The Dublin Community Blog

The good people of Dublin hit the streets of Dublin in their thousands over the weekend to check out the Street Performance World Championships. We made it along but not quite in time to participate in the world record attempt. From what I read on Twitter it seems like too many people hopped along! Congratulations to all who particpated in this wonky bit of history!

Congratulations too to the staff and volunteers at SPWC for organising another great free festival. We managed to catch JP Koala, Dr. Kaboom and Thom Sellectomy. We couldn’t get next or near last year’s winners, USA Breakdancers, but had we managed to catch them we would have missed our favourite this year, Dr. Kaboom so all’s well. Like last year the Festijeux were a big hit with three generations of our family and I eventually had to drag my father away!

If you haven’t already made plans for next weekend I would advise you to get yourself into Merrion Square, the earlier the better. Last year myself and my family had a great day out at the Street Performance World Championships in Dublin. It was so good on the Saturday that we went back for more on the Sunday. This event happens over 2 weekends – the first took place yesterday and Saturday in Fitzgerald park in Cork and from the tweets seemed to have been a big hit, regardless of the weather.While it was very busy last year, particularly on the Sunday, we were nearly always able to get a good view and we didn’t feel crowded.

Apart from the contiortionists, sword swallowers, breakdancers and acrobats SPWC are organising a world record attempt which we can all participate in on the Sunday. If you would like to break the world record for the number of people bouncing on space hoppers at the same time, your dream can become a reality on Sunday at 2pm. You just have to register by emailing worldrecord@spwc.ie.

The competition kicks off at 12pm on Saturday and the last performances are scheduled to take place at 6.30pm on Sunday. While most of the performers don’t take the competition too seriously, you can vote for your favourite act throughout the weekend. Make sure to bring along plenty of fivers or change to pay the performers. They do not get a penny except what they can persuade you to part with after their performance. Some of them are very persuasive!

The SPWC website includes maps (don’t worry about not being able to print it – they have plenty available at the event), timetables and lots of info about the competing acts. A favourite with the kids last year were the wooden games so we’ll see you there and challenge you to best us!

The Dublin City Soul Festival, which was launched in May 2007 was designed as a positive feel-great celebration for the people of Ireland. The festival is committed to promoting Dublin and Ireland as a major tourist destination, in addition to promoting community spirit.

Aside from the growing annual festival event which has attracted over 35,000 people annually, generating an estimated €6 million for the Irish economy they have also established a charity – the ‘Musical Youth Foundation’ (CHY#18624) which aims to provide musical instruments and tuition for underprivileged children.

In 2008, as part of their dedication to promoting positive activity within the local community the Dublin City Soul Festival launched the ‘Dublin Soul Awards’, designed to recognise the tireless work of volunteers and outstanding ‘Dublin Souls’ within the local and wider community.

They presented the inaugural Dublin Soul Award to Brother Kevin Crowley, founder of the Capuchin Day Centre in November 2008. Brother Kevin and his team of volunteers are serving over 500 free meals a day to homeless people in the city and is truly ‘an outstanding Dublin Soul’ and a worthy winner of the first annual Dublin Soul Award.

They are now seeking nominations for 2009…and would welcome any suggestions. If you know someone who regularly and selflessly gives up their time and invests their energy to help others, someone making a real difference to the lives of others within the local community please e-mail chris@dublincitysoulfestival.ie with some basic details and he will be in touch!

I also think that this would be a great opportunity to promote some of Dublin’s ‘good souls’ via the comments section of the blog below. Who knows, we may even do some feature pieces on those that we feel are truly stand-out and worthy of a mention.

Commencing next Saturday is this year’s Festival of World Cultures. Featuring the (un)usual mix of music, food, fairs, theatre, dance and street art from all over the world (and Ireland), this is a perfect occasion to hop on the DART and pay a visit to Dun Laoghaire. The foody that I am, I’m especially looking forward to the Feast Americana and the International Food Traders. You can download the full festival programme (PDF) here, and you can also become a fan on Facebook.

From June 2nd to June 7th, this year’s Dublin Writers Festival will be “celebrating the very best of Irish and International Writers”. The programme will feature many renowned Irish and international writers such as Val McDermid, Colm Toibin, Seamus Heaney and Melvyn Bragg in readings, talks and discussions. As our Lord Major says:

We’ll agree and argue, we’ll compliment and dissect the works brought before us but most of all we’ll value our writers and their contribution to our communities. Our Writers Festival allows Dublin to celebrate a living heritage of the written word.

You can find the official festival website here, the Facebook-group here and can listen to some podcasts as well. Unfortunately no more volunteers were needed when I applied last month, so I’ll be only there as a spectator this year…

Going to bend the rules here slightly, but, it’s St Patrick’s Day (in Oz already!) so that’s my excuse, and I’ll mention Dublin somewhere, promise!!

Attended the Paddy’s Day Parade here in Brisbane at the weekend, along with the younger brother and best mate. I was actually surprised by just how many people turned out (there were estimates of 30,000, which knocks the socks off London’s 10,000) and how good everything was. It was a nice balmy autumns day, temp hovering around the late 20′s and the sun shining and everyone out in shorts, not quite your typical Paddy’s day!!

There was a good mix of Aussie’s, Paddy’s and just about every other nation in the world around town to watch the parade too! St Patrick himself even turned up for the occasion, and in true Aussie style, traveled on the back of a ‘Ute’

But, just to remind us that we are Irish, and to ensure that we don’t miss home too much, about 10 minutes into the parade, the sky opened and the rain began! Now, being Irish we’re well used to rain, however, rain in Queensland is slightly different (warmer and a hell of a lot heavier) than anything we’re used to back in Ireland.

However, the bands marched on, and everyone continued to have a fantastic time. More photos below and at this link. Hope everyone, no matter what part of the world that they are in today has a fantastic day.