Celebrating the sounds, sights and smells of Dublin's Liberties
The Liberties Festival, which starts next week, is the culmination of a stream of notes on my iPhone marked 'Festival 2025' which I have been compiling over the last year. Some ideas weren't realised last year. Some are random thoughts from scrolling Instagram, others from walking around the Liberties or Open Call submissions. Here's how a few of the 65 events we have on came into existence...
Holding Space, which will take place in Bridgefoot Street Park, started off with me bumping into artist Erin Quinn in IMMA last autumn. She had debuted her idea at the fantastic Another Love Story festival. I was there but missed it. The concept of creating a scent unique to the area felt special and this became my first 2025 commission. We received a Dublin City Arts Office Neighbourhood grant which enabled us to undertake spring workshops with locals and Ukranian Integration participants who participate in Liberties Community Project programmes as well as 5th year students from Warrenmount. The power of scent and its interplay with memory became the foundation for this fragrance, the 'Scent of the Liberties', which will be revealed in a unique experience (July 22nd - 24th). We've also had Claire Campion and students from NCAD work on a fantastic design and are enlisting tapestries from the local Liberties Weavers. One of the scents will be 'Rose' in honour of the late Kathleen Farrell, who was an iconic figure selling flowers on Meath Street over the years.
Talking Shop is an idea I had about stepping into local businesses to hear their stories. Making personal connections is crucial to the survival of unique owner-run spaces. Talking to owners, knowing a bit of their backstory and getting a steer on the street is a community glue. I pitched the idea to Night-Time Economy Advisor Ray O'Donoghue, who immediately saw the value of it and supported it. I enlisted the brilliant Dublin Inquirer who are based in the Digital Hub here to have their reporters undertake the interviews and Mr & Mrs Stevens created a poster which nails the concept. It takes place from July 23rd - 25th, with Noel's Deli, The Little Flower Penny Dinners, the Model Shop on James's Street, Straffan Antiques, Assisi in the Liberty Market and Fusco's chipper all on board.
I've been asked if we have a theme for the festival a few times. I have shied away from saying one as I feared it might strait-jacket considerations but I guess originality with a nod to heritage is the one which emerges. There's the scent and brew projects, but also the likes of a soundwalk to record the 'sounds of the Liberties', which will then be workshopped and played at a concert in St Catherine's Church (Friday July 26th), the premiere of an original composition by Sebastian Adams for the organ in St Audoen's (Wednesday, July 23rd) and A Matter of Time Vol. 2, an exhibition which looks at labour, locality and time with photography by Ishmael Claxton, print-making by Maria Baez and a sound installation by Jye O'Sullivan (Tailor's Hall, Thursday July 25th - Sunday July 28th).
These new explorations of the identity of the Liberties will mix with classics such as the Blue Rinse Ball and Gardaí vs Traders match. The essence of one of Ireland's oldest community festivals, which dates back to the early 1970s, is connectivity and celebration, as significant now as ever before.
I already have an extensive list of ideas in the folder marked 'Festival 2026'...
