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Always Brighter Stories celebrates people doing kind, inclusive work in their communities. From volunteer groups to disability activists, social enterprises, charities and more, we’re spotlighting these stories to thank all Dubliners who make a positive impact in our city and county.
Dublin
One Dublin One Book is a Dublin City Council initiative, led by Dublin City Libraries, which encourages everyone to read a book connected with the capital city during the month of April every year. The One Dublin One Book choice for 2024 is Snowflake By Louise Nealon Eighteen-year-old Debbie White lives on a dairy farm with her mother, Maeve, and her uncle, Billy. Billy sleeps out in a caravan in the garden with a bottle of whiskey and the stars overhead for company. Maeve spends her days recording her dreams which she believes to be prophecies. This world is Debbie’s normal, but sh
As the founder of AI Ireland and the AI Awards, I’ve had the privilege of witnessing first-hand how technology serves as an enabler for problem-solving across various business sectors and societal issues. Far from the job-taking or sci-fi doom Terminator, it’s often portrayed as AI is a technology capable of human-like thinking and decision-making. It learns from data and evolves, thereby aiding in the resolution of intricate challenges and the automation of tasks. In November 2022, Generative AI like ChatGPT captured headlines, opening new possibilities for internet users’ everyday activities. When it comes to small and medium-sized enterprises (SME
Looking for stars? Try BIMM Spotted a famous musician in Dublin recently? There’s a fair chance they were coming out of TU Dublin’s school of commercial music – BIMM. Situated on Francis Street in Dublin 8, the British and Irish Modern Music Institute – or BIMM – holds regular masterclasses for its students with world-class musicians. Over the past decade, Imelda May, Danny O’Donoghue of The Script, Smashing Pumpkins drummer Jimmy Chamberlain and even Hozier have paid surprise visits to BIMM’s students. US singer-songwriter
Rachele Faggiani is the first-ever recipient of the Dublin Postgraduate Scholarship, co-funded and developed by Dublin City Council and Education in Ireland. We sat down to chat about her time in Dublin. What’s your name & where are you from? Hi everyone! I’m Rachele, I’m from Italy. I come from a small town called Tarquinia, just outside Rome on the seaside. Can you tell us a little bit about the course you’re studying? I’m a postgrad student at Trinity College, and I’m studying for an MPhil in
‘Would you like to take my card?’ On a sunny Sunday morning in early spring, we’ve accepted business cards from 16 artists having browsed their works on the railings of Merrion Square Park. A card is not just a card here – it’s a magic ticket for these artists, and many of their lives have been changed by the people who accept them. Merrion Square’s outdoor art market is a real Dublin institution. It was first formally regulated by Dublin City Council in 1985, but as some of its veterans tell us, they were tying paintings to the railings long before that. It takes place every Sunday from 10am to 6pm on three sides of the park, as dozens of
North East Inner City
The Five Lamps Arts Festival, located in the heart of the community in Dublin’s North East Inner City, was founded in 2007 by Roisin Lonergan, a former teacher from Marino College. We are a smart and resourceful community–based team working year-round with local people and professional artists to put culture, creativity and diversity at the heart of the area’s regeneration. Since its first edition, the Festival has grown to become a center for the creation and presentation of locally relevant, artistically ambitious works and is a highly regarded and much-loved part of the communit
Pallas Projects/Studios
Pallas Projects/Studios are pleased to present Lee Welch—In Praise of Idleness, the second exhibition of our 2024 Artist-Initiated Projects programme. This series of new paintings marks Welch's first solo presentation in a decade, following his celebrated exhibition at the Hugh Lane Gallery. In Praise of Idleness invites viewers to explore the nuanced intersections of idleness, introspection, emotion and the complexities of the human condition. Inspired by Bertrand Russell's seminal essay of the same name, published in 1932, Welch's collection of new paintings and works on paper offers a
3Arena
Cirque du Soleil is thrilled to announce its return to Ireland and the UK for the first time in six years with its newly revisited high-energy and high-acrobatic production OVO. An exciting Cirque du Soleil experience, OVO is a colourful intrusion into a new day in the life of insects; a non-stop riot of energy and movement. Through show-stopping acrobatics highlighting the unique personalities and abilities of selected insect species, OVO explores the beauty of biodiversity in all its contrasts and vibrancy. Loved by children and adults alike, OVO’s return to Ireland and the UK for its 2024
Smock Alley Theatre
A woman has entered the chat. Log into the world of the Incels: an online community of toxic men that blame women and society for their inability to have sex. That is, until one of them does hook up with a woman who invades their group meeting. And all hell breaks loose. Strap in as this wild satire turns over one of the darkest stones of the internet to reveal the strange fleshy humans wriggling underneath. Developed at Scene + Heard Festival CAST: Fiachra Corkery, GoblinsGoblinsGoblins, Niall Johnson, Jackson Ryan, Justine Stafford Strong language and mature content: references t
