www.visitdublin.com
08 CALENDAROFEVENTS
Save the Date From unique and celebrated exhibitions, toys, trains, and Christmas concerts to getting your skates on, taking your seat at a great show and enjoying some exciting sporting action, Nuala Ryan takes you through some of the great events taking place in around Dublin this winter. As there is always an event or festival taking place, visit www.visitdublin.com for an up-to-date listing of what’s happening in Dublin and save the date!
NOVEMBER 28th October 2009 - 7th March 2010 The Hugh Lane Gallery is celebrating Francis Bacon’s centenary with the ‘Francis Bacon: A Terrible Beauty’ exhibition, which contains rarely exhibited paintings dating from 1944 and is The Hugh Lane’s first major showing of archival material from Francis Bacon’s studio. This material illuminates the methods and motives behind the work of one of the principal artists of the 20th century and offers a new understanding of Bacon’s work and artistic practice. • www.hughlane.ie
9th November - January 2010 Stay ice cool at the 7 UP Christmas On Ice which opens at the RDS and features one of Europe’s largest outdoor ice rinks with a massive 2000 square metres of real ice! • www.rds.ie 14th November - 22nd November Opera Ireland’s Winter Season 2009 presents five fully staged performances of Verdi’s Macbeth along with two concert performances of Wagner’s Das Rheingold from November 14th to November 22nd. • www.operaireland.com
1st November - January 2010 Get your skates on as Dublin on Ice at Smithfield is back open for business and this year’s rink promises to be the biggest yet with an ice surface of 1,000 meters squared. This family favourite will run until January 2010. • www.dublincity.ie
15th November Visit Clontarf Castle Hotel for the Dublin Toy and Train Fair. Enjoy a great family day out featuring a host of old and new toys and trains. Maybe even get some inspiration for your Christmas present list! • www.dublintoyandtrainfair.com
9th November - 14th November Take your seat is a nationwide, weeklong arts and performance running from Monday, November 9th to Saturday, 14th November. Avail of ticket discounts, special offers and free tickets to surprise events when you book to see a show at your local theatre, arts centre or music venue during this week. • www.takeyourseat.ie
22nd November Welcome in the Christmas season at this year’s Festival of Light. Enjoy street music and choir singing as well as a parade and pageant at this festive event which sees the Lord Mayor lighting the Christmas lights on O’Connell Street and which culminates with the lighting of a wonderful new tree on O’Connell Street.
DUBLIN TOURISM
28th November Enjoy some Christmas favourites at the Children’s Cultural Centre, The Ark, with Music at Christmas. Each weekend from 28th November to 20th December enjoy an hour of festive fun and hear traditional and original songs and stories that bring you and your family on a magical musical journey this Christmas. • www.templebar.ie 30th November The Senior Citizens’ Christmas in Dublin day takes place on 30th November. This special day will combine culture and shopping and will take you to some great attractions like the Croke Park Museum, Dublin Castle and the Dublin Writers’ Museum, not forgetting the all important shops and some other surprises along the way! Free tea and coffee available in Dublin Tourism Centre.
5th December Christmas season at Farmleigh House starts from December 5th and sees this special venue decorated in traditional Edwardian Christmas style, with food markets, storytelling for kids, flower arranging and plenty of singing to get you in the Christmas spirit. Open to the public at weekends during December, visit Farmleigh House and celebrate the Christmas season. • www.farmleigh.ie
DECEMBER
8th December December 8th has long been associated with the family. This year, why not take the whole family to Dublin and enjoy a great day out? Visit the Mansion House to see the opening of the live animal crib and the Christmas tree lighting. There will also be face painting, balloon modelling and other street entertainment taking place at the venue during the day. Look out for other great discounts around the city as Dublin celebrates this great family day. • www.dublincity.ie
3rd December - 6th December Top Gear Live 2009 is back in the RDS this December and is following up on last year’s sell-out World Tour with a spectacular new stage show and superb motor arena which features stunning prestige and performance models. Don’t miss it! • www.topgearlive.ie
8th December Dublin City BID and Music Maker on Exchequer Street will co-host a Free Music workshop for kids on 8th December. There will be drumming, percussion, guitar and song writing workshops for all the budding Bono’s and a talk from a top drummer on the day! • www.dublincitybid.ie
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