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Irish Times
12 hours ago
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One Night in Dublin ... at the museum: A nocturnal walkabout at the Irish Museum of Modern Art
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Everything starts to feel weirdly fictional when you come home from the pub and have to press the gate.' Barry Kehoe in the courtyard at the Irish Museum of Modern Art. Photograph: Bryan O'Brien The IMMA courtyard at night. Photograph: Bryan O'Brien Security guard on night duty, Keely Raghavendra. Photograph: Bryan O'Brien But eventually, 'you do start to switch off from the strangeness of it all'. 'There is something comforting about knowing if you get really scared at night, you can go over to the security guards with a blanket. It's nice to know they're there,' he says. One of the security guards on night duty, Keely Raghavendra, takes a brief pause from patrol to say hello. 'Sometimes I scare myself,' Raghavendra says. When it gets into the wee hours of the morning, the shadows can start to play tricks on even the most grounded guard. 'I saw something in a basement. When I opened the door someone was looking at me. I was scared for a second, then I closed it and relaxed. Then I opened it again and it was gone,' he recalls. [ Lunch with a side of art: Seven Irish galleries with great cafes Opens in new window ] After a sound sleep knowing security have his back, Ryan's days to tend start early, usually at about 6.30am. Looking out the bedroom window in the morning, he often finds a spectacle. 'You wake up and there's always something weird. I woke up last Wednesday and there were just a load of soldiers rehearsing for the commemoration‚' he says, referring to last month's National Day of Commemoration Ceremony . 'I opened the blinds and was like: 'Oh great, this is happening today.'' With the exception of the museum's resident seagulls who continue to swoop and squawk even at night, the museum's courtyard feels otherworldly – strangely detached from its city setting. IMMA's permanent collection at night is a sight to behold. Much of the artwork takes on a new energy. 'When the lights are fully on, the red is a lot more dominant,' says Kehoe, considering Vik Muniz's Portrait of Alice Liddell, after Lewis Carroll. 'Seeing it now gives a completely different sense and feel to it.' Barry Kehoe with Mnemosyne, 2002, by Alice Maher in the IMMA gallery space. Photograph: Bryan O'Brien A wall plaque in the baroque chapel, Royal Hospital Kilmainham. Photograph: Bryan O'Brien Bluer hues are more present in dimmer lighting, giving the portrait's young subject a melancholy look. Barry Kehoe pictured in the Great Hall. Photo: Bryan O'Brien Machines whirr and hum, keeping control of the galleries' humidity levels and providing ambient background noise for a steady stream of consciousness as we take in the art. An audio loop of bird song from a distant installation filters through. Kehoe steps inside IMMA's baroque chapel, which was consecrated in 1686. It is pitch black. 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It's believed that some of the leaders of the 1916 Rising may have been questioned here before their executions,' he says. A light drizzle starts to fall as Kehoe enters the Master's Garden, an expansive green space dotted with fruit trees and cherub statues. The isolated cherubs once formed part of the triangular plinth of the Victoria Statue removed to the Royal Hospital from Leinster House, home to Dáil Éireann, in 1948. 'It's a strange sound oasis. The walls and the trees kind of cut out the city's sound,' says Kehoe. Apartment blocks and cranes join Phoenix Park's Wellington monument on the city's night-time skyline above the treetops. Barry Kehoe the military cemetery in the grounds of Royal Hospital Kilmainham. Photograph: Bryan O'Brien 'Weirdly, the city is growing up around us. When I started working here you wouldn't have had any of that in the skyline so you wouldn't have seen anything over the wall of the garden,' says Kehoe. A swarm of bats descend at the headstone of Master Lord Frederick Roberts' beloved warhorse, Volonel. Erected in the garden in 1899 with great ceremony, the headstone's original location meant it could be seen from the windows of the Master's Quarters. Lord Wolseley, who preceded Roberts, also buried his treasured dog Caesar in the garden, under a mulberry bush. Moving from one miniature cemetery to a far greater one, Kehoe's tour arrives inside the gates of Bully's Acre where more than 200,000 estimated burials were made. As the main public burial ground for Dublin city before Glasnevin Cemetery, dating from the early 1600s until 1833, there are a few big names in the soil beneath. The remains of Brian Boru 's son and grandson are thought to have been buried here after the Battle of Clontarf. Bully's Acre was subject to much body snatching over the years. In more recent history, Robert Emmet was laid to rest here following his 1803 execution up the road from here on Thomas Street. 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The Irish Sun
