Things To Do: See a gothic circus, celebrate a catastrophic avant-garde holiday, read a frustrated writer

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Artaud in Ireland

Back in 2023, Ranelagh Arts launched Artaud in Ireland, a project which looked at and celebrated the work of avant-garde artist Antonin Artaud through the lens of his ill-fated trip to these shores.

Artaud visited Ireland for a six-week period beginning in August 1937. With him, he brought a cane which he believed to be the staff of Saint Patrick. He was arrested on the grounds of the Milltown Jesuit College, due to "erratic behaviour, trespassing, and being a destitute and undesirable alien". He was taken to the Garda station in Donnybrook, and then briefly Mountjoy Prison before finally he was deported back to France where he was transferred to a psychiatric facility.

This week, Ranelagh Arts is pairing up with GalleryX to launch the second edition of Artaud in Ireland.

This evening, Ranelagh Arts will be presenting Artaud x Feminism, an exhibition which celebrates the work of American artist Nancy Spero. Running until 27 September, the show examines Artaud’s influence on Spero and second wave feminism.

The exhibition is set to feature the late Spero’s artwork "Artaud Head", and will also include screenings of two films that examine Spero’s work: the 1992 documentary Nancy Spero in Derry Northern Ireland and the 1973 short film The Art of Nancy Spero.

Meanwhile, over on Hume Street, GalleryX is marking the occasion with a group show, simply titled Artaud in Ireland, and featuring works by Alex Boyd, Graham Dolphin, Olwen Fouéré, Tim Robinson and Jackie Roantree.

The GalleryX group show will be running until 26 September.

If you’re planning to attend the launch of Artaud in Ireland today, the proceedings will officially start in Ranelagh at 6pm. Then, “a pied piper” is scheduled to lead the attendees through “a psychic journey” that will conclude at GalleryX.

The psychic journey is a 24- minute walk, or 14 minutes if you take the Luas.

Attendance is free, but booking here is advised.

Substance to Shadows

Meanwhile at the TØN gallery in Temple Bar, Norwegian artist Kyrre Mogster will be presenting a new exhibition, Substance to Shadows, this evening.

Substance to Shadows looks at hedonism and human folly – two nouns synonymous with the Temple Bar area – with Mogster using “excess, indulgence, and collapse as an allegory for what results from dogmatic thinking”.

Through ink and oil sticks on canvas, Mogster’s work here draws inspiration from the writings of sociologist Alvin Gouldner, specifically when he addresses the dangers of failing to confront and interrogate ideological biases.

Substance to Shadow launches at 6pm today, Thursday, 10 September, and will run until 30 September.

Frustrated Writers Group Vol 3, Fri

Down in the Douglas Hyde Gallery tomorrow (Friday, 11 September), the Frustrated Writers Group will be launching their latest anthology of work.

Since it was set up in April 2022, the group has met on a monthly basis to share and discuss the contributions of its various members, be these pieces of prose or poetry. The group has compiled these works and released them as a volume, initially semi annually with the first of these appearing in 2023, and the second in 2024, which you can read here.

The third volume finally lands this week, making it a biennial publication. It will feature contributions from Doireann Ní Dhufaigh, Niamh O’Connell, AJ Ó Dubhda, Cathal McGuire, Jo Morrigan Black, David Slattery, Ashanti Wheeler-Artwell, Matthew Tallon, Gale Aitken, Katie Burke, Abby Connolly, Conor Crummey, Sofie De Smyter, Rachel Enright-Murphy, Gwenhwyfar Ferch Rhys, Shreya Gupta, Eoin J. Barry and the group’s founder Tom Roseingrave.

The launch starts at 7pm, with readings from the new anthology beginning at 7:30pm.

For more information, follow the Frustrated Writers Group on Instagram here.

Dublin City Council Liffey Festival

The 106th Liffey Swim is happening this Saturday, and to celebrate the iconic event, Dublin City Council is hosting a brand new festival in honour of the river across the weekend.

Beginning with the swim itself at midday on Saturday, the Dublin City Council Liffey Festival will consist of gigs, jet-pack displays, vessel visits, maritime talks, street theatre and walking tours among many other attractions around Custom House Quay George’s Dock and Sir John Rogerson’s Quay.

Some of the highlights on the Saturday include a sean-nós dance and singing workshop, a talk with Flossie and the Beach Cleaners on maritime life and their discoveries while scrubbing the coast and a lecture from historian Pat Liddy on the Liffey’s role in shaping the city, and a lesson from artist Jane Groves on how to create a nature book using reed pens and charcoal from Liffey willow.

Then, on Sunday, there is a flotilla, a conversation with Dublin Port Heritage director Lar Joyce, a live set from the ballad singing quartet Landless, an open tour of the RCC Cosaint vessel, and a talk with research archaeologist and author Rebecca Boyd on the Vikings of Dubh Linn.

Visit the festival’s website here for a full breakdown of the schedule across Saturday and Sunday. These events are free. But booking is advised in many cases.

West Meath Gothic

And finally, while we’re in the middle of the Dublin Fringe Festival, one to keep an eye out for is West Meath Gothic in Project Arts Centre.

Opening on Wednesday, the multidisciplinary show is written and performed by actor Kate Finegan. West Meath Gothic is billed as a dark fever dream which offers up a shadowy celebration of rural life.

The show will blend together aerial dance and physical theatre which pulses under an original electronic score composed by electronic artist Brian Dillon.

If you’re keen to visit this “one-horse town with a one-channel TV” circus, then it might be worth grabbing a ticket.

West Meath Gothic opens on Wednesday evening, 16 September and will run until Saturday, 19 September.

Tickets are available here.

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Sing Along Social

This evening, Sing Along Social’s second Lil Sing Along Social will be held at McGowans in Phibsboro, with the hits of Pitbull being pitted against those of Celine Dion.

If you want to pledge allegiance to Mr Worldwide, or belt out a rendition of "My Heart Will Go On", then secure your tickets here.

Doors are at 7:30pm To see what else is lined up for Sing Along Social, follow them on Instagram here.

Anti-Donald Trump Protest March

The Irish Neutrality League, United Against Racism, Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Extinction Rebellion and Dublin Rape Crisis Centre will be holding a march in protest of US President Donald Trump’s visit to the city on Saturday, 12 September.

The march will begin at 1pm from the Garden of Remembrance.

The Promise Love Story

Fingal-born singer-songwriter and producer Paul Redmond is bringing his original musical, The Promise Love Story, back to the stage in Balbriggan on Saturday, 24 October.

The musical, inspired by five interconnected love stories set against a turbulent period of Irish history, explores love, loss, loyalty, secrets and forgiveness.

Tickets for the showcase staged concert at the Lark in Balbriggan are available here.