This festival has a lot of history. This festival takes place on the hill of Uisneach, which is rich in history with human activity spanning five millennia. This festival is unique as it brings in some of the oldest traditions with some great music and festival fun. Uisneach is the location for the first fire to be lit in Ireland and to usher in the first dawn of the Summer it became a tradition to burn a fire first on the hill of Uisneach and then on the surrounding hillsides which sparked off festivities and celebrations throughout the island. There will be a market village with crafts and art on display, storytelling, poetry, theatre, a holistic village with some of the nation’s top healers and holistic health experts, historical tours and much more. Then of course, let’s not forget the main draw, not one, two, three…you get the idea, but SIX HEADLINE STAGES!!!! One stage of which is named ‘The Button Factory Stage’, so if your a fan of The Button Factory in Temple Bar then you can experience a whole day of Button Factory gigs in one place! There will be some amazing well known and upcoming musicians and born performers entertaining the crowds. We can’t name them all but the Kilfenora Céilí Band, Kila and the New Free were amazing during our Temple Bar TradFest so we recommend you check them out. If you were a fan of the Voice of Ireland we recommend you check out the Uisneach Main Stage where Bressie and Conor Quinn will be performing. A few of our other favorites include The Hothouse Flowers, Royseven, Jape and Ginger Biscuits. But seriously there is a list a mile long so check out a small programme we put together but also their website, www.festivaloffires.com to make sure you don’t miss your favorite acts! You can camp at this festival as well, compared to other locations where you are just in a massive field; the festival campsite is located in a beautiful lakeside valley. So right if you are bored this weekend you have no excuse, you know the place to be this Saturday, see you there!!!

Here is a video to show you what last year’s festival was like:

Click here to view the video on YouTube.

For more information please visit:

www.festivaloffires.com

www.facebook.com/festivalofthefires?ref=ts

www.twitter.com/#!/FestivalofFires

Stage Programme:

This was our first time in the New Theatre and we have to say we really loved it. This is a small, intimate venue with insanely comfy, red seats that’s hidden in the back of Connolly Books on East Essex Street. This comedy play was back by popular demand and you could easily see why with its very accurate and humourous depiction of Dublin life. It’s a “Boy meets Girl, Boy and Girl meet significant other’s random assortment of friends and hilarious events ensue” kind of story.

The stage set up and props were quite simple but we liked that as they were well used and didn’t detract from the stars of the show. All the characters were likeable in their own way from Corkman D0nal who views himself as a young Hugh Hefner (but really isn’t) to Dee who isn’t afraid of a bit of violent confrontation from time to time. The rapping “as Gaeilge” was great but what really brought the whole play together was the soundtrack, with a clever mix of The Beatles and Katy Perry we thought it was genius.

This laugh out loud comedy is a must see, it runs until the 5th May, for more info go to www.thenewtheatre.com.

Click here to view the video on YouTube.

Treat your feet like princesses.

You will be standing on your feet all the time, they are your only mode of transport so keep them comfy! Wear sensible boots with grips if you want to go off the beaten track. Also socks, comfortable socks are important, and bring a spare pair too- a scout leader told us this so I’m following all his advice!

Like a wedding cake, layers are important.

Weather is unpredictable, especially in Ireland. One minute the sun might be shining and you are in a sheltered spot of a hill, the next minute you could be out of shelter the wind is howling and rain is starting to fall. Having lots of layers is the best option. Keeping the windproof jacket on and taking on or off the fleece underneath is a tried and tested method for the hills. The store’s best seller all year round is their waterproof, wind resistant jacket- with Irish weather, this makes a lot of sense!

Keep it light

A rucksack can be used to carry your spare layers of clothes, water, map, compass etc. Just don’t make the easy mistake of overpacking and bringing something random like a hairdryer- you have to carry this stuff the whole time so essentials only!

Be like Bear Grylls

The main item we were recommended for survival gear is very cheap, around €2.50. A bivvy bag or thermal blanket can help keep you warm and sheltered if you or someone else gets into trouble on the hills.

We asked who was North Face’s favorite survivalist or outdoor hero. Turns out North Face sponsor numerous atheletes around the world including rock and alpine climbers, snowboarders, skiers and endurance runners. Their bios are impressive- their videos amazing. We found one of Ian McIntosh that you have to check out!

Click here to view the video on YouTube.

Our hill won’t be anything like that, but fingers crossed we survive, so til next week Slán (Bye)!

At 1pm we headed down to Fishamble street to enjoy the celebrations and we weren’t the only ones, take a look at the crowds!

