It comes as no surprise to people who live and work in Stoneybatter that their neighbourhood has been crowned one of the "coolest" on the planet. The northside enclave in Dublin 7 came in at number 42 out of 50 of the world's coolest neighbourhoods, according to the global travel and entertainment publication Time Out. Just two notches below Old Havana at number 40 and Melville, Johannesburg, at number 41, the neighbourhood was deemed the coolest in Ireland and among the top 50 'places to visit now', nudging out Bartok, Budapest, and downtown Miami at numbers 43 and 44. While Arroios, Lisbon, ranked at number one, the publication found "the village in the city" still retains its red-brick terrace charm alongside a "string of great new openings, from vegan cafes to hot new bars". Local councillor Nial Ring said: "It retains its village atmosphere and is loyal to its unique history and heritage. It has brilliant facilities - shops, places to eat, pubs etc where people interact on a wonderful social level." But it's not just a mecca for so-called 'hipsters' according to local artist Bob Byrne, who at 34 years old considers himself to be too old to be a hipster. "I'm cooler than a hipster," he joked. However, after living and working in the area - where he runs a mixed-media arts and music studio - for the past eight years, the Ringsend native said he was first lured to the area by cheap rent for his studio, as well as an eclectic mix of interesting and creative people who have made the neighbourhood their home. "We have it all; hipsters, graffiti artists, an electronic dance scene," he said.

Dublin City Council is plotting an automated system to keep public libraries open from 8am to 10pm, 365 days a year. It's put out to tender a contract worth up to €1.1 million for the development of a system called My Open Library, which will be initially rolled out at the Pembroke Library on Anglesea Road in Dublin 4. The Pembroke Library will be the first, but the contract includes the possibility at rolling it out at a further 20 libraries in the coming years. Under the plans, library users will be able to go in when staff are not there and still use the facilities and check out books. "The library [will be] strengthened as a focal point for community engagement," the council said.

There are great opportunities to explore the culture, architecture and history of The Liberties over the coming months with some amazing festivals animating the area through Autumn. Culture Night, Dublin Festival of History, IAF Open House Weekend and The Jonathan Swift Festival.