Zombie street art

 

Dublin Book Festival 2023

 

https://dublinbookfestival.com/

karaoké night

Macnas Dublin 2023

 As part of the annual Bram Stoker Festival (https://www.bramstokerfestival.com/), the Galway based theatre company Macnas (https://www.macnas.com/ ) was back in Dublin for an Halloween parade.

Joyous

20 years..

Ham Sandwich in the Olympia for their 20 years together. As always joyous and festive.

The setlist :

Joyce and Kells

 A small random tour in Dublin city center to see (once more ) the book of kells.

Joyce.... in the street

Lettering Apprentice

Kells

More information here: https://www.visittrinity.ie/book-of-kells/

White poly jean

Another fantastic concert, with an artist I have long to see live for some time .... P.J.Harvey in the Olympia (Dublin). Haunting and theatric from the start, with some banger tunes to finish off

Haunting

guitar

Love

Update: see the setlist here: 

https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/pj-harvey/2023/3olympia-theatre-dublin-ireland-4ba2434e.html 

Franz Ferdinand - Collins Barrack - August 2023

 

Franz ferdinand

Franz Ferdinand owning Collins Barrack

So I went back to see Franz Ferdinand and they were fantastic like the last time I saw them almost 10 years ago back in Limerick.

You can see photography here.

[UPDATE] Franz Ferdinand setlit on the night

https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/franz-ferdinand/2023/collins-barracks-dublin-ireland-7ba5724c.html
   

 The supporting act Pillow Queen  was good 

Pillow Queen

 

Iris

 

Iris

From a new shop in Dublin: https://www.eyemazy.com

Rambling through Dublin - August 2023

 

Pulp - St Ann Park Dublin - 9 June

Class

Some videos from the concert ( not my recording), the start here, and the end there.

last waltz live olympia

Living nostalgia's culture to the full

last waltz live gig in the Olympia,👌🥳🙂👍

January 2023 : Wild Lights

 

Dublin Zoo: Wild Lights 2023

Dublin Sea Baths

Clontarf Baths re-open to the public (limited)

North Side Beach view

 

Dublin Wild Lights 2021

 Here we go again, another year another visit to the Dublin Zoo Wild Lights

This time around the world is the theme

See you next year...

Very slowly un-locking....

 

Dublin: Kid. Playgroups for toddlers.

Well Well Well it seems that being a Mamma you need to keep your little one entertained. The bigger they get, the bolder they get.  As we all know our fair Country isn't known for its 'nice weather' - so where do you go when it's raining it's pouring, the old man is snoring....

Playtime

Funky Monkeys Playcentre Dundrum 

This place is within the Dundrum Town Centre and is handy for me.  We went first thing in the morning and the place has two play areas - climbing frame and cars and toy area and a baba area.  There's a cafe and lots of tables, magazines and newspapers for the grown ups. Now there was an incident with my little one there and a bigger kid who was in the baba area when they shouldn't of been.  The Mother was more interested in her cafe-latte-a-cinco then looking after/disciplining her kid.  Having said all that it is a handy place to bring your little one, but parents/minders should look after their kids and TAKE RESPONSIBILITY for their little ones.  The staff were lovely and provided me with an ice pack for my little ones face.  Haven't been back after that incident but my little one has been there at a party and had a ball - a monkey ball!

More info here.

Leisureplex, Stillorgan

Toddler mornings here in Leisureplex - the 'bowler' and slot machine, videogame place.  Like Funky Monkeys it has soft play area with slides and a cage and tea/coffee place and seats.  There is a big area for smaller babas to run around or go on a trike etc. Admission is a fiver, so it's not that cheap.  When we stepped in I thought I was in Hollywood Nights Nightclub circa 1996 - all the dance toons playing.  'Call me Mr. Vain, Cottoneyed Joe..' - like a toddlers rave - good fun though.  Stick to the tea/coffee as the sandwiches leave ALOT to be desired.