This special and unique open-air performance by Our Lady’s Choral Society (OLCS) was conducted by Proinnsías Ó Duinn, and really brought the spirit of Handel to Temple Bar today. We thoroughly enjoyed the free concert with the OLCS performing snippets from the ‘Messiah’. But if you didn’t manage to catch it today then there is a special performance by Our Lady’s Choral Society in Adams and Eve’s Church tomorrow as part of the Handel’s Day celebrations. Make sure you don’t miss out, it starts at 1:30pm and is completely free and everyone is welcome; here is a short video of the concert today to keep you going!

The video cannot be shown at the moment. Please try again later.

For further information visit http://templebar.ie/Event/In_Handels_Day

You can see below his handy tips.

Click here to view the video on YouTube.

One of the other great things about the Picture Rooms, apart from all the really friendly staff in there, is that they are a great new avenue for gifts!! This is one of my new favourite gift ideas. They have a wide range of stunning photos available to buy starting from as little of €2. You could also buy a photoshoot for someone in their studio or have them take photos at your special event and the great thing is you can come in after, pop some champagne(!) and sit down and look through the slideshow of photos. It makes it much more personal and fun than someone simply handing over a roll of film or a disc to you. So new gift ideas and photography tips- sorted!

See the rest of our interview with Aidan here:

Click here to view the video on YouTube.

Located on Exchange Street Upper, it looks very small from the outside but it is very deceiving, as the inside it is a large open space with over 40 works of art without even a sense of it being cluttered. Olivier Cornet has been in the Industry since 2004 and has worked as an independent curator/artist’s agent in and around Temple Bar, even curating shows in our very own Filmbase. This is his first gallery of his own where he is exhibiting Irish-based artists in this space. We love that Olivier is such a risk taker and proved to us why you should always follow your dreams even in this current climate. We also love the diverse range and mixes of different media used by the different artists within his gallery. Olivier has a head full of ideas for the future.  Each piece in this exhibition is  so unique and beautiful in its own way, it was hard picking our favourite.

One thing that really stood out to us was an event he is holding this July/August ; it is a chance for an art student or art administration student to curate an exhibition of works by recent art graduates.  It is Olivier’s way to give a lucky student the first stepping stone into learning how it is done and he can show them the things he was never taught himself but what he learned along the way. This is a great opportunity as it could open the doors to new and exciting things. If you are interested in applying then please contact Olivier Cornet at info@oliviercornetgallery.com

Here is a short clip of what to expect when you walk into the gallery:

Click here to view the video on YouTube.

The next exhibition will be Seán Mulcahy‘s PLACESCAPES launching on 12^th April 2012.

So we’re back with our pick of the week and this week Alexandra and I popped in to Auntie Nellie’s sweet shop to have a little browse.

It’s always hard to pick out your favourite sweet and with so much choice we didn’t know where to begin but then i noticed Willy Wonka Nerds! These took me right back to my childhood, along with the tunes from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory playing in the background we both felt like kids again! Alexandra was quick to spot a jar of Strawberry Bon Bons which are her all time favourite – of course she got to sample a few – its a hard life!

We got chatting to the owners Tommy and Tim about Auntie Nellie’s and found out that there are 10 other Auntie Nellie sweet shops all around Ireland with the most recent addition being Clonakilty which opens next week! We think we might have to do an all Ireland sweet shop tour – a nice way to see more of the country. They had been keeping an eye on Temple Bar, as they always thought it was the perfect Dublin location for them and jumped at the chance when the store came available.

We can strongly recommend a visit to Auntie Nellie’s sweet shop in Temple Bar; its really nice to take a trip down memory lane and take your time picking out all our favourites, and like most cool shops in Temple Bar its a small Irish owned business. With our internships in Temple Bar coming to an end we have made it our mission to try EVERY sweet before we have to go, everything from their most popular Milky Teeth to their mouthwatering gobstoppers! Oh and we couldn’t leave without asking what their favourite sweet of all time was….and the winner was Raspberry Bon Bons. We got a bag and we have to agree, they are pretty yummy!! It took less than a day to polish the lot off!

Auntie Nellie’s is open every day till late, located just off Temple Bar square.

 Jameson Dublin International Film Festival

Get the popcorn ready and have fun trying to pick between an amazing line up of film screenings.

Why we are liking this festival:

1) Location, location, location

The box office is located in Filmbase and a number of the screenings are in Temple Bar in the Irish Film Institute, so it’s so central and easy to pop in, buy your tickets and then head off for an evening of film fun.

