Temple Bar broadens its appeal

AN INITIATIVE to turn Dublin’s Temple Bar from an area for late-night revellers into a quarter appealing to all ages is being launched this week.

Temple Bar Cultural Trust hopes to attract more families, children and older people to events in the area by increasing the range and times of events in the area.

This will begin with its Midsummer Festival which will include children’s shows and a picnic on temporary grass in Meeting House Square.

It is hoped that more unconventional hours for cultural events in the mornings, afternoons and early evening will spread the appeal across generations.

“While the culture of the night epitomises the area we want to raise the bar in inclusiveness and access for as many stages of life as possible,” said Dermot McLaughlin, chief executive of Temple Bar Cultural Trust.

The idea for the new strategy came partly from research by the trust which revealed a “vanishing point at mid-40s” in people using the area.

Research by the ESRI showed that Irish people over 45 are significantly less likely than younger people to attend or take part in cultural events.

Mr McLaughlin sees this as cultural exclusion and an issue of citizenship.

For further information see www.templebar.ie.