It’s Culture Night week, the annual cultural calendar event where Irish venues, museums, cultural spaces, art galleries and theatres open their doors for a free taste of what’s happening in their buildings and beyond, a pulse read of a nation of art, artists and culture, ideas, performance, knowledge-sharing, workshops and more.
Culture Night is an opportunity to see what the creative people of the city are up, with family-friendly, all-ages, free events on offer.
This year sees more late-night events on the calendar (though admittedly not late late for most), with Dublin City Council’s Nocturnal Beats Trail and the outdoor city soundsystems at Central Plaza, Essex Street, and Capel Street.
Here’s a taste of what’s happening this Friday evening. Check the event pages as a lot are sold out but some are walkup-friendly and feature a waiting list.
Way of the West x Connollys Of Leap
West Cork
Live music and DJ performances from Darren Emerson, JFDR, Curtisy, Billy Scurry, Arveene, Bon Voyage, DJ Iphone Charger and Little O.
Time: 9pm-2:30am
Nocturnal Music Trail
Dublin
The Nocturnal Beats Music Trail is a free series of events showcasing Dublin’s nightlife. Featuring key venues like Index, Tengu, Wigwam, Pygmalion, Hen’s Teeth and music bars Love Tempo and Fidelity, a free programme of music spans the city centre’s club venues, all highlighting a different aspect of Irish club culture.
Performers include Sunil Sharpe, Krystal Klear, Dreamcastmoe, Roisin Berkeley, Rub A Dub Hifi, Hammer, Puzzy Wrangler, Mango, Surka and more.
✨ENTER THE NIGHT✨
Clonmel
Live sets from Houseplants, Eve Whelan, The Line, MDR & Vale brought to you by When Next We Meet, From Out The Land and Clonmel Junction Arts Festival, Tipperary Arts Office and Culture Night Limerick.
Sionna Festival, St. John’s Castle
Limerick
A celebration of the live electronic music scene with Shee, Hazey Haze and Mankky, 40 Hurtz and Celaviedmai.
Over 18s+
Donal Dineen’s Backstory, The Model
Sligo
Donal Dineen’s Backstory club night is intended as alternative guide to the musical universe with no stone left unturned.
Jim White and Marisa Anderson
DeBarras, Clonakilty, Cork
Australian drummer Jim White performs an improvised music set with American guitarist Marissa Anderson as part of their Irish tour, and Clonakilty Guitar Festival.
Fixity, Ana Palindrome
Cork City
Cork City Council Night Time Economy & The Good Room team up to programme and present a one off late night concert in a secret location in the city.
Guinness Storehouse
Dublin
Glasshouse Ensemble’s 30-piece orchestra will be joined by Gemma Dunleavy, Toshín, Qbanaa, and Faye O’Rourke (Soda Blonde) with live visual show by Kev Freeney.
The show has the title Guinness Storehouse Symphony, and feature reimagined classic hits and new songs, and will be free but capacity ticketed.
Excpect classic and contemporary songs from Chappell Roan and Charli XCX to Sinead O Connor to Donna Lewis and more.
Guinness Storehouse Symphony takes place on Culture Night 2024, Friday 20th September at the Guinness Storehouse. Doors open 8:30pm.
Everybody Dance with Stevie G
Marina Market, Cork
“Everybody Dance” is an all-inclusive dance party that is open to all ages, anyone with additional needs, intellectual disabilities, anyone on the autism spectrum, everybody really (inc friends & families obviously).
Ambient Orbit, Douglas Hyde Gallery
Dublin
Join RTÉ Lyric fm’s specialist show for a mix of field recordings, ambient music and live performances from Rachael Lavelle & Ryan Hargadon, Seamas Hyland and Méabh McKenna, and bespoke visuals from Tadhg O’Sullivan.
Culture Night with RTÉ 2FM Rising
Róisín Dubh, Galway
2FM Rising acts Big Sleep, Chubby Cat, Brad Heidi and Shiv perform live.
City Sounds
Dublin City
Outdoor events featuring soundsystems are also taking place at Central Plaza, Essex Street, and Capel Street celebrating Ireland’s growing soundsystem culture.
Seisúin Palaistíneach, Wood Quay Amphitheatre
Dublin
Irish and Palestinian musicians come together for Seisiún Palaistíneach, a unique event that blends the soulful strains of traditional Irish music with the rich, evocative sounds of Palestinian melodies.
Meeting House Square live gigs
Dublin
Live performances from rapper JyellowL, traditional Irish music with a techno twist from Culchie Goth, Club Comfort DJ Roo Honeychild debuts a new live show called Dance Musicle an a late night set from Dublin-based collective programming experimental electronic BPM Energy Ltd. (a.k.a. “B*tches Play Music).
8:00pm – JyellowL
8.45pm – Culchie Goth
9.15pm – Roo Honeychild
10:00pm – BPM Collective
Off The Record, Celbridge
Kildare
Off the Record is a songwriters-in-the-round style event featuring songwriters Clara Rose, Sharon Murphy and Sive. In a pared back version of the ‘house band’ approach, each artist will be accompanied by session musicians, pianist Ryan Molloy and cellist Mary Barnecutt.
The NCF Culture Coop Presents Ethio Groove Selector
Ballina Arts Centre, Mayo
Hewan Mulugeta, aka Ethio Grooves, is a Dublin based Ethiopian DJ playing on Culture Night in Ballina.
The Kabin Studio
Cork
Music jams, Rap, Beats, Songwriting & Recording Workshop for different age groups from the smash hit Spark crew.
Culture Night on Moore Street
Dublin
A street party on Moore Street featuring Afro-Irish music and dance plus a late-night food and craft market. There’ll be live music by Yankari Afrobeat Collective.
Lou McMahon Ensemble + Butterfly Wars
Ennis, Clare
Butterfly Wars is a lush, and beautiful video game concept album and live show by composer Lou McMahon. It features contemporary classical string quartet instrumentals fused with singer-songwriter melodies on piano and guitar, creating a gothic atmosphere that underscores the gaming concept. Butterfly Wars follows the story of goth AI X, who grapples with the question: am I the seed of AI or the embodiment of the human spirit?
More?
See https://culturenight.ie for nationwide listings…
Niall Byrne is the founder of the most-influential Irish music site Nialler9, where he has been writing about music since 2005. He is the co-host of the Nialler9 Podcast and has written for the Irish Times, Irish Independent, Sunday Times, Totally Dublin, Cara Magazine, Red Bull and more. Niall is a DJ, co-founder of Lumo Club, event curator, Indie Sleaze club promoter, and producer of gigs and monthly listening parties & events in Dublin.
