Arts & Culture

Dublin’s greatest treasures emanate from her books, literary tradition, and the ancient art of storytelling. Her love affair with words is woven into the living fabric of life here, from the mountains to the sea.

Late in D8 2026 A late-night music trail, supported by the Night-Time Advisor, was part of this year’s Culture Date with Dublin 8 festival that ran from May 4th to 10th. The Late in D8 series saw churches, distilleries, pubs and cultural spaces across the district host a diverse programme of live music, performances and after-dark events. Highlights includ

Dublin Nights Help Zone “The Nee Naw” Impact Report The six month pilot, delivered by Dublin City Council and funded by the Department of Justice, provided a visible late night welfare and medical support presence in Dublin city centre from July to December. During that period, the service recorded approximately 2,000 engagements, including 141 medic

Dublin City Council Night-Time Economy Strategy The Dublin City Council Night-Time Economy Strategy is a comprehensive plan designed to cultivate a thriving night-time culture in our city. By focusing on transport connectivity, safety, and cultural diversity, we aim to make Dublin a vibrant and inclusive destination after dark—offering something for everyone, from live performances to safe social spaces. Let’s elevate Dublin to be one of the best cities in Europe for night-time experiences Download the Dublin City Night-Time Economy Strategy (2Mb) or

The fashion industry accounts for almost one-tenth of all carbon emissions worldwide, and the waste it produces significantly impacts our environment. With the problem on track to keep growing, we have a part to play in the solution.

This is a dedicated section relating to the Night-Time Economy in Dublin, where you’ll find updates on what Dublin’s Night-Time Economy Advisor has been up to, along with various initiatives Dublin City Council is implementing to enhance our city after dark. Dublin by Dusk

Repurposing? Dublin is full of it these days. Old distilleries become luxury apartments, a former telephone exchange transforms into a supermarket, and an ex-railway station becomes a bar. Check out Bank of Ireland on College Green for an earlier and perhaps more noble example of repurposing in the city. Standing on the traffic island on College Green and looking up, it’s difficult not to be impressed. Surely this is t

‘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

As the city grows larger, the diversity of Dublin is growing too. As it stands, around a fifth of the city’s population hails from abroad. Large numbers of people from Poland, Romania, the UK, Brazil, Italy, Spain, France and Lithuania call the city home. Increasingly, migrants from across North America, Asia, Africa and the Middle East are settling in the city too. A new initiative for a changing city To reflect the city’s increasing diversity, in 2021, Creative Ireland and Dublin City Council – supported by the Gallery of Photography Ireland and D

“Dublin for me has always been a place to live. It’s always felt like a place where communities are, and a lot of it is not always obvious to the outsider. It’s a suburban city.” Ronán Hession is a Dub through and through. The author, musician, civil servant, husband and father was raised between Beaumont and the north inner city and now resides in Portmarnock. We sat down to chat about his creativity, grá for Dublin and what he’s looking forward to doing in the city post-lockdown. Ronán’s debut novel, Leonard and Hungry Paul, came out in 2019. In 2021, it was chosen for the

A different kind of museum experience No street in Dublin illuminates the history of the city quite like Henrietta Street. The vast houses on this cobblestone street have run the gamut from Georgian grandeur to tenement squalor within the 300 years of their existence. Today, Number 14 Henrietta Street has been restored as a museum. Recognised with a prestigious European Heritage Award / Europa Nostra Award in 2026, it tells the story of the house’s journey from being the grand residence of a family of four in the 1720s to becoming home to over 100 people by 1911. The research history

The Wood Quay Summer Sessions, run by Dublin City Council, are a series of free lunchtime gigs that take place every Thursday in July from 1-2pm in association with First Music Contact (FMC), Improvised Music Company (IMC), Music Network and Contemporary Music Centre (CMC). “When Dublin City Council came to us and asked ‘Do you want to programme some music for Thursdays during the summer?’ we said, ‘Why don’t we show all of Dublin’s music?'” said Angela Dorgan, CEO of First Music Contact. “Events like the Wood Quay Summer Sessions can help to bring artist