St. Laurences Parish Centre, Playgroup

This playgroup is in the parish hall on Friday mornings. We don't get to go that much as it clashes with swimming, which is a shame as Gogo really likes it. It's only 2 or 3 eurons to get in and the great thing about here is that there is massive hall space for the little one to run around.  The toys are secondary to her.  Personally I think community groups like this are better as PARENTS are on their best behaviour, this makes such a difference to our children's experience. Tea/Coffee is available through the hatch of the parish coffeeshop.  The nice thing about here is that there's other stuff going on in the centre (like active retired groups), so kids get to see different facets of the community.

Panda Play Cafe, Ballsbridge 

This is a great place in the function hall of a rugby club.  They have a massive play area with all sorts of stuff and the added bonus here is that they have different events on every day.  When we were there a fella was doing a taekwon-do demo. for the kidlets. Not too busy either. There is an outside area here but it was rainy when we were there.  Tea/coffee and food available.  I have to commend them on the menu for kids - there are a few healthyish options. The only thing is check it is open before rocking up as I've been caught out twice when it was shut due to a function being on.  Horray for panda play!

Blackrock Library toddler mornings

This group is on on Wednesday mornings in a little room in Blackrock Library.  I have to say the strangest thing in the world for me is for people to be a different person on-line then in *real life.  I had arranged to meet another mammy here from on-line with her little one and when I arrived here she barely talked to me! That aside this is a grand group free play for kids to read books and play with broken toys. hahaha.

Dundrum Library toddler mornings

Monday mornings! Good way to start the week then some play in Dundrum library.  A little section is cordoned off upstairs for toddlers.  There's a babygate into it but my little one discovered that you can just climb under the tables for sweet freedom.  The stairs make me nervous as they are quite dangerous for the little ones and you have to Usain Bolt it after the little ones if they wanna take the stairs.  Like Blackrock Library there's loads of books and broken toys to play with. :)

Gymboree, Spawell, Templeogue

This is slightly different then the other groups as it's a structured group and you pay for the month, works out about a tenner a class.  I attended 'play and learn group'.  You get to know the other Mammy's and Baba's in the group and each week you introduce yourself and then there's a theme and developing different skills (including motor skills) is the name of the game.  Gogo really enjoyed this and I would love to return to see what she thinks of it now that she's older.  The thing is you have to make a commitment to join.  There's also music, sports and art classes here.

Oscar (from the wife Instagram account)

Street decoration #thebetaproject #dublinstreetart

A post shared by Tar Isteach (@tar_isteach) on May 15, 2017 at 11:26am PDT

Web resources on Dublin Kids Activities

Some very interesting resources on Dublin for kid activities.

 

• Playgrounds review: 
  http://dublinfox.com/
• Activity for kids in Dublin:
  https://www.dublincitymum.ie/events
• An expatriate experience with Ireland, nice ideas for kids:
  https://expatwithkidsindublin.blogspot.ie
• Another (French) expatriate, more adult and food related:
  http://www.frenchfoodieindublin.com/
• OWLS THE CHILDREN'S NATURE CHARITY 
  http://www.owls.ie/what-we-do
• A blog post, 3 days in Dublin with kids: 
  http://www.dochara.com/tour/itineraries/dublin-with-kids/
• Inspiration source from Lovin Dublin:
• https://lovindublin.com/best-of/the-ten-best-weekend-activities-for-kids-in-dublin
• https://lovindublin.com/sponsored/12-places-to-take-your-kids-in-dublin-where-you-can-catch-a-break
• https://lovindublin.com/feature/6-great-rainy-day-activities-for-kids-in-dublin

• An old Book:
  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2938194-the-adventure-guide-to-dublin

My Dublin bucket list

My irish Dublin bucket list, largely inspired by French Foodie ( See her's http://www.frenchfoodieindublin.com/2015/12/my-dublin-bucket-list.html )

