhibition featuring artwork of recent graduates from the National College of Art & Design as well as an Open Mic Night of singing, poetry and dance hosted by cabaret diva, Miss Truly DiVine.
Trinity College and St Stephen’s Green
On Tara Street, inspired by the salons of Countess Markievicz and Lady Wilde, The Irish Times Womens Podcast will be hosting an evening of conversation with artists and academics discussing the importance of storytelling and the often lost histories of the women of Ireland. There are only a few spaces left, if you would like to attend please email thewomenspodcast@irishtimes.com
Also on the hunt for lost stories, the Women’s Museum of Ireland tour will be leaving from the front of Trinity College for a novel walking tour valiantly attempting to compensate for the absence of memorials of women’s roles in Irish political and cultural history.
Mary’s Bar on Wicklow Street is a relatively new addition to the Dublin pub scene but is on the site of the old Wicklow Hotel, where Michael Collins was a regular, spied upon by the head porter, Peter Doran, for the British authorities. The bartender of Mary’s wouldn’t be the first bartender to give his customers a history lesson, but here he’ll let you in on the finer details of the strange goings on in the Wicklow Hotel.
There will also be a talk from former UCD folklore lecturer Peter McGuire and then a trad session.
In 1774, only the wealthiest of aristocrats lived in central Dublin. How little things have changed. Powerscourt TownHouse Centre was once the home of Richard Wingfield Third Viscount of Powerscourt and his wife Lady Amelia Wingfield. Tour guides will remind you of the Upstairs Downstairs days in the rooms of the centre, when the Pygmalion Bar was one household’s bustling kitchen.
And staying with things Pygmalion, when George Bernard Shaw died in November 1950, he left a third of his royalties to the National Gallery of Ireland, calling it the "cherished asylum of my boyhood". On Culture Night, the cherished asylum is open late, with free guided tours of permanent exhibitions, family workshops and performances by The Tolka Hot Club.
If you haven’t seen the Freemasons’ Hall by now, you haven’t been trying too hard. Far from a secret society, it seems to revel in a bit of attention and the doors are flung open several times a year - but it is still worth a visit. Go in and have your Da Vinci Code notions vindicated as you wander through dark rooms heaving with sacrificial altars. Maybe.
Next head to Pembroke Row, where in Copyright House you can listen to live music from Ryan Sheridan and feel guilty about anything you’ve ever downloaded from the internet freebie fairies. Around the corner in Lower Fitzwilliam Street, the Chamber Choir of Ireland will be performing in the ESB headquarters – an often contentious building that stands in the place of 16 Georgian houses demolished for its construction in 1965.
Legend has it that Lord Ardilaun (Edward Guinness) who bought, landscaped and gave St Stephen’s Green to the Dublin public, insisted that the bandstand be located where it is so that the music would annoy Lord Iveagh, his brother, across the road in Iveagh House. Iveagh House is now the headquarters of the Department of Foreign Affairs so now only diplomats can be annoyed by rare bandstand music. On Culture Night, Iveagh House is open for tours in both English and Irish.
Also on the Green, the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland’s iconic building comes to life with a 3D animated light show taking viewers on a journey through the building’s history from its construction in 1784 to the events of 1916.
In the National Concert Hall, there are gamelan and percussion workshops through the evening as well as a pop-up choir, requiring no preparation on your part except your shower-singing spirit.
Later, organist Fergal Caulfield and the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra will be performing as part of Composing the Island, a festival celebrating classical music by Irish composers over the last 100 years.
Or if you're looking for something forward-looking, the Centre for Creative Practices at Dublin Institute of Design on Kildare Street is hosting the New Voices of Ireland series featuring work and performances from migrant and experimental artists of all disciplines, exploring the theme of division and cultures role in uniting divided cities and people.
Stoneybatter, Smithfield and beyond
Girls and Trains was inspired by Vladimir Lenin’s words to Women’s rights activist Clara Zetkin, “Your list of sins, Clara, is still longer. I was told that questions of sex and marriage are the main subjects dealt with in the reading and discussion evenings of women comrades . . . I could scarcely believe my ears , . .” The First German Electrophonic Orchestra are bringing German and Irish musicians called Clara to Clara. They will begin with a performance at Heuston Station at 4pm before heading off on the Galway train.
