It’s not long now until the Culture Night is back!

This year, on Friday 24 September, a staggering 132 venues will be welcoming late evening/night visitors across Dublin. In order to run the event successfully, the Temple Bar Cultural Trust is currently looking for volunteers to help out as:

• Guides on the Culture Night buses
• Assistants at Information Points
• Assistant stewards with the outdoor events
• Assistants at the Temple Bar Cultural Information Centre

If you would like to get involved please download an application form and forward to volunteer@templebar.ie or contact 086 041 2613.

Still need to wrap my head around a few things but the main one is about Christmas, given the lightings are up and all. There’s only about 5 weeks left, give or take, before Christmas??? Where had the year gone to? I haven’t even start my gift shopping list! Yikes. While I contemplate on that, here’s a few things for your attention.

• Gosh, what happened with the WC Qualifier last Saturday? Why do we always have to do it the hard way? Never mind, on to Paris we go and the match had better be at least 2-0 to Ireland when the final whistle blows. Good news is, RTE will be airing it for us mortals who have to work and/or too broke to fly to Paris. Kick off 8pm Irish time.
• Dublin Bus has teamed up with 21 vendors around the city in Ticket Thursday initiative to give our pocket a little breather. On Thursdays November 12, 19, 26 and December 3, present any pre-paid Dublin Bus ticket at participating shops and enjoy some retail discounts (e.g. Cleary’s between 10 to 20% off, Muji 15% off), restaurant discounts (e.g. Wagamama buy 1 main course get 1 free), pamper discounts (e.g. €10 off hair cut) and cultural discounts (e.g. 2 for 1 ticket to Dublin Zoo). Click on linky above for more details.
• Yay, a new season of Opera Ireland is currently underway. The choices – between Macbeth by Verdi and Das Rheingold by Wagner.
• The Irish Film Institute is hosting its annual French Film Festival and this year it runs from 19 November to 29 November. If you are a fan of Jean-Pierre Jeunet (Delicatessen, Amélie) then don’t miss out on the opening film MICMACS.
• Last week, a series of Christmas lighting was up at Henry Street and its environs. Today, the lights on Grafton Street put everyone just that notch closer to the festive season. Last but not least, this weekend, the lighting ceremony of O’Connell Street will be taking place. A bevy of events are organised to start at 4.30pm on Sunday 22 November, with the lighting at 6.00pm.

That’s it for today. And come on boys in green – we want to have a real good reason to miss some work days next summer. Or better, to travel to South Africa! ;)

Oh yes, it’s March, and with Mo’s previous blog entry, he has duly reminded everyone that Paddy’s Day is not too far away from now. Are you all set for the fun and festivity in town, of which there are tons of events organised that are free for all!

A couple of things to bring to your attention. There will be an exclusive Paddy’s Day “Simpsons Irish Adventure” that will be broadcasted on Sky 1 and Sky 1 HD (I would have thought they’d broadcast it on RTE or something, to be more inclusive – Sky is not Irish!) and if you’re one of the many people who will be in town for the parade, look out for special Simpsons’ float, because Nancy Cartwright (the voice of Bart) plus a couple other producers of the show will be there too.

For family or even groups of friends, you can kick off the weekend with a trip down to the Dublin Docklands, where The Spheres will be entertaining the crowd with 4 scheduled shows. The shows are ticketed but free, and you should book for the ticket now before they run out. Apply online, and you’ll be asked to confirm for tickets at some stage so you can print them out and bring with you to Grand Canal Dock. From what I gather, maximum tickets that one can apply per booking is for 6 adults, 4 children.

For more event information of St Patrick’s Festival, visit their website, and for all those who wonders where the fireworks will be this year, it’s going to be down south in Waterford.