National Classic Car Show

The RIAC National Classic Car Show is on in the RDS this weekend so if you or your munchkins are car enthusiasts this might be for you. Over 250 classic, post-vintage, vintage and veteran cars as well as motorbikes are lined up from over 40 Classic Car Clubs, many of Ireland’s leading Collectors, special Feature Cars, the Irish Grand Prix Pit Stop celebrating over a 100 years of motorsport, over 70 Commercial Stands and AutoJumble.

The Fastest Man on Earth – Former Land Speed Record Holder and Project Leader Richard Noble will be in attendance on Sunday. The Bloodhound SSC will be on display both Saturday and Sunday. You can try your skills at driving at 1,000 mph in the specially designed simulator and meet the team behind the 135,000 bhp Bloodhound.



Photo Source: http://classiccarshow.ie/bloodhound/ 

We ‘♥’ Books

As part of We ‘♥’ Books, over the course of five days (3rd-7th March), a team of twelve authors will tour Ireland with a view to sharing their love of books and enthuse school audiences with a passion for reading. Funded by the Arts Council, the tour will visit five regional venues, including the Draíocht Blanchardstown on the 5th March, hosting a line-up of best-selling and award-winning Irish writers, comic artists and illustrators. But tickets for the Dublin gig have already sold out.

On Monday 3rd March, there are tickets available for the event at the Riverbank Arts Centre in Newbridge, which in itself looks like a fantastic place with loads of great kiddie and family oriented events on throughout the year.  

These events will see participating authors (including Judi Curtin, Michael Emberley, Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick, Paul Howard, Derek Keilty, Celine Kiernan, Derek Landy, Oisín McGann, Debbie Thomas, Alan Nolan, Sarah Webb and Sheena Wilkinson) celebrate their favourite books and explore how their own work has been influenced by these titles. 

There will also be a chance to take a closer look at what it takes to be a writer, the future of books and what it means to be a young reader in the digital age. Plus, there will be plenty of opportunity for those attending to ask their own questions and even learn how to draw like the professionals! Click on the links above to book!

60th Texaco Children's Art Competition

The 60th Texaco Children's Art Competition is on at the moment and your munchkins still have time to enter before the 28th February, so get drawing, printing or painting! 

You can submit up to two entries and they can be about anything that interests you. Age categories apply.

Tibradden Wood

As it was such a gorgeous day yesterday we thought we had better make the most of the sun and get a bit of a run around, so we headed off to the Dublin mountains.   

This time we went to Tibradden Wood, which is a lovely walk through the woods and under Zipit's high-wire trail (which incidentally looks fab but kids need to be 7 to do it so we have to wait a while) and then up the hill over granite boulders and wooden pathways to the cairn and kist burial site. The site is a registered National Monument and a burial urn taken from it is housed in the National Museum in Dublin. It is a pity there is no more information about what it is on the sign.  You can go further if you want and link up with Cruagh Woods or Kilmashogue if you want a longer walk.

Pack a picnic and you will be up and down in an hour and a half ish. View are fantastic and kids should love bounding about like mountain goats if they are that way inclined, but if it is windy make sure to wrap up!

Russian Festival

This year Festival of Russian Culture “Maslenitsa” (Pancake week) is in its 5th year and will take place from 23rd of February to 2nd of March. To celebrate this occasion a week long programme of events has been prepared for all ages and tastes at different locations throughout the city.

Traditional music, dance, children’s drawing lessons and art workshops, quizzes, activities, lively performances, lectures and talks, informative exhibitions are just some of the events taking place during the week. The highlight of the festival is traditional Family Day, which this year will take place in the Ballsbridge Hotel on Sunday the 2nd of March.

The festival will encompass a selection of venues across the city, with activities certain to suit all cultural tastes in the Dublin City libraries, Trinity College, Dublin City Gallery the Hugh Lane, Russian schools and other venues. Following the success of the previous years which saw 7,500 visitors attending the Family Day and many more attending numerous events during the week, the festival has become a traditional feature of vibrant Dublin cultural life.

The Pine Forest Art Centre Mid Term Art Day

If you have crafty kids, the Pine Forest Art Centre outside of Glencullen might be of interest. It was founded in 1973 by Mary Carroll, an artist and teacher. The centre provides Easter, Halloween and Summer Camps/Courses. It welcomes school groups for Art & Craft/Environmental days during the school year and other interested groups throughout the year. Other various activities include School Tours, Teacher's & Student's Workshops, Halloween & Christmas Workshops for schools and groups, Term-time classes, Birthday Parties, a Mid-term Art Day, and a Christmas Art & Craft day. A private bus service is provided during the summer months to and from many South Dublin suburbs.

This week the Pine Forest Art Centre is running a Mid-term Art & Craft Day on Thursday 20th February. It is a fun art day for ages 5-12 years old and for ages 13-16 years old. Times: 10 am - 4 pm. Price: € 35.00. Lunchtime mountain walk (weather permitting).

Mid Term Art Break at the National Gallery

The Mid Term Art Break at the National Gallery coincides with the schools’ mid-term break. Daily one hour workshops for 5-10 year olds will be based on Springtime themes focusing on artworks in the collection by means of informal talks, discussion and creative projects. Workshops start at 3pm. Tickets €5 per class, or four tickets for €15 in advance.

Monday 17th Feb - Flying Creatures, with Elaine Leader
Tuesday 18th Feb -
Wednesday 19 Feb - My Favourite Place, with Frances Coghlan
Thursday 20th Feb - Illustrating Fairy Tales, with Duffy Mooney
Friday 21st Feb - Shimmering Serpents, with Louise McGrath.