The Dublin Community Blog

The brilliant Halfset are releasing their 2nd album “Another way of being there” nationwide on October 3, and are celebrating this fact with the official launch party tomorrow night at the Sugar Club. I’ll be there. Who else?

The annual “Stranger Than Fiction” Documentary Film Festival takes place in the Irish Film Institute this weekend. There are some real gems showing. Some of my favourites:

The Blue Tailor
Greendale, Death of a School
Note by Note: The Making of Steinway L1037
Tory Island
Corridor#8
Annie Leibovitz: Life Through a Lens

Thats just a snippet of whats on. The IFI have done a fine job in their selection. Tickets available online here.

Now that everyone is in work it might be worth announcing that today is World Car Free Day.

Every September 22, people from around the world get together in the streets, intersections, and neighbourhood blocks to remind the world that we don’t have to accept our car-dominated society.

In previous years there have been events held around the city and street closures. Strange this year I have not heard anything about the event, especially seeing that we have the Green Party in government and I would have expected them to push days like this.

Has anyone seen anything in town or any street closures?

On a more serious note: besides the Talk-like-a-pirate-day there’s also the Dublin Culture Night on Friday.

Dublin’s first Culture Night took place in 2006 as an initiative led by Temple Bar Cultural Trust in association with the Council of National Cultural Institutions and supported by the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism, to provide a new and imaginative route for people of all ages to connect with the arts and cultural life of the city.

Since then Culture Night has grown to include over 100 of the city’s arts and cultural organisations with the vast majority opening until 11pm and their very own free events programme for young and old, which is expected to attract in excess of 100,000 people this year.

This year is also the first time that the Culture Nights expands to other cities, such as Limerick and Cork. So, if you want to spend Friday night with culture instead of getting drunk, this seems like a good opportunity – the cities gallerys and librarys are at your disposal all night long. A map (PDF) is here.

This Friday. Unfortunately I think there are no pirate parties in town this year.

There is a new camera club starting in Dalkey, called offshoot. The club will meet on a Monday night in Dalkey United’s Club House, on Hyde Road Dalkey.

The first meeting is 15th of September at 8pm

The plan is to have an energetic, proactive club, where everyone has the chance to get involved.

Photographers of all levels are welcomed

For more information, see the website www.offshoot.ie or contact Darragh on 0871204654

It’s that time of the year again. Over the next 3 days the festival will take place in and around Temple Bar.

Building on its strengths on an annual basis, Hard Working Class Heroes returns to the streets of Dublin over the weekend of Friday 12 th /Saturday 13 th / Sunday 14 th September for its 6 th consecutive year.

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This year, in addition, Ireland’s photographers are being called on to submit their finest shots for a chance to feature in a full Photographers Exhibition which is being curated by Ireland’s newest quality monthly magazine State.

You can find all information, plus the official festival-download charts over at the official website. This year I am really looking forward to the “Scottish Invasion”-part, featuring bands such as Sons and Daughters and Frightened Rabbit. And I am really delighted to anounce this on the 711th anniversary of the Battle of Stirling Bridge, hehe.

Oh I’m so excited. The first ever Dublin Art Fair takes place in the RDS from September 11th – 14th, 2008. Sounds like a great idea. I hope it gets many visitors.

Held across four days, the inaugural Dublin Art Fair 08 will host an eclectic mix of leading national and international contemporary art galleries. Housed in the historic setting of the RDS Main Hall, it will feature over 2500 works, ranging from the modern art masters to thhe latest generation of emerging art stars.

Open to all, Dublin Art Fair 08 welcomes established art collectors, new buyers, curator, critics, dealers and art enthusiasts to enjoy this exciting festival of art. Irish and international top gallery directors, curators and art industry insiders, will be on hand to provide a guiding hand to buyers.

Further information can be found on the Dublin Art Fair website.

Barrier Free Tolling on the M50 has been in place since August 30th last. Judging by reports since then, it appears that its implementation has been quite smooth. Of course, things might be different on the billing side!

If your still wondering how it all works, check out the following sites:

National Roads Authority
eFlow
Tag Compare

How has your experience been? Let us know in comments.