Culture Night takes centre stage across South Dublin

There will be many events across South Dublin County to look forward to this Culture Night.

“The greatest songwriter of this time”, as referred to by Bob Dylan himself, will be performing at the Old Courthouse in Rathcoole this Culture Night.

The Old Courthouse’s first performer on the night is the acclaimed American singer-songwriter John Schindler, an award-winning artist who has been compared to Leonard Cohen.

Also performing on the night are Fin and Con Furey, from the legendary Furey family. Fin reflects on a cherished family saying: “Music is to bring people together, not separate people.”

These performances take place from 7pm to 10pm on September 19.

In other news, The Dublin Mountains Partnership’s Culture Night walk will be led by the DMP Volunteer Rangers, who will be discussing the history of the Hell Fire Club and its environs, along with the flora & fauna along the way.

While this walk will start during daylight hours, it may finish in darkness, so walkers are encouraged to bring a torch, as well as walking boots, rain gear, warm layers, water, and snacks.

If travelling by public transport, plan your journey on Transport for Ireland, and if driving, please carpool, as parking spaces are limited.

No dogs are allowed on this walk, and walkers are advised to inform organisers privately of any health issues on the day and ensure they bring any necessary medication with them.

In the event of an orange or red weather warning, this event will be cancelled. Other weather warnings will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

This walk is estimated to take place from 6pm to 8pm for approximately 6 kilometres, and the meeting place is the Hell Fire Club car park.

Meanwhile, ‘Insane Mama Moments’, hosted by the Sane Mama, is a community storytelling and wellness event created for mothers.

Held in a warm, welcoming environment, the evening invites participants to reflect, release, and connect through shared experience.

The event features an open-mic-style session where mothers are invited to read aloud true stories, poems, or spoken word pieces that explore the raw, emotional terrain of their parenting journeys.

These stories often carry themes of shame, overwhelm, trauma, and identity shifts. This storytelling will be complemented by a group embodiment session, including gentle guided meditation.

There will also be time for emotional processing and release. Participants will also be introduced to Matrescence, the psychological and emotional transformation into motherhood.

A light, workshop-style format allows space for group reflection, body connection, and story-collection activities, giving voice to personal experiences that deserve to be heard and held.

Set in the “cosy and inclusive” space of The Edge Café in Tallaght, the evening invites attendees to connect over tea, presence, and shared truth.

Potential collaborators include local yoga teachers, Matrescence coaches, and maternal mental health professionals.

‘Insane Mama Moments’ aims to create visibility for the private, often hidden aspects of motherhood, available from 6pm to 10pm in The Edge cafe in Tallaght.

SPECTRUM is a high-energy evening takeover of Rua Red and Parthalán Place, co-produced by SoFFt Productions, NOISE Music, Rua Red and South Dublin County Council as part of Culture Night Late 2025.

Celebrating fluidity, transformation, and the thrill of shared experience, SPECTRUM blurs the lines between performer, audience, and environment in a constantly shifting landscape of sound, movement, and visual art.

In the gallery, expect live sets from music collectives BPM and Burner Records and sets from local young artists from NOISE Music & Creative Places MacUíllíam.

The visual backdrop was created by Robin Price bringing us projected visuals and a laser show.

Outdoors in Parthalán Place, a block party-style celebration unfolds with live graffiti art and hip-hop and contemporary performances from Cristian Emmanuel, Favour Odusola, LA and Neasa Níc Shuibhne.

SPECTRUM will feature the SoFFt Space, a breakaway space designed with neurodivergent audience members in mind.

SPECTRUM takes place in Rua Red and Parlathan Place in Tallaght from 6pm to 11:30pm on September 19.

TenderWRITE is a young artist development programme in The Civic Theatre, Tallaght, as part of Tenderfoot, The Civic’s Apprentice Theatre Programme for young adults.

This series of readings shines a light on new stories, fresh stories, and the mark of exciting new playwrights, all aged 16–24.

The programme director is Veronica Coburn, the directors are Veronica and Gavin Kostick, and the programme is supported by Fishamble.

It takes place in the Civic Theatre from 6.30pm to 7:30pm on September 19.

Rathfarnham Castle has a night for all this Culture Night, where visitors can learn about the sixteenth-century origins of the historic building before exploring some of the finest buildings in Georgian Dublin.

This is available from 4pm to 8pm on September 19.

Xchange is a two-hour event, which will provide space for collaboration among live art practitioners, dancers, poets, activists, and sound artists who are interested in experimenting as part of a performance art jam.

The Xchange launch event will see co-founders Olivia Hassett and Paul Regan perform with Lauren Kelly, Fenia Kotsopoulou, Marian Marcote, and other invited artists.

Supported by Rua Red, Xchange will then occur every two months beginning in November, with the exception of an event on September 27, 2025 as part of the Becoming Tallaght Performance Art Festival.

Xchange aims to promote live art locally and beyond as an important and unconventional art form and will run from 5pm to 7pm in Rua Red on September 19.