5 days ago
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The must-listen podcasts that will keep kids & teens entertained for hours on long journeys this summer – & they're FREE
GETTING ready for a long road trip with the kids, but don't want to just stick a tablet in their hands? Podcasts are a great way to keep the whole family entertained. There's no end of podcasts out there for screen-free entertainment, so it's hard to know where to start, but we've picked out some of the best free podcasts for young kids and teens, with options that you'll love too. 9 Look for this app on the iPhone to find podcasts – or just use Spotify Credit: Apple 9 Bust or Trust is a great option for kids Credit: Bust or Trust / Apple / The Sun These titles are all available for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, so you should be able to get access to them on any device. PODCASTS FOR YOUNG KIDS If your kids like a mystery (and who doesn't?), then a great option is Bust or Trust . It's a myth-busting podcast that investigates some of Earth 's most interesting mysteries, including haunted paintings, the truth behind Stonehenge, and whether aliens visited Earth thousands of years ago. Kids can even get updates on the latest Loch Ness monster sightings. Perfect for a road trip to Scotland! And it's family-friendly too – the podcast boasts that it's "fun for ages six to 106", so that's just about everyone. For very young kids, try Thomas & Friends Storytime . It's a Thomas the Tank Engine-themed podcast with stories about the origins of the engines, fairy tales, and includes plenty of life lessons, too. This is very age-appropriate for youngsters and is rated for kids as young as three. But if you've got slightly older kids, they likely won't be as interested. There's usually a new episode each week, with more than 100 released in the series so far. One smash-hit option is the Story Pirates podcast, which is very highly rated and downloaded. I test iPhone's genius trick to beat car sickness on road trip It's like a sketch comedy show (packed with music too) based on stories that have been written by kids. The episodes feature content from comedians and songwriters, plus celeb guests. Recent episodes include interviewing a zombie expert that might be turning into a zombie himself, a hotdog that climbs Mount Frankfurter as part of a tradition to find his own sauce, and a "dungeons and dragons" special. It's an award-winning series with weekly episodes and a massive back catalogue of seasons to enjoy. 9 Story Pirates turns tales written by children into comical sketches Credit: Story Pirates / Apple / The Sun 9 You're Dead to Me is a hilarious way to get your kids interested in history Credit: You're Dead to Me / Apple / The Sun And another great option for youngsters is the history podcast You're Dead to Me . It invites a comedian and expert historian on to have funny chats about history, which should keep the whole family engaged. You've got recent episodes on arctic exploration, the legends of King Arthur , and even cave art. Just make sure to be selective with the topic. Very young children might struggle to get to grips with some topics – but it's a great way to get your youngster interested in history. 9 If you're struggling to get the little one to sleep, try Sleep Tight Stories Credit: Sleep Tight Stories / Apple / The Sun It's proper history delivered in simple (and very funny) terms. Episodes typically come out once a week, and the series is rated as "clean" on Apple Podcasts. If you're looking to send the little one off to sleep, you could try a bedtime stories podcast. Sleep Tight Stories is very well-reviewed, and has a load of peaceful child-friendly tales for bedtime. Just don't listen to it in the car – it might put you to sleep too, which wouldn't be good. It's fine for all ages, so this is a great option if you want to send a toddler off to sleep with a fun little story. Here's a quick list of our favourites: Bust or Trust Thomas & Friends Storytime Story Pirates You're Dead to Me Sleep Tight Stories TRY AUDIOBOOKS TOO! Don't just rely on podcasts – audiobooks are a great option... By opting for audiobooks, you might be able to get your kids interested in reading. And there's almost no end of child-friendly audiobooks out there. Probably the best-known way to access audiobooks is via Audible. There's a free tier that just involves signing in with your Amazon account. Then you can enjoy a rotating selection of free audiobooks to listen to, including timeless classics but also some new options. If you're an Amazon Prime member then you can also claim two free audiobooks