Culture Date With Dublin 8 Festival Announces Details of Late Night Music Trail

Thousands of people will visit the Dublin 8 area next week for the 7th annual event which celebrates Ireland’s coolest neighbourhood.

Image: Marc O'Sullivan

From Wednesday, May 7th, to Sunday, May 11th, thousands of people will visit the Dublin 8 area to experience and celebrate one of Ireland’s coolest neighborhoods. Throughout the five-day event, the area's historic landmarks, heritage sites, museums, churches, and renowned breweries will play host to over 100 specially curated events. This year marks 250 years since the birth of Daniel O’Connell, and the festival will commemorate the occasion with several events, including a free concert in Goldenbridge Cemetery on Sunday, May 11th.

As part of this year’s programme of events, organisers have just unveiled details of ‘Late in D8’, a series of late night events including gigs in historic venues, late night parties and a music trail featuring everything from laid-back acoustic sets to upbeat dance vibes. The nocturnal celebrations are supported by The Night-Time Economy Advisor for Dublin City Council, Ray O’Donoghue. Speaking ahead of the festival O’Donoghue remarked:

“We’re thrilled to support this year’s Late in D8 music trail. This event will showcase DJs, live bands, and musicians performing in pubs and cultural spaces throughout the district. The festival not only honours the area’s rich historical heritage but also highlights its contemporary cultural scene by promoting local nightlife and celebrating its musicians, DJs, and artists.”

D8 Music Trail 

On the Friday night of the festival, May 8th, the Dublin 8 neighbourhood hangout, Fourth Corner, will feature DJ sets from Abbacaxi and Bedlam DJs. Lucky’s on Meath Street will host a Dublin Digital Radio takeover, and Rascal’s Brewing Company will host a First Friday Live Music Showcase, including the rock-blue four-piece Driving Blue, pop artist Natalie Moran, and the grunge folk act Gea Geansaí. The Liberty Belle on Francis Street will feature the legendary Irish band The Goaties, and over at the Dublin Liberties Distillery, the Irish Women in Jazz will be recording a live podcast and concert with musician Aleka Potinga.

On Saturday night of the Festival, May 9th, the Dublin 8 creative space ThinkPunk Studios will host late-night DJs, including sets from Laetitia Deering and Robbie Kitt. Enthusiastic Eunuch and The Goo Magazine have collaborated on a night at the BelloBar featuring Mnemonic Pulse, the Portland, Oregon-based “post-industrial-ambient void” artist, with support from Human Lanterns and Jonathan Deasy. DJ Billy O'Hanluain will take to the turntables at Arthur's Blues & Jazz Club, and the Thomas House will host a Vinyl DJ event with Archive 45 and DJ Dotsie. Glen of Aherlow will present a night of live music featuring the 2 Bit Bandits.

Late Night Cultural Events

As part of this year’s festival, a host of late-night events including live podcasts, late night museum openings, concerts, free Irish dancing lessons, movie screenings and more will be taking place across some of Dublin 8’s most iconic cultural venues, in association with CWB artist management. Some of the highlights include:

On Friday, May 9th, the historic Tailors Hall will host a night called ‘Liberation at the Back Lane Parliament’ an evening featuring spoken word, music, art, and performance, curated by journalist Caelainn Hogan, exploring “What Liberation Means Today” as we celebrate Daniel O’Connell’s anniversary. The event will include contributions from Tuqa Al-Sarraj, Osaro Azams, and Chrissy Donoghue Ward. Elsewhere, Throwing Shapes, the Community Ceramics Studio located in The Tenters, will be celebrating with a massive free party as part of their one-year anniversary, and the Dublin Liberties Distillery is set to host a comedy competition with the Dublin International Comedy Film Festival with an all expenses paid trip to the USA for the winner.

On Saturday, May 10th, St. Patrick’s Cathedral will play host to ‘A Pint of The Past,’ an evening of song and performance curated by historian Donal Fallon, exploring the brewing history of Dublin 8. The event will feature contributions from Macdara Yeates, Stephen James Smith, Helena Byrne, and Padraig O’Lionsaigh with an after-party for the event in Leonard’s Corner with special guest DJs. 

Daniel O’Connell 250 Concert 

This year, the Culture Date with Dublin 8 festival will commemorate the 250th anniversary of Daniel O'Connell's birth with a number of specially curated events including a free concert to be held at Goldenbridge Cemetery, on Sunday 11 May, from 1-3pm. Curated by musician Fiach Moriarty, the event will feature reenactments of the notable speeches by Daniel O’Connell and Frederick Douglass, performed by Jim Roche and Peter M. Smith, along with contributions from spoken word artists Roxanna Nic Liam and John Cummins, historian Ultan Moran, as well as musician Sive, renowned pipe and flute player Louise Mulcahy and a performance by the Foley Irish Dancing Academy. 

The Culture Date with Dublin 8 Festival will take place from Wednesday 7th to Sunday 11th May. Many of the events are free but booking is required. For full details see culturedatewithdublin8.ie 

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