Tag Archives: Dublin Local news

Olive tree to be dedicated to twin city

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On Monday 11 November 2013 at noon, the Lord Mayor of Dublin Oisín Quinn will formally dedicate a 300 year old olive tree situated in Cow’s Lane to the City of Barcelona.   Deputy Mayor of Barcelona Jaume Ciurana and Bill Shipsey, who donated the tree to the City of Dublin, will also be in attendance.

Lord Mayor Oisín Quinn said:- “It is a great honour for me to dedicate this olive tree to the City of Barcelona.  The Cities of Barcelona and Dublin are twin Cities since 1998, and we in Dublin are happy to mark the 300th anniversary of the Siege of Barcelona, a very important time in the history of our sister city.  It is also dedicated to the cause of human rights which is a cause strongly promoted by Bill Shipsey through his global artist engagement programme, Art for Amnesty.”

Deputy Mayor of Barcelona Jaume Ciurana said:- “I am extremely grateful for the dedication of this three hundred year old olive tree to my city, Barcelona, and to human rights.  With this simple event we are two cities committed from today to extending the cause of freedom and Human Rights.”

The 300 year old olive tree was donated by Bill Shipsey to the City of Dublin in 2006 and it has been situated in Cow’s Lane since then.  He donated an olive tree as a symbol of human rights and as a living testament to man’s desire for freedom.

 [googleMap name=”Cow’s Lane Dublin” description=”Cow’s Lane” width=”300″ height=”300″]Cow’s Lane Dublin[/googleMap]

Motor Tax offices closed next week

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Dublin City Council has advised that the Motor Tax Offices in Smithfield, Ballymun and Clondalkin will close to the public from Monday, 11th November to Friday 15th November 2013, inclusive.

This closure is to accommodate the significant backlog of non use declarations, motor tax applications and driving licence applications as a result of legislative changes introduced from 30th September, 2013.

From Tuesday, 29th October, 2013, applications for learner permits, driving licences and driver licence renewals can no longer be made through the Motor Tax Offices. For more information on the new application procedure please contact the National Driver Licence Service on 0761 087880 or visit www.ndls.ie

Dublin City Council apologises for any inconvenience these temporary closures may cause. In the meantime customers can continue to pay online at www.motortax.ie or by post to Motor Taxation Office, Block B, Blackhall Walk, Queen Street, Dublin 7, Clondalkin Motor Tax Office, Ninth Lock Road, Clondalkin, Dublin 22 or Ballymun Motor Tax Office, Civic Centre, Ballymun, Dublin 11.

Opera in Merrion Square Park in June

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As part of its on-going success in outdoor opera, Dublin City Council is introducing a new series of operatic performances for the month of June in Merrion Square Park.  ‘Opera in the Park’ will showcase 4 fantastic concerts, with performances taking  place  at 1:00 pm each Friday in June starting on the 7 June 2013 with La Bohéme. On Friday 21 June the performance will take place at 8:00 pm to celebrate Midsummer.

‘Opera in the Park’ is an initiative of Dublin City Council as part of its remit to animate the city with the best of art and culture.  These performances are also supported by Failte Ireland to promote the cultural interests in this part of Georgian Dublin to visitors.

 

Speaking on the performances, Ray Yeates, Arts Officer with Dublin City Council said “Dublin City Council’s Opera in the Open performances over the last few years have become a fixture in the Dublin’s cultural calendar   This year, throughout the month of June we are proud to announce a new series of ‘Opera in the Park’ performances in Merrion Square featuring three lunch time concerts and one evening concert focusing on Midsummer.  Our usual annual ‘Opera in the Open’ will of course return for the month of August.   All Welcome!.”

 

Admission is free and booking is not necessary.

 

For full program details see: http://bit.ly/11rmGKJ

 

Details correct at time of print, programme subject to change.

Japan comes to Farmleigh

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Dublin’s fourth Experience Japan Festival takes place from 4-21 April 2013. Experience Japan Festival day, a free family event, takes place at Farmleigh House, Phoenix Park on Sunday 7 April from 12 noon to 4pm. Other mainly free family friendly events will take place at a variety of locations around the city until 21 April. For full details see experiencejapan.ie.

The festival is supported by Dublin City Council, University College Dublin, Dublin City University and the Office of Public Works. Experience Japan aims to promote cultural and business links between Ireland and Japan.

Dublin’s Lord Mayor Naoise Ó Muirí who will open the festival on Sunday said:-“Experience Japan’s Family Day at Farmleigh will bring a traditional Japanese Cherry Blossom Festival to our capital. It’s a great chance for locals to share this beautiful tradition with members of our Japanese community”.

Also attending this year’s Farmleigh event is His Excellency Chihiro Atsumi Ambassador of Japan in Ireland.

The Festival continues to build on Dublin’s growing links with Japan and Asia. Dublin participated on a major Council of Europe Intercultural Cities conference in Japan on October 2012 attended by the Lord Mayor.