of your choice. And if you want a proper Audible membership, you'll have to pay a membership (after a 30-day free trial). The Standard membership (for £5.99 a month) lets you choose one audiobook a month from the collection, which you can listen to for as long as you're a emmeber. And the Premium Plus option (for £8.99 a month), gets you the same monthly credit, but you can keep the book even if you cancel your membership. You'll also be able to listen to thousands of extra audiobooks from the Plus catalogue – and you'll get access to exclusive sales and discounts too. If you're not keen on Audible, you can also try audiobooks via Spotify. If you have a Spotify Premium membership then you're already owed 15 hours of audiobook listening time every single month. But you can pay for extra hours if you want. Picture Credit: Audible PODCASTS FOR TEENAGERS The good news is that a lot of the best podcasts for teens will also keep you entertained as an adult. One very educational option is the always-brilliant The Rest is History . It's hosted by two popular British historians (Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook) who chat through specific topics like the Titanic disaster, the Romans in Britain, and even the historical figures that would suit going on Love Island. Apple Podcasts rates it as "clean", but some episodes will cover more sensitive topics. So consider the episodes you choose depending on the age of your teen. 9 The Rest is History is educational, but very funny too Credit: The Rest is History / Apple / The Sun 9 This ultimate show for top trivia, Stuff You Should Know is willing to explore almost any topic – all delivered in very simple terms Credit: Stuff You Should Know / Apple / The Sun But the podcast explains history in simple terms even if you don't know much about a topic – and it's usually very funny too. A great way to get your kids loving and learning about history. Another cracking option along similar lines is Stuff You Should Know . This time you've got American hosts (Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant), explaining just about anything and everything. They'll tell you about the origins of ketchup, why Minecraft is such a massive hit, and what lurks in the Catacombs of Paris. 9 Film Sack is great for movie fans who use streaming services Credit: Film Sack / Apple / The Sun It's extremely engaging, very easy to chew for a general audience, and will turn your teen (and you!) into a total trivia whiz. If you've got a teen that loves movies, a great option is Film Sack . It's four hosts who watch an old movie that's available on streaming services, and review it in a playful way over the course of 90 minutes or so. The show is largely clean, but it'll depend a little bit on the movie that's being "sacked". Recent episodes include 2004's Starsky & hutch, George Clooney's Ocean's Twelve, 1985's The Goonies, and a round table special on Coming of Age Movies. ...AND THE BEST PODCASTS FOR PARENTS Don't let your kids have all the fun – there are loads of great parenting podcasts out there too... Possibly the most well-loved option is Parenting Hell . It's hosted by star British comedians Rob Beckett and Josh Widdicombe. They talk about their own parenting trials and tribulations, as well as chatting to celebs about how they're getting on with their kids. It's very funny and has a large back catalogue of episodes to enjoy. Another excellent choice is The Sun's own podcast No Parental Guidance . It's a new series from our Fabulous team hosted by the brilliant and hilarious Louise Boyce and Hannah East. The podcast is described as "a safe space for real mums to talk openly and hilariously about the chaos, guilt, and of course joys of parenthood". Episodes feature special guests, with celebs featured so far including Angela Scanlon and Konnie Huq. Picture Credit: The Sun If you and your teen want a laugh, the Off-Menu podcast is brilliant. It's hosted by British comedians Ed Gamble and James Acaster, who interview celeb guests about food – asking them to pick favourite starters, sides, mains, and desserts in a "dream" restaurant. This one is probably for older teens, but you'll almost certainly be able to get them listening if it's a celeb that they like. Recent episodes have included illusionist Derren Brown, Marvel star Sebastian Stan, acting titan Ridley , and the inimitable Danny Dyer. 9 Off-Menu is a fun way to hear stories from celebs, hosted by two British comedians Credit: Off-Menu / Apple / The Sun It's a nice mix of pop culture and food, and it's packed with laugh-out-loud moments. So to recap, try these out: The Rest is History Stuff You Should Know Film Sack Off-Menu This will serve up thousands of hours of entertainment, so you'll be sorted all summer long. And if you are going on a long road trip, The Sun recently tested a trick to beat car sickness with an iPhone.