2) The range of films and events

The great thing about this festival is that they have something to interest everyone, be it fun, serious, or thought provoking. This festival also gives you an unique opportunity to attend Q & A sessions with some very talented people within the film industry.

3) Stars in our eyes

Did we mention Al Pacino and Stellan Skarsgård are coming to Dublin to go to the festival, I mean what more convincing do you need?

4) World Premieres

You get to have the chance to be one of the first audience members to ever see some great films!

Looking through the programme, one film that’s catching my eye is the Independent Irish Skateboarding Documentary Hill Street which is to receive its world premiere at the festival.  The film tells the story of the evolution of skateboarding culture in Ireland from its early roots the 1980s.

We asked one of the Jameson IFF team what their personal pick was,  their choice was A Man’s Story, a beautifully shot documentary following the colorful life of esteemed tailor, Ozwald Boateng, who at 23 was the youngest and first black tailor to own a shop on Savile Row. Whether you’re interested in fashion or not, you’ll be drawn in by this fast paced story! They “loved it, loved it, loved it!”

I have posted decriptions of the films in the IFI, but for more information check out www.jdiff.com

Dreamtime, Revisited is a “walkabout in dreamtime Ireland” inspired by the works of writer  John Moriarty and weaves together contemporary and archive material following his mythological lead into the depths of the nation’s dreamtime. Julius Ziz & Dónal Ó Céilleachair will attend the screening.

Andrew Kötting’s outstanding feature debut, Gallivant, is both an experimental travelogue and an internsely personal story, detailing the journey undertaken by the director and family around the British coastline. Andrew Kotting will do a Q&A after the screening.

Terence McDonald- This programme of films celebrates the pioneering achievements made by Terence McDonald, whose playful fiction films received widespread recognition and numerous awards.

The Far Side Of Revenge- This documentary is an exploration of theatre director Teya Sepinuck’s engagement with a group of Northern Irish women from diverse backgrounds and histories, creating a joyful bond that transcends their painful backgrounds. Margo Harkin will attend the screening. (Reel Art)

This Our Still Life- Experimental filmmaker Andrew Kötting returns with this portrait of a tumbledown Pyrenean farmhouse as seen through the eyes and ears of the family that have lived there on and off for the last 22 years.

Wonder House explores the creative process by inviting scientists to recall those childhood memories that sparked their imaginations. This documentary offers a fictional synthesis of fantasy and fact, science and art, imagination and reality. Director Oonagh Kearney will attend the screening.

The Far Side of Revenge, Dreamtime, Revisited and Wonder House are all part of the Reel Art Project. Reel Art is an Arts Council scheme designed to provide film artists with a unique opportunity to make highly creative, imaginative and experimental documentaries on an artistic theme.

 Russian Festival

Here are the reasons why we love it:

1) There are pancakes involved

A Pancake Day event will be held on Sunday March 6 in Temple Bar, who doesn’t love pancakes?

2) You get to be cultural

You get get to do something different with your free time with a chance to learn about a really interesting, different culture with some great film and art exhibitions and lectures for different age groups. There is also a Russian food and craft market!

3) Chess

A game that has remained an enigma to me for some time shall be no longer an enigma! With chess workshops, challenges and lecture, beginners and experts all have something to go to!

4) Russian Disco

A Russian Disco will be held in the Czech Inn on Saturday,  now I don’t know what this entails but I want to find out!

5) Facepainting and storytelling

On Saturday there will be children storytelling and drawing, Russian fun and Russian lessons at the National Library of Ireland and face painting & children’s nail painting on Fishamble Street.

For more information on the festival, check out http://dublinrussianfestival.webs.com

So if you are looking for some great events,  heading in the direction of Temple Bar is a good plan!

Like an Irish trad version of Arcade Fire in terms of number and talent, and playing a wide variety of musical instruments, they were brilliant! They lit up the stage playing lively music that soon had the floor full of dancing people. It was a night of “ceoil agus craic” (music and fun). If you would like to see the Bonny Men live and hear their infectious, lively trad tunes well you can check them out during the TradFest, for FREE!! Or if you are tempted to try your hand at Irish dancing and envision yourself a lead in Riverdance, then you have your chance to shine at the Céilí in the Button Factory during the TradFest on Sunday 29th January (€10 excluding booking fee). All the tradfest team here would like to say a big thanks to all of those at the céilí for making our first céilí such a great experience, hopefully the first of many!! For information on the Temple Bar TradFest, check out our website, www.templebartrad.com

Click here to view the video on YouTube.