• Kayaking on the royal/grand canal.
• Cycle along the royal canal. (grand canal too).
• Swimming at the 40 foot.
• Visit St. Valentine in Whitefriar Street Church.
• Visit the Teeling Whiskey distillery.
• See the Final of the Hurling GAA championship in Croke Park, if possible featuring Limerick - Might have to wait a long time for that one.
• Go to a show in the Abbey Theatre.
• See the deers in the Phoenix Park.
• Cycle in Phoenix Park.
• Cycle in Clontarf.
• Visit Jeanie Johnston tall ship and famine museum.
• Visit the National Gallery of Ireland. - the restaurant is very decent, but so far I have not been to the gallery itself.
• Visit the Dublin Writers Museum.
• Visit the Áras an Uachtaráin.
• Sail in Dublin Bay.
• Visit the Irish National War Memorial Gardens.
• Go see Roller Derby in Tallaght (National Basketball Arena)
• Go to the National Aquatic Centre.
• Yoga in Ranelagh / Yoga in the Park or Yoga by the sea (Sandymount ).
• Go to the Gravediggers pub.
• Hill walk up to the Hell Fire Club.
• Walk the Dodder all the way to Lansdowne road.
• Have a bite in the following restaurants:
• Super Miss Sue
• Anything suggested by French Foodie

And my completed ones:

• I saw the Book of Kells: the long hall of the library was way more awesome than the book itself - you can only see one page.
• Visit the Guinness Storehouse: Good one, especially for the very special treat of savoring a pint of Guinness while enjoying a 360 view of Dublin.
• Visit the Little Museum of Dublin: So much to see in this tiny space, a little capharnaüm-esque. I wish the museum was somehow bigger, and there were more signs telling the story of each artifact - maybe in audio format. The guides are excellent and full of stories... don't just go there to watch the items, the stories are what makes the whole experience exhilarating.
• Boating in Dublin Bay - cruise from Dun Laoghaire to Howth.
• Eat a Dublin coddle: not sure I got what so fantastic about them, nice dish, I will probably get it the next time I see it on a menu. Pity, it is so rare to find a place which serves them in Dublin. Maybe an additional excuse to go to the gravedigger.
• Go to Johnnie Fox's: fun
• Visit the Old Jameson Distillery: Quite disappointed to be honest, I enjoyed more the Bushmills tour.
• See a GAA match in Croke Park: seen a few hurling and Football, most notably on the St Patrick.
• See a rugby match in Lansdowne road:
• France and Ireland: It was friendly, and France won .... woot
• European Cup: ASM vs Leinster, and Clermont Won.... woot
• European Cup Final: ASM vs Toulon :( we shall not talk about Alesia...
• Visit the National Botanic Gardens: Excellent, especially for kids, there is also a lovely one in Wicklow.
• Visit the Dublin Zoo: Brilliant... will return soon, and more often, my favorites: the sea lions, the otters and the red panda.
• Visit the Glasnevin cemetery : the fascinating story of the place itself and then people stories, do the guided tour, learn how enemies ended up buried feet from each other. There is a documentary worth watching: "One Million Dubliners" directed by Aoife Kelleher.
• Visit the Irish museum of Modern Art: good one, the ground are excellent for kids running, and there is a tea room for mammy to relax.
• Visit the National Museum of Ireland: If only to see some of the Eileen Gray stuff, or the military area, do take the trip to see the Asgard ship.
• Go to Forbidden Fruit.
• Go see the miniature model train in Marlay park.
• Visit and Buy a book in those brilliant bookshops:
• Hodges Figgis
• The winding Stair
• Have tea and tart in the Queen of Tarts.
• Visit the Archeology part of the National Museum - an amazing collection.
• Visit the dead animal museum - more interesting than i thought, but not buggy friendly.
• Visit Dublin Castle.
• Take a stroll along the great south walk wall, (poolbeg lighthouse walk).
• Take a stroll along the north bull wall (Clontarf).
• Have a drink in those pubs - highly recommended
• Izakaya
• Stag's Head
• Against the grain
• Anseo
• The Bernard shaw
• Have a bite in the following restaurants:
• Yamamori