Our December picks straddle the Shannon with things to do in Dublin, Galway, Sligo and Clare, courtesy of Bold's Leon Butler. No excuses not to get out and do something this month. Here we go:
The 126 Gallery in Galway has it’s annual week-long “Affordable Art, Christmas Market” from December 14th to 23rd – also a great place to pick up work by local artists and designers in Galway. They also have a “Gammy Geansaí” Christmas fundraiser event to launch the market on the 14th of December from 6 - 9pm with music and drinks reception, €5 at the door, free to all artists participating.
INTIMACY at the Science Gallery is an amazing and a really must see exhibition in Dublin at the moment. The VR experience to in habit someone else body – The Machine to Be Another is an great experience the world through the eyes and body of another person.
America Village have opened a beautifully designed tasting rooms on Dominick Street in Galway so serve their mix of wild drinks that Claire captures from nature. Their Apothecary Club Workshop wants to enjoy and rejoice in the magic of deep winter and will explore the mysticism and folklore of the season and holidays.
Sunday December 9th, 3pm - 5pm
Pulled design studio in Sligo are hosting a pop up screen print studio at The Nest, Custom House Quay in Sligo town from Monday 3rd to Friday 14th December. Expect a series of workshops that aim to bring your ideas from concept to finished screen printed work for you to take home.
Family at Electric in Galway is a celebrating all of December by bringing back the acts that make the place click and those the consider family - Expect members of the Gash Collective, Shivers and International acts. The posters designed by recent NCAD graduate Gavin Connell is great as well.
We Make Good is a new social enterprise design brand, producing beautiful Irish designed products, made by people facing social challenges – people coming out of prison, people with disabilities, travellers and refugees. Lovely ethical gifts that make the world a better place, whats not to like. Pop-up shop Open 10 - 7 Haymarket, Smithfield, Dublin 7
The OBJ exhibition brings together work of experiment with aesthetics and engage with the social and political implications of technology. Curated by Nora O Murchú whose research examines the intersections between the fields of art, design, software studies, and politics. Her multidisciplinary practice embraces narratives, and fictions and results in objects, exhibitions, and interventions.
Runs from now until the 23rd January 2019 at National Design & Craft Gallery, Kilkenny
Niamh and Sam have opened the wonderful Little Fox in Ennistymon, County Clare. If you are traveling west during the holidays aiming for this beautifully designed cosy restaurant for food to feed the soul should be high on your list.
The fourth volume of Winter Papers is a beautiful as the previous editions, the cloth-covered, thread-sewn hardback book printed on 120gsm Munken Pure is as beautiful and rich an object as the content with in. Edited by Kevin Barry and Olivia Smith it features new work by Dónal Lunny, Mike McCormack and Yvette Monahan.
The River Cafe 30 cookbook by Ruth Rogers, Rose Gray celebrates their simple Italian cooking style in a sublimly designed book. Also included in the book are sketches drawn by Gray; architectural designs for the restaurant and garden; and menus decorated by artists (and regular patrons) such as Damien Hirst, Peter Doig, and Ed Ruscha.
Calendar Coffee are on a mission to get more people drinking fresh, seasonal coffee. Their current blend TEAMWORK is a seasonal Colombian espresso roast that has notes of caramel with chocolate praline in the finish. With brilliant design by Cadi Lane as always.
Typography Ireland are hosting Typeclub/Typepub on the 6th of December with Marcus Swan MCing and James Delaney and myself speaking in North House Annex in DIT Grangorman at 6 and Typepub in the Belfry in Stoneybatter at 8.
Maria Somerville has just realised her first single “Eyes don’t say it’ – from Connemara Maria mixes intimate songwriting with lush soundscapes and is the perfect soundtrack to disappear into during the dark December evening.
Photo by Maria Piessis