HAPPENINGS

Parkruns at local venues 

All walkers and runners are welcome to take part in parkruns every Saturday at 9.30am at a number of local venues including Tolka Valley Park, St Anne’s Park, Fairview Park, Poppintree Park, Darndale Park, Father Collins Park, Newbridge Demesne and Ardgillan Demesne.  Parkrun is a timed 5k walk/run and is a completely free to participate community-based, volunteer-led initiative, and a great way to meet people and keep fit.

Junior Parkruns for four to 14-year-olds take place on Sundays at a number of venues over a 2km distance. For further details and to register, visit www.parkrun.ie.

Feast of athletics in Santry 

If you fancy seeing some of the top athletes in the world up close, get down to Santry this week. 

The annual Morton Games, which includes the most famous race in Irish athletics, the Morton Mile, will take place at Santry Stadium this Thursday, July 19.

This promises to be an exciting night of athletics packed into a compact international programme, which starts at 7.30pm. 

Enjoy a superb night’s entertainment for all the family, and admission is only €10 with under 16s going free.

Exhibition celebrates poet Heaney

The National Library of Ireland (NLI) has launched ‘Seamus Heaney: Listen Now Again’, a major exhibition dedicated to the life and works of the late, great Séamus Heaney, a Nobel prize winner for Literature.

‘Listen Now Again’ draws on the NLI’s Heaney archive, donated to the library by the poet and his family in 2011, and features original manuscripts, letters, unpublished works, diary entries, and photographs, as well as a number of personal objects. 

It is the first exhibition to be housed in the newly opened Bank of Ireland Cultural and Heritage Centre on College Green, Dublin.

Dublin Maker

This is a free to attend, community run event being held on Saturday July 21 in Merrion Square.

Dublin Maker takes the form of a ‘show and tell’ experience where inventors/makers sourced through an open call have an opportunity to showcase their creations in a carnival atmosphere.

Makers range from tech enthusiasts to crafters, educators, tinkerers, hobbyists, engineers, artists, science clubs, students, authors and commercial exhibitors.

They are of all ages and backgrounds, coming from all over Ireland and beyond. See www.dublinmaker.ie for more.

Festival of Curiosity

From Playful Days (family programme) to Curious Nights (adult programme) The Festival of Curiosity will create, produce and curate unique, visual and interactive cultural experiences that merge cutting-edge technology, design, arts and science in playful, immersive and curious ways.

With over 45,000 expected across 14 venues in the city centre, the festival is Ireland's annual celebration at the intersection of art, science, technology and design and has quickly grown to be one of the most exciting and innovative festivals of its kind in Europe.

It’s happening from July 19-22. See www.festivalofcuriosity.ie for full programme.

Friday Night Soccer

The World Cup might be over but things are just getting warmed up in the League of Ireland. There’s Premier Division action north and south of the Liffey on Friday, July 20, with Bohs talking on Bray Wanderers at Dalymount while St Pat’s entertain Limerick in Inchicore. Both kick offs are at 7.45pm. At the same time in the First Division, UCD host Galway United and Cabinteely welcome Cobh Ramblers.

Irish Youth Baroque Orchestra

Sixteen of Ireland’s finest young string, wind, and harpsichord musicians have been selected to play in this year’s Irish Youth Baroque Orchestra – a week-long music course where young musicians with a penchant for historical performance practice can hone their talents under the guidance of baroque specialists. The course will this year culminate in two concerts, with one taking place on July 21 at 5pm in St Ann’s Church, Dawson Street.

Tickets will be available on the door (€15 / €10 concession). Full concert details can be found at www.iybo.ie.

The Playboy of the Western World

Directed by Kate Canning, Sunflower Productions present another classic after last year's successful run of Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest.

A small community in County Mayo is thrown into turbulence with the arrival of Christy Mahon, a mysterious stranger claiming to have killed his father. 

The local men aren’t sure if he’s a danger and the local women find him fascinating.

This Mill Theatre production will be in the round, seating is unallocated and booking is advised. 

Book now for August 16 to 18 at 8pm (Matinee Saturday, August 18 at 2.30pm and August 23 – 25 at 8pm, (Matinee Saturday, August 25 at 2.30pm). Bookings: www.milltheatre.ie  01-2969340

Follies (Encore Screening)

Stephen Sondheim’s legendary musical has been staged at the National Theatre and now you can relive the magic on the big screen!

New York, 1971. There’s a party on the stage of the Weismann Theatre. Tomorrow the iconic building will be demolished. Thirty years after their final performance, the Follies girls gather to have a few drinks, sing a few songs and lie about themselves.

Tracie Bennett, Janie Dee and Imelda Staunton play the magnificent Follies in this dazzling new production. Featuring a cast of 37 and an orchestra of 21, it’s directed by Dominic Cooke (The Comedy of Errors).

Winner of Academy, Tony, Grammy and Olivier awards, Sondheim’s previous work includes A Little Night Music, Sweeney Todd and Sunday in the Park with George.

It opens on July 18. Contact the Pavilion Theatre, Marine Road, Dun Laoghaire on 01-2312929.