HAPPENINGS: A few things worth checking out around the city

Medal Society open day

The Medal Society of Ireland is holding an open day on Saturday, May 6, from 12am to 4pm at Knox Hall, Monkstown Village, Co Dublin. Visitors can bring, buy, trade, swap or get free valuations or identifications of medals. Contact Pat on 087-2447522 or Austin on 087-2344890 for more information. For more on the Medal Society of Ireland see www.msoi.eu.

WellFest 

A star-studded line-up of fitness experts has been announced for a health, fitness and wellness festival that takes place this Saturday and Sunday, May 6 and 7, at Herbert Park, Ballsbridge.

WellFest is about participation, feeling good and most importantly having fun. At WellFest you will get the opportunity to hand pick your own day of wellness from the large selection of classes, workshops and seminars on offer at the festival.

Tickets for the festival, which is being sponsored by KBC, are on sale now at www.wellfest.ie.

Sons of Molly Maguire 

‘Sons of Molly Maguire’, by John Kearns, will make its Irish Premiere at the Liberty Hall Theatre on Wednesday and Thursday, May 10 and 11 (8pm). 

In 1877, 10 Irish immigrants were executed for their alleged role in the deaths of mine owners, foremen and police in the Pennsylvania coalfields. Their hanging remains the largest mass execution in United States history, and is remembered as ‘The Day of the Rope’. All were accused of being members of a secret society called ‘The Molly Maguires’.

 A further 10 men would also hang in the following years, many of them proclaiming their innocence. John Kearns tells their story. Tickets cost €10. 

Darkness Into Light

Pieta House’s annual Darkness Into Light event continues to gather momentum every year.

The 5km walk/run will take place at 150 locations across Ireland and all over the world this Saturday, May 6, at 4.15am. To register, visit www.darknessintolight.ie.  

The main venue in Dublin, where it all started in 2009, is the Phoenix Park while there will also be events in Skerries, Malahide, Ringsend and Marlay Park. 

Margaret Clarke: An Independent Spirit

An exhibition re-evaluating the work of Margaret Clarke (1884-1961), a once well-regarded member of the artistic establishment, will run from May 13 to August 20 in the National Gallery of Ireland.

It will examine the development of Clarke’s style, from her time at the Dublin Metropolitan School of Art through to her later period when she produced a number of highly ambitious and striking paintings based on diverse themes.

The exhibition brings together a broad range of the artist’s work from both public and private collections and includes paintings, drawings, sketchbooks and archival material

Fanatic Heart: The Story So Far of Black 47

‘Fanatic Heart: The Story So Far of Black 47’ is set to screen at Dublin’s James Connolly Festival on Tuesday, May 9 at 8pm. Passion, poetry, and politics fuel this documentary about the legendary Irish/American rock band which spearheaded the genre almost three decades ago.   

Its beat-the-odds 25 year run could never have been predicted in the band’s early days playing the Irish bars in the Bronx to decidedly unreceptive patrons. It will be shown as part of the James Connolly Festival in The New Theatre, East Essex Street, Dublin 2.

Handel’s Radamisto

The Irish Chamber Orchestra joins forces with Northern Ireland Opera to present the Irish première of Handel’s Radamisto in Dublin from May 16. Radamisto is a story about political prisoners, asylum seekers, broken-hearted wives and grieving lovers. 

This majestic production explores themes of lust, vanity, and unrequited love, set alongside some of Handel’s most inspired and memorable music. One of Handel’s finest operas, Radamisto features some of Ireland’s foremost singers including Doreen Curran (pictured) star of Northern Ireland Opera’s Hansel and Gretel, Noye’s Fludde and The Flying Dutchman. Radamisto visits the O’Reilly Theatre Dublin on May 11 and 12.

For more information visit www.irishchamberorchestra.com or www.niopera.com.

Banff Mountain Film Festival

The Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour is returning to Ireland with an unforgettable evening of adventure films coming to the National Concert Hall, Dublin, on Tuesday, May 9.

Viewers can expect incredible cinematography, epic scenery, mind-blowing journeys and some hair-raising moments in the last wild corners of the planet. Plus there’s a free prize draw as well.

Tickets cost €14.50 (€12.50 concessions). The screening appeals to people of all ages – all they need is their spirit of adventure! See banff-uk.com/event/dublin/ for more details.

Dublin Sci-Fi Film Festival

Dublin Sci-Fi Film Festival is Ireland’s newest genre-specific film festival. In its inaugural year the festival will take place over the weekend of May 7-9 in Dublin city centre and comprise screenings of new features, documentaries and short films, along with classic science fiction and fantastic features from the vaults.

The festival opens with a 20th anniversary 4k restoration of The Fifth Element starring Bruce Willis and Milla Jovovich at 10pm on Friday, May 5 at The Light House Cinema in Smithfield. Full festival details at dublinscifi.com/.