Culture Night in Dublin

The original site of the Windmill Lane Recording Studios

Culture Night in Dublin

Culture Night in Dublin includes tours of Windmill Lane, Dónal Lunny at the Ranelagh Arts Centre, a free performances by the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra and a host of other music events.

In the final piece of our series on Culture Night, which takes place across the island on Friday, 21 September, we focus on music events happening in Dublin city and county. Since there’s so much on in the city — where Culture Night started seven years ago — we thought Dublin would warrant a seperate selection, organised by quarter, as in the official guide.

Below are the music events that have caught our attention, but feel free to add your own in the comments below. Admission to everything is free, but sometimes booking is advisable. There’s also a dedicated iPhone and Android app available for the Dublin night.

Heuston / Museum Quarter

The Joinery, 6 Rosemount Terrace, Arbour Hill, Dublin 7; 8pm
By day a set of artists’ studios, the venue hosts the Irish-Dutch band House of Cosy Cushions. The band have recently launched their most recent album, Haunt Me Sweetly, and will be continuing on to Clonakilty, Groningen and Amsterdam later in the month.

Historic Quarter

St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin 8; 5.30pm — 8pm
Hear the Cathedral’s own choir sing Evensong and take a guided tour of the Cathedral. Evensong is at 5.30pm, with tours running from 6.15 to 8pm.

Contemporary Music Centre, 19 Fishamble Street, Dublin 8; 5pm — 10pm
Curated by composer Karen Power, the Centre hosts this five-hour ‘happening’, with music being performed on all floors of the building, including the courtyard and the stairs. Cork’s Quiet Music Ensemble and the newly-founded Kirkos Ensemble will be in residence, performing dozens of works by Irish composers.

The Coach House, Dublin Castle, Dublin 2; 8pm — 10pm
Music Network present an evening of music in their flagship venue. The night opens with traditional flute, whistle, fiddle and pipe player Emer Mayock performing with the sean nós singer Nell Ní Chróinín. This is followed by a performance from the band Gato Azul, who feature musicians such as Francesco Turrisi and Robbie Harris, and who draw on various musical traditions from Brazil to Bulgaria.

Temple Bar and North of the Liffey

Oxfambooks, 23 Parliament Street, Dublin 2; 7pm — 10pm
A range of musicians, including Pearse McGloughlin, Keith Moss, Eric McGrath, Jon Ward, Jane Willow and Ellie MacMahon, perform in the shop window. Oxfambooks always has a great atmosphere on Culture Night because in a relatively small space, you’re right up close to the music. The shop also has an offer of 50% off CDs, cassettes and vinyl at the moment.

The Gutter Bookshop, Crow’s Lane, Dublin 8; 5pm — 10pm One of Dublin’s only surviving independent bookshops, the Gutter hosts a mixture of readings, art installations and music. It’s not quite clear what’s happening musically speaking, but it’s worth going along to browse the shelves alone.

North Georgian Quarter

Na Píobairí Uilleann, 15 Henrietta Street, Dublin 1; 6pm — 11pm
The centre dedicated to the promotion, education and research of the uilleann pipes is offering guided tours of its recently restored Georgian building. The tour includes the centre’s library and archive of pipes, as well as live performances.

St Patrick’s College, Drumcondra, Dublin 9; 7pm The violin and piano duo of Darragh Morgan and Mary Dullea (both of the Fidelio Trio) perform as part of their new residency at the College’s music department. The programme includes music by Arvo Pärt, César Frank and George Enescu.

Trinity College and Docklands

Royal Irish Academy of Music, 36 Westland Row, Dublin 2; 5pm — 11pm
The Academy will host a number of performances from current students over the six-hour period. Visitors will also be able to sit in on some open rehearsals and classes.

Windmill Lane Recording Studios, 20 Ringsend Road, Dublin 4; 5pm — 11pm
The recording studio, opened in 1978 and where artists such as U2, Sinéad O’Connor, Elvis Costello, Kate Bush, Lady Gaga, Van Morrison and Brian Eno have recorded, is opening its doors for the evening. A tour of the studios is completed with a live gig in Studio 1.

South Georgian Quarter

Ranelagh Arts Centre, 26 Ranelagh, Dublin 6; 5pm — 11pm
Dónal Lunny is performing with a band in the small shopfront that forms the Ranelagh Arts Centre. The evening also includes poetry readings from Anthony Cronin — there are also additional events in cafés and pubs throughout the village.

National Concert Hall, Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin 2; 6.10pm — 10pm
The National Concert Hall hosts three concerts, beginning with a free thirty-minute organ recital by Mark Duley at 6.10pm, with works by Mendelssohn, Sweelinck and Liszt, followed by a free concert by RTÉ Cór na nÓg at 7pm in the John Field Room. Then at 8pm, the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra perform the Elgar Froissart Overture, Schumann’s Piano Concerto in A Minor and Tchaikovsky’s fourth symphony. (Use the promotional code ‘nsoculture’ when booking for this.)

Centre for Creative Practices, 15 Pembroke Street Lower, Dublin 2; 9pm
This pleasant basement venue sees a performance by the newly-established guitar and electronics group Fractal — following a successful FundIt campaign, Fractal will start an Irish tour later in the year. The group’s members Anna Murray (laptop) and Philip Lawson (guitar) will play new music by Conal Ryan, Benjamin Dwyer, Fergal Dowling, Sebastian Adams, Francis Heery

Irish Traditional Music Archive, 73 Merrion Square, Dublin 2; 5pm — 10pm
A screening of Come West Along the Road, the long-running television series about traditional music, will run in the Special Collections Room, with live music by members of staff and others in the Reading Room.

culturenight.ie

Published on 21 September 2012

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