Ok, we’ve pulled out all the stops with the wrapping paper backdrop, so it’s officially Christmas. But let us not forget what Christmas is really all about… presents!

New plays this week include War of Attrition and Pony Panto at the Project. There’s also a good variety of gigs with Sinead O’Connor, Glen Hansard, Lisa O’Neill and Damien Dempsey. My tip of the week has to be dear old Gruff Rhys at the Pepper Canister Church . Not to be missed!

Theatre

The Abbey – She Stoops to Conquer -until Saturday, 31 January 2015

The Gate – Wuthering Heights – until Jan 24th

Project Arts Centre –  War of Attrition – 15 December 2014-20 December 2014 8.15pm

Pony Panto – 18 Dec 2014-20 Dec 2014

Young Hearts Run Free – 19 Dec 2014 | € 0.00 – donations for Dublin Simon Community

Smock Alley – Next show –

Pirates in the Kingdom of Enchantasia – Ofegus Theatre Company – 27th Dec – 4th Jan in The Main Space

Viking Theatre – 44 Seville Place – Dec 8 – 20th

New Theatre – The Motherfucker With the Hat – Dec 1st – 20th

Theatre Upstairs – Petals – Dec 9th – 20th

Gaiety Theatre –   Peter Pan Christmas Panto – 1st December 2014 – 11th January 2014

Civic Theatre –  Quiet this week.

Bewleys Cafe Theatre – Harry’s Christmas by Steven Berkoff – Dec 01 – 20, 2014

Bord Gais Energy Centre – Elf the Musical – 16th Dec – 10th Jan

Movies

Lighthouse Cinema – Naughty or Nice Season –

Die Hard – 8.30pm Wed 17 December |

The Muppet Christmas Carol – 8.30pm Fri 19 December

Elf – 6.30pm Fri 19 December

IFI Family Christmas – The Muppet Christmas Carol – Sunday 21st December 2014 – 11.00

IFI FESTIVE FAVOURITES: The Apartment – Saturday 20th December 2014 – 16.00

The Shop Around the Corner – Sunday 21st December 2014 – 16.00

Sugar Club – Wed Dec17 – The Producers Presents – Elf

Fri Dec 19 – Film Fatale Presents – White Christmas and Film Fatale Vintage Christmas Party

Gigs

This is a surprisingly good week for music, considering all the other things that are on! There are some good gigs from Irish performers such as Sinead O’Connor, Glen Hansard, Lisa O’Neill and Damien Dempsey. My tip of the week has to be dear old Gruff Rhys in the Pepper Canister Church . Not to be missed!

Mon 15 Dec
Glen Hansard – Vicar Street
Ré – The Unitarian Church

Tue 16 Dec
Gruff Rhys – Pepper Canister Church
Jack Lukeman – The Unitarian Church
Sinead O’Connor – Vicar Street
Madness – The O2
Gogol Bordello – The Academy
Laura Cannell – Odessa
Key West – The Grand Social
Vladimir’s Viennese Christmas – National Concert Hall

Wed 17 Dec
Gruff Rhys – Pepper Canister Church
Glen Hansard – Vicar Street
Metal All Stars – The Academy
Saint Pepsi – Whelan’s
Key West – The Grand Social

Thu 18 Dec
Christy Moore – Vicar Street
Key West – The Grand Social
Down N Outz – The Academy
Iván Ferreiro (Live Acoustic Set) – The Academy 2
Able Archer – Whelan’s
Gin ‘N Juice – The Grand Social
No Spill Blood – Whelan’s

Fri 19 Dec
Lisa O’Neill – The Unitarian Church
Damien Dempsey – Vicar Street
Imelda May – The O2
Machine Head – The Academy
The Magician – The Button Factory
Not Squares & Percolator – Whelan’s
Strawboy – BelloBar
Tupelo – Whelan’s
Fox Jaw – Sweeney’s
Autechre – District 8

Sat 20 Dec
Kreator & Arch Enemy – The Academy
Hermitage Green – The Button Factory
Simi Crowns – Opium Rooms
Mmoths – Smithfield’s Block B
Fight Like Apes – Whelan’s
Youth Mass – Whelan’s
Fundraising Gig for Pieta House – BelloBar
Imelda May – The O2
Damien Dempsey – Vicar Street
Spies Xmas Soiree – The Grand Social
Bondax – The Academy
Ben Sims – The Twisted Pepper
Patrick Topping – District 8
Hidden Agenda’s Christmas Party – Opium Rooms
DOGS & Voxx – Whelan’s

Sun 21 Dec
The Hot Sprockets – Vicar Street
Jack Lukeman – Bord Gais Energy Theatre
Run The Jewels – Opium Rooms
Hermitage Green – The Button Factory
Me in the Park – Whelan’s
Kila – Whelan’s

Talks/ Lectures

NLI –Double Bill: Child Ballads – performance at 6.45pm (17/12/2014)

National Galley of Ireland – Dec 16 2014 – 10:30 – ‘NGI Directors: Raymond Keaveney, director 1988-2011.

 Science Gallery of Ireland – Coder Dojo – Saturday, December 20, 2014 – 13:00

Art –

IMMA – until 31 Dec 2014 – IMMA Collection: Conversations

until 29 Mar 2015 – Duncan Campbell

until 01 Mar 2015 – Primal Architecture

TROVE – Dorothy Cross selects from the National Collections – 03 December 2014 – 08 March 2015 – Garden Galleries

RHA Gallery – until December 19, 2014 Karl Burke RHA Gallery II
until December 19, 2014 FUTURES 14 RHA Gallery I
until December 19, 2014 Gerard Carson RHA Ashford Gallery

Douglas Hyde –from 12 December – 25 February 2015
Gallery 1 – Niamh O’Malley

Gallery 2 – Mairead O’hEocha

Hugh Lane Gallery – Efforts and Ideals: Prints of the First World War  – until 22 February 2015

General Exhibition at the National Gallery

Chester Beatty – Permanent Exhibition

Private Galleries:

Image above – Janet-Mullarney–Earthly-Creatures- Taylor Gallery Winter Group Show

Kerlin – Eoin Mc Hugh – the skies will be friendlier then – until 23rd December

Oliver Sears – Stephen Lawlor – 4 Dec 2014 — 8 Jan 2015

Kevin Kavanagh Gallery  – Dermot Seymour – Fliskmahaigo – until 20th Dec

Taylor Gallery – Winter Group Show  – until 31st Jan 2015

The Doorway Gallery – until 4 December 2014 – Chris Wilson – Small Islands