🔴#02 Free Burgers, Lates & St Patrick’s Festival

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🌇 Cork Sunset Today: 6:31pm
🌇 Last Wednesday: 6:18pm

Welcome to all our new members!

This week, the St Patrick’s Festival brings a good mix of sessions and more laid-back gigs, like Coffee House Lates.

Keep reaching out with events and suggestions, and share this newsletter with friends and/or enemies. Thanks!

• Follow Cork Circle on Instagram for updates during the week.

New Dutch smashburger chain opening with a Roy Keane mural and a launch giveaway of free burgers for the first 100 customers. Learn more

The former Flying Enterprise complex at 4 Barrack Street reopens as The South Gate Bar following a major renovation. Learn more

Have a new business opening? Tell us here.

Cork Circle Exclusive: 10% off selected Mahers Coffee products with our code CIRCLE10
Shop Mahers Coffee

💸 Free Prosecco for Mothers & Grandmothers
Bakestone Café, Perry Street | Sunday March 15th
Free glass of prosecco or mimosa on arrival for Mother’s Day brunch bookings. Booking required.

💸 Free Smashburgers – Grand Opening
Fat Phill’s, 38 Cook Street | Sunday March 15th, 1pm
First 100 smashburgers will be given away free to celebrate the restaurant’s Cork opening.

💸 Burgers & Brews Deal
Cronin’s Pub, Crosshaven | Wed & Thu 4pm–8pm
Free pint of Heineken or Heineken 0.0 with any burger, fish & chips or curry from the eat-in menu.

Running a deal in Cork, online or in-store? Tell us here to be featured on Cork Circle. Free to submit.

Staying on the floating theme from last week, I came across a clever business on Lake Taupō in New Zealand run by Hole in One Challenge.

You pay about $25 to hit a bucket of 15 golf balls at a floating green 110 yards away. Make a hole-in-one, and you win $10,000. Sounds generous, but the maths is on their side. Even good golfers make a hole-in-one on a par-3 about once in 12,000 shots, while casual players are closer to 1 in 20,000.

If most customers hit 15 balls, the odds mean the business takes in hundreds of thousands in ball sales while paying out only occasionally. The setup involves a kiosk, a floating green, and a scuba diver retrieving the balls! It could work in parts of the city, but planning permission may be easier in coastal Cork towns where pontoons are more established.

It’s easy to point out opportunities. Contributing something useful to the city is the harder part!

With that said, I’m going to start building tools that can hopefully provide some value. 

The first will be a gym directory/comparison tool for Cork. Many gyms don’t show prices or contract details online and require you to email or call. The goal is to make that information visible so people can compare easily.

To make sure it’s useful, your vote in the poll below would help a lot.

Wednesday March 11th

💃 Céilí by the Lee
Crane Lane Theatre | 7:30pm | 🎟 €5 |
Irish dancing night with live music where beginners are welcome and no partner is required.

Thursday March 12th

🧠 Navigating Ireland’s Startup & SME Support Landscape
Republic of Work, 12 South Mall | Thu Mar 12 | 10:30am–1pm | 🎟 Free (registration required) |
Ecosystem masterclass explaining Ireland’s startup supports, including Enterprise Ireland, LEO, NDRC and New Frontiers. Attend in person or through Zoom.

🎨 Artist Talk: Damien Flood
The Glucksman | 1pm–2pm | 🎟 Free (registration required) |
Lunchtime artist talk with Damien Flood discussing his work in the Domain of the Dinosaurs exhibition.

🎶 Ger Wolfe
Coughlan’s | Thu Mar 12 | 7:30pm | 🎟 €18 (booking required) |
Folk singer-songwriter Ger Wolfe performs songs from across his career including material from his latest album Songs from Freeman’s Ballyvourney Collection.

🎤 Serena Terry – Therapy
Cork Opera House | 8pm | 🎟 €31 (booking required) |
Comedy show from Mammy Banter creator Serena Terry.

Friday March 13th

🖼 In Conversation with Emma Quin and MOTH contributing artists
Studio 12 Exhibition / Project Space, Backwater Artists Group | 1pm | 🎟 Free (registration required) |
Conversation with curator Emma Quin and contributing artists from the exhibition MOTH.

🎪 Night Market on Cornmarket Street
Cornmarket Street | 5pm–9pm | 🎟 Free |
Evening street market with stalls, live entertainment and activities as part of Cork’s night-time initiative.

☕ Coffee House Lates
Cork City | 6pm–9pm | 🎟 Free |
Click to see events from cafés staying open late across the city.

🎬 The Short Films of David Lynch
Triskel Arts Centre | 6pm | 🎟 From €8.50 |
Screening of David Lynch short films including Six Men Getting Sick, The Alphabet, The Grandmother, The Amputee (V. 1 and V. 2), The Cowboy and the Frenchman, Premonitions Following an Evil Deed and Dumbland.