Glass Mask Theatre
A visceral new Irish play struts on to the immersive GMT stage. Directed by Johan Bark and written by acclaimed Irish playwright Elizabeth Moynihan - Celebrity is a romantic thriller set in Rome 1636 which explores the cult of ‘Celebrity’ during the counter reformation. Costanza Bonarelli is forced to become the muse of the most famous artist of that time Gian Lorenzo Bernini, becoming the most celebrated face in Italy as well as one side of the love triangle that may bring down the Catholic church. An exploration of the pursuit of fame and the often ensuing self-destruction. Directing,
National Gallery of Ireland
Explore the stained glass of An Túr Gloine in Dublin on this tour, led by Trinity College Dublin doctoral candidate Stephen Huws. Join us to uncover the beauty and history behind these works of art with expert insight into the intricate craft of stained glass. Walking from the Gallery we will visit several churches around Dublin to view work by all of the major artists associated with An Túr Gloine, inspired by our exhibition about the collective. • There will be at least 5km of walking on this tour with various changes in surface and trip hazards on public streets. Participants shou
It’s an addiction. It’s life threatening. It’s awesome. Huddling together in the bitter cold, on Friday the 13th, under a weak and feeble January sun, they all argue that there’s nothing better. Sure, there’s dramatic stories of nearly dying, but the group is adamant that the buzz is worth it. Great, they say, for the mental health. “It’s the perfect anti-depressant,” photographer Barry Delaney says. Listening to these Dublin swimmers, you hear the language of addiction, love and even religion. The perpetual appeal of Dublin’s Forty Foot Welcome to Sandycove’s famous Forty Foot and its crew of year-round swimmers.
Ireland might be a small country, but our universities and colleges are incredibly diverse. Every year, tens of thousands of students from over 130 countries come here to study.
Wrapped from head to toe against the hostile elements, surrounded by a riot of colour which cuts a sharp contrast with the grey February day, meet the flower ladies of Grafton Street. They say the ladies are “the heart and soul of Grafton Street” and what helps save the road from becoming just another English high street. You’ll find the ladies bringing both wit and colour to the corners of Chatham, Harry and Duke Streets. Tina Kelly tells us she’s been selling flowers all her life, starting off aged 12 helping her mother when Grafton St still had two-way traffic. She has seen a lot come and go from her perch on Duke Street. Tina tells Dublin.ie that one time she even met The Duke himself. “Yeah I met John Wayne.” “Sure I met them all,” she adds. “Sean Connery… I was talking away to him, Liam Neeson, Pierce Brosnan, Lisa Stanfield. I met an awful lot of them. And sure Eric Clapton, well I was talking to him on the street for nearly two hours and I hadn’t a clue who he was.” A natural born story teller, you can tell Tina enjoys the banter that comes with the trade. Many of the customers are obviously regulars as there’s lots of first name usage. Sister-in-law Susanne, who mans the Harry Street corner, says “you have to enjoy talking to people.” And in case we hadn’t noticed, she adds: “Now I would be a talker!” The Kelly name is synonymous with flowers on Grafton Street going way back, Susanne says. “Now I married into the Kelly family,” she says adding that she comes from a family of boxers. My grandfather was Spike McCormick.”
The importance of sustainable and social enterprises Making your startup or existing business sustainable or ethical is a smart, future-proof option. Customers are now much more informed and aware of the environmental impact of their purchases. A more sustainable product or service will create a positive brand image that will impact the bottom line of many businesses.
Dr. Ruth Johnson is Dublin’s City Archaeologist and she is charged with protecting, managing and investigating the city’s oldest heritage – much of which is underground. As well as conservation projects, Ruth has input into new developments across the city and a role in policy development advocacy. We spoke to her about how she works and what’s going on across the city – under the ground, in our oldest graveyards and in half-hidden houses. In conversation with Dr. Ruth Johnson Ruth began her career working on a community excavation project in Yorkshire, while doing her A-levels. This piqued her interest in archaeology and she went on to do
Conall Laverty is the founder and CEO of WIA, a start-up company that works with property owners and developers to deploy Internet of Things hardware to reduce cost and improve their buildings’ performance. WIA provides a simple way for people and things to communicate with just a few lines of code. With over 10,000 clients across 100 countries, it has attracted €1 million in venture capital funding with backers including Suir Valley Ventures, Enterprise Ireland and NDRC. As a result, Conall has become a key figure in the global Internet of Things ecosystem. Conall is one to watch. He h