When only words can describe: Football/The Heart's Yearning

Unitarian Church, 112 St Stephen’s Green W Mon 8.30pm 10 (Tea and cake will be served)

Tea and cake – and two cracking team selections – are on offer at the latest game organised by the brilliant Young Hearts Run Free collective.

Poet (and presidential hopeful) Michael D Higgins, novelist Belinda McKeon, poet Paul Muldoon, veteran sports commentator Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh and music writer Eamon Sweeney (Swench) are all togging out for the wordsmiths in this words-and-music clash in aid of the Simon Community, while singer-songwriters Margie Lewis, Barry McCormack (his new album, Small Mercies, is out) and Cian Nugent (also an ace guitarist) don the musicians’ jersey.

The Young Hearts have a terrific knack of coming up with themed evenings so intriguing that people are falling over themselves to get involved (well, that and the cake, and the fact that the proceeds go to charity). Some of the most memorable include DBC Pierre talking about New York Jewishness (which prompted Ivana Bacik to warmly declare her dislike for Woody Allen) and David Norris talking about boxing.

Given that donations to Simon dropped 38 per cent over the past year, and that their services are more in demand than ever these days, this is a perfect opportunity to give them a few euro while enjoying a top-class friendly between first-division literary and musical teams.