Dublin is rich in culture! Whether you’re a reader, a writer, a performer, a painter, or just want to experience everything… Dublin is the place for you! Student Ambassador Xinlu Li gives us inside advice on all of the best activities and locations to consume art and culture in the city centre…
Beautiful summer sunsets – the reward of long winters (photo: Xinlu)
If the winter in Dublin has amazed you with its enchanting lights and hidden cosy taverns to warm up with hot drinks, “Can I get an Irish coffee please!!”, then there are even more reasons for you to visit and stay in the spring!
Now that Dublin has kicked off spring with more sunshine hours, you need to make sure you buy a planner in Easons as your calendar will be crammed with festival events, live music, theatre, exhibitions and more! After all these exhilarating events, you will get a better sense of this city and fall in love with it!
Here’s a taster of what’s on offer!
If you have the feeling that the stressful workload almost takes away your passion for literature, Dublin can help you get rid of the struggle and bring your enthusiasm back. Dublin was designated a UNESCO City of Literature in 2010. You might be familiar with the names of
Words from James Joyce’s Ulysses (photo: Xinlu)
Oscar Wilde, James Joyce, Jonathan Swift, Samuel Beckett, Seamus Heaney and Bram Stoker. Few places can compare with Ireland when it comes to the number of writers coming from them. Dublin enriches the definition of itself with the legacy of the masters and meanwhile, vitalises itself with new and creative elements.
If you study at Trinity College, I know that there absolutely will be bookstores on your way to campus. I would suggest you slow down a little bit and maybe check them out sometimes. Hit the book that catches your attention at first sight. Maybe one day you will see its adaptation on TV. Who knows? Right? Fans of Sally Rooney? If you are busy, probably just have a quick glance at the Best Sellers. You will be surprised by how many extraordinary emerging writers just live in the same city as you do.
The Dublin Literary Award
This award is presented annually for a novel written or translated into English. If you are not sure what to read, click HERE and go to their website to find some inspiration!
Dublin Literary Award! (photo: Xinlu Li)
One Dublin One Book
This is another amazing initiative! It is a Dublin City Council initiative, led by Dublin City Libraries, which encourages everyone to read a book connected with the capital city during the month of April every year. The book for 2022 is Nora by Nuala O’Connor, which is about the story of Nora Barnacle, the Irish literature’s greatest muse. If you are still stuck at the first couple of pages of Ulysses, why not read the story of Nora and James Joyce first? I bet it would motivate you to dig into Ulysses. Click HERE for a look at the website!
A talk at the One Dublin, One Book festival (photo: Xinlu)
Literary Museums & Events
Book lovers don’t want to miss the Museum of Literature Ireland (MoLI). Associated with One Dublin One Book, the exhibition Love, says Bloom: Into the heart of the Joyce Family, curated by the author Nuala O’Connor is on display until 3rd July 2022! The year-long Ulysses 2.2 exhibition features creative responses to James Joyce’s Ulysses and represents the innovation of Dublin in literature.
Ulysses 2.2 at MoLI (photo: Xinlu)
The three-day Dublin Learning City Festival is a delightful way of linking your interest in learning with the community’s wellbeing. Try to know more about the community by taking part in the diverse free in-person and online activities, click HERE for more information!
Reading is important… and well-being is important too!
I would like to tell you a hidden gem in the well-known St. Patrick’s Day Festival, the Breathe Festival!
As you may have already known, Dublin is once again alive with the well-known festival and St. Patrick’s Day is the perfect time for you to immerse yourself into Dublin city! A kind reminder: arrive early to nab a spot for the best view of the parade. Stand in the first row of the crowd or perch yourself on one of the higher levels. As you will be standing for a few hours, bringing a nice drink with you would be great. I am glad that you are reading this. How I wish I knew these before the holiday this year. (Oops…am I supposed to keep it a secret so it’s gonna be less competitive next year?)
Check the website regularly before the festival!
The city has many other events for the festival with the theme of this year’s festival being Connections/Naisc, which aims to connect people with contemporary and traditional Irish arts, culture and heritage. Thus, a new Festival Quarter event took place in National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks, Dublin 7.
Tasty food at the Breathe Festival (photo: Xinlu)
The wellness event Breathe Festival was presented in The Law Society of Ireland. With 10 Euros, you can spend a wonderful day at the Breathe Festival. You would feel the positive connections with the city and the people around. You would feel the inclusive atmosphere in the city where you are part of the resident community.
Dublin is not a big place, but it does feel big. It is a place where your interests and passions are never frowned upon. Dubliners have been expressing their love and presenting the best of the Irish people in different artistic ways. All the people who are fortunate enough to have stayed or will stay in this city keep absorbing the nutrition from the texts, scripts, music about the city, and become new Dubliners.
Xinlu is working towards a Masters in Drama in Education at Trinity College Dublin.