If you’ve done a bit of advance planning, you will be heading up to the Phoenix Park for a potter around the Áras, which is open for guided tours for the night (booking before Aug 31 was necessary). If not, not to worry, you’ll get in again when you do something worthy for the nation.
Instead, head down to the Smithfield Square spectacular. The square will be divided into dance zones, circus zones and art zones with interactive events, workshops, a 3D map of Dublin and food stalls. The evening will close with Firefly, a fire spectacle by Dublin Circus Project.
Twin-sister pop duo Heathers will perform live in the ambient Light House Cinema bar between 7pm and 8pm. No tickets required but spaces are limited.
Get your high vis on and join your guide at the Dublin Bike Stand in Smithfield Square at 6.30pm for a bike tour through Phoenix Park, Temple Bar and Liberties.
Around in Stoneybatter, those with a good eye for a photo might enjoy The Darkroom’s free photogram workshops. Or if the flexible clean-living of the Elbowroom is more your style, it si running taster yoga classes.
In Lilliput Press, Donal Ryan will read from his new book, All We Shall Know. From there, you can wind up to O'Connell Street, passing the old Smithfield fruit-and-veg markets, one of Dublin's least known architectural treasures and a place that is sadly neglected. It first opened for business in December 1892 and the fruit and fish embellishments in the red brickwork are a gorgeous lost detail.
Pop into the GPO for some live song and dance and send a free Culture Night postcard to someone too young to know what a postcard is.
Then head on up to the Irish Writer’s Centre and listen to conversation from Colin Barrett, Gavin Corbett and Tara Flynn. Or to put a spiritual slant on your cultural endeavours, the Dublin Buddhist Centre on James Joyce Street in Dublin 1 will host discussions on Buddhism in Quantum Physics and the Arts.
If you fancy a wander farther down the quays, the CHQ building has risen again, this time as EPIC Ireland – a timely new museum charting Ireland’s history of emigration, where visitors can explore stories and journeys of the roaming Irish.
Wicklow
At Russborough House, playwright and author Marina Carr will read a selection of her works and discuss her role in the creation of the Oratorio Mary Gordon, a choral and orchestral work interweaving events of 1916 with the mythology of Blessington Lakes, playing at the National Concert Hall in November.
Ashford Film and Television Studios, the home to the History Channel series Vikings, will be open for tours in the evening.
Tralee
Fergal O’Murchú and Ciarán Mulderrig will regale with songs and stories about their lives in music, and Siamsa Tire and Kerry County Council will reprise Catherine Young’s celebratory dance, Welcoming the Stranger.
An Ghaeltacht
In Gaoth Dobhair, An Chrannóg will host a showcase of new work created by Gaoth Dobhair’s leading writers, actors, storytellers and dramatists, Maire Wren, Eoghan Mac Ghiolla Bhríde, Áine Ní Bhreisleáin agus Seán Ó Maolagáin.
Galway
See where traditional Galway Hookers are built and renovated at Claddagh Community Boat Club at the docks. Meet the boatmen, have a guided tour and watch the work. Or also on a boating theme, The Bonny Roy at Claddagh Quay hosts an evening of music with singing trio Shiftwork.
Cork
Cork County Hall will be home to a Comic Art Exhibition and Q&A hosted by Marvel illustrator Will Sliney.
Cavan
Fresh from glowing reviews for her Glastonbury set, Áine Cahill will keep it local, performing in Cavan County Museum.
Mayo
Gnó Mhaigh Eo & Westport Smarter Travel are hosting a bike tour as Gaeilge of the cultural and culinary delights of Westport.
Belfast
Culture Night Belfast and Belfast Food Network partnering with Friends of the Earth, Big Lunch NI and GreenMan Packaging are planning to Feed the 5,000 with a dinner of biblical proportions. The mother of all dinner tables will be set along Donegall Street in Belfast city centre and a giant vegetarian curry, made from 1.5 tons of locally sourced surplus produce, and served on compostable plates, will feed the masses.
There will also be Chop and Bop events across Belfast the day before to prep all that veg while listening to some good tunes. Not only is this a hugely ambitious event, its also just downright kind. For full details of Culture Night events, culturenight.ie. Some events require booking. Details correct at the time of going to press, but please check details first as many events are added and altered.
