Your guide to live, work, invest & study in Dublin

live

Always Brighter Stories

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.

whats-on

St. Patrick’s Festival

As the one national holiday that is celebrated in more countries around the world than any other, St. Patrick's Day is the day when everyone wants to be Irish. What better way to spend it than over five fun-filled days in Dublin at St. Patrick's Festival from 15th-19th March? The festival sets out to seize that opportunity, and completely transform the national and international perception of St. Patrick's Day in Dublin. This country is bursting with the kind of creative energy, ideas and enthusiasm required to make our national holiday an unforgettable experience for all.

invest

Dublin’s AI Landscape

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

What's on

Audrey or Sorrow

Abbey Theatre

In an old house somewhere in Ireland, a young mother watches over her sleeping baby. But, in Marina Carr’s dark and dangerously funny new play, Audrey or Sorrow, nothing is as it seems. Audrey or Sorrow will bring audiences on a shape-shifting, time-bending deep dive into a world of family secrets, unimaginable loss, ghosts behaving badly and the endless pull of the sea. The play exemplifies Marina Carr’s work to date: storytelling that tunnels deeply into the complicated contours of family dynamics; pushing the boundaries of love, power and desire. It will be the first of two wor

study

The Third Level: From Tarquinia to Dublin

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

Merrion Square Open-Air Art Gallery

live

Dublin Treasures – Merrion Open-Air Art Gallery

‘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

What's On

What's on

Being Brendan

Civic Theatre

A reading of a new play by Jim and Peter Sheridan will be staged to honour the memory and legacy of Brendan Behan. ‘Being Brendan’ is an unflinching portrait of the man that draws on his life and his work. It is by turns funny, irreverent and heartbreaking. It also features many of the songs that Brendan made famous in his plays and his impromptu performances. Musical Direction is by Sean Gilligan. Donal Fallon (Historian and Creator of 3 Castles Burning Podcast) will chat to Peter Sheridan and then open out the evening for the audience Q&A to respond to the play.

What's on

Aladdin

Bord Gáis Energy Theatre

One lamp, three wishes and infinite possibilities… Disney’s spectacular Broadway and West End musical ALADDIN comes to Bord Gáis Energy Theatre in 2024! Escape to a whole new world and experience this extraordinary theatrical event already seen by over 14 million people worldwide. Featuring the iconic music by Alan Menken, Howard Ashman, and Tim Rice – this exuberant production is filled with unforgettable magic, comedy and breathtaking spectacle!

What's on

Paul McKenna: Success for Life

Pavilion Theatre

• Do you want to access your true potential? • Do you want to increase your confidence? • Do you want more motivation and resilience? • Do you want more happiness and joy? Then this live coaching event is for you! Paul McKenna wants to help you achieve more of your true potential in every area of your life. He has spent decades working with sports stars, rock stars, movie stars and business leaders to help them become super successful. Now, it’s your turn. He has distilled strategies that you can easily learn that will give you the edge in life and make you more successfu

What's on

Himself and Nora

James Joyce Centre

After the great success of Culture Night 2023, the James Joyce Centre proudly invites you to another performance of Jonathan Brielle’s acclaimed off-Broadway musical Himself and Nora on March 21st and 22nd at 7:30pm. The musical celebrates in song the love story of James Joyce and Nora Barnacle. Broadway writer and composer Jonathan Brielle shall be performing numbers from the show in person and will be accompanied by the Director of the James Joyce Centre, Darina Gallagher. This bawdy, funny, uplifting, and melodic musical, sings the contemporary love story of James Joyce, the brilliant

What's on

Ballet Ireland presents Bold Moves

O'Reilly Theatre

Experience exhilarating and dynamic choreography by internationally renowned choreographers Johan Inger, Ohad Naharin and Filipe Portugal in Ballet Ireland’s Bold Moves 2024. Feel the beauty, passion and energy in this incredible triple-bill this spring. Johan Inger created Walking Mad in 2001 for the Nederlands Dans Theater, and found inspiration in the statement by Socrates: “Our greatest gifts come to us in a state of madness.” The set design for this work is more than ever an essential aspect of its conception featuring a long palisade which dancers use as both a spatial divide t

What's on

Making A Show of Myself

Smock Alley Theatre

Back by popular demand, following a sellout run in November/December 2023, An Irish raconteur shares the most ridiculous, embarrassing, hilarious and tragic episodes of her life, showing there’s a story in every stumble – and a little magic in every story. Mary Kate explores how her lifelong fascination with story has shaped and sustained her and makes a compelling case for how stories shape and sustain the human race. Content Warning: Mild sexual reference WRITTEN AND PERFORMED BY Mary Kate O’Flanagan DIRECTED BY Will O’Connell

Our Stories

blue sky and sea at forty foot

live

The Forty Foot

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.

study

Life on campus for the international student

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.

live

The Flower Sellers of Grafton Street

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.”

invest

Profit with Purpose: Three Dublin Social Enterprises

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.

Ruth Johnson - Dublin City Archaeologist charged with protecting, managing and investigating our oldest heritage.

work

Ruth Johnson – Dublin City Archaeologist

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

invest

Startup Scene: WIA

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