🍣 Adult Beginner Sushi Workshop
11 Cook St | 6pm–8pm | 🎟 €76.05 (booking required) |
Hands-on beginner workshop covering the basics of making sushi.

🍽 Tiger Balm Club – Ballymaloe Grainstore Food Sessions
Ballymaloe Grainstore | 7pm | 🎟 €70 (booking required) |
Tiger Balm Club hosts a shared-plate dinner at the Grainstore, including a welcome snack and cocktail.

💘 Offline & Available
Crawford & Co | 7:30pm–11pm | 🎟 €12.50 (booking required) |
Speed dating and social games night for ages 25–35.

🎶 Kíla & Paddy Casey – Rock Against Homelessness
Cyprus Avenue | 7pm | 🎟 €30 (booking required) |
Fundraising concert for Focus Ireland featuring Kíla, Paddy Casey and special guest Alky.

🎶 Irish Women in Harmony
St Peter’s Cork | 8pm | 🎟 €22.42 (booking required) |
Live performance from the Irish Women in Harmony collective as part of the St Patrick’s Festival.

🔊 Shampain – Millenium Madness Tour
Savoy | 8:30pm | 🎟 From €11.64 (booking required) |
Galway producer Shampain brings his electronic live set to Cork.

Saturday March 14th

🧘 CUH Fundraiser Pilates Class
Marina Market | 10am | 🎟 €17.07 (booking required) |
Pilates session supporting a London Marathon fundraiser for services at Cork University Hospital.

🎻 Arundó Trad Music at the Marina Market
Marina Market | 12pm–2pm | 🎟 Free |
Live traditional Irish music performance from Arundó during the St Patrick’s weekend celebrations.

🍽 Taste of the Nile
Cairo 2 Cork | 6:30pm–8:30pm | 🎟 €26.99 (booking required) |
Seated Ramadan dining event with a traditional Egyptian iftar meal.

🎻 Ceol Chorcaí: Irish Traditional Music, Song & Dance
Cork City Hall | 7:30pm | 🎟 From €6.34 (booking required) |
St Patrick’s festival event with traditional Irish music, singing and dance performances.

🔊 Sunday Times with Donal Dineen
The Savoy | Sat Mar 14 | 7:30pm | 🎟 From €17.04 (booking required, almost full) |
Two-room night at the newly reopened Savoy with Sunday Times residents in the main room and Donal Dineen in the lounge.

🎻 Mochua, live at St. Catherines
St Catherine’s Cultural Centre, Kinsale | 8pm–10pm | 🎟 €20 (booking required) |
Traditional and folk performance led by Karl Nesbitt and Mochua.

🎙 Remembering Joe – The Dolan Family
Cork Opera House | 8pm | 🎟 €32 (booking required) |
Concert celebrating the music of Joe Dolan performed by members of his family and original band.

🎭 St Patrick's Special at City Limits Comedy Club
Cork Comedy Club – City Limits | 8:30pm | 🎟 €22.42 (booking required) |
St Patrick’s weekend stand-up show with Chris McShane, Paul Crowley, Micheal The Bar Roche and guests.

Sunday March 15th

🧘 lululemon Pilates Class Brown Thomas
Brown Thomas Cork | 10am–11am | 🎟 €27.79 (booking required) |
Pilates class with Emily O'Sullivan followed by private shopping and refreshments.

🎨 Creativi (Tea): Mother's Creative Day
Fota House, Arboretum & Gardens | 11am–1pm | 🎟 From €55 (booking required)
Mother’s Day workshop combining tea ritual, creative gift-making and homemade treats.

📚 The Chit Chat Collective – March Book Club
Rebel Reads Bookshop | 11am–1pm | 🎟 €6.34 (booking required) |
Monthly book club discussing The Safekeep by Yael Van Der Wouden in a relaxed group setting.

🩰 Swan Lake – Sofia City Ballet
Cork Opera House | 2pm | 🎟 From €36 (booking required) |
Full ballet production of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake performed by the Sofia City Ballet.

🌿 Women’s Retreat | Return to Self
Collective Cork | 2pm–4pm | 🎟 €38.52 (booking required) |
Women’s wellness event combining cacao, breathwork, movement, journaling and Yoga Nidra.

🕺 Free Céilí Mór - St Patrick’s Festival Cork
Cork City Hall | 2pm–5pm | 🎟 Free (registration required) |
Open céilí with live traditional music and guided dancing for all experience levels.

🎶 Áine Tyrrell & guest Cian Finn
Coughlan's | 7:30pm | 🎟 €18 (booking required) |
Live show from Áine Tyrrell blending song, spoken word and Irish roots music, with support from Cian Finn.

Monday March 16th

🔊 The Daft Punk Experience + Stevie G
The Pav | 7pm | 🎟 €25.11 (booking required) |
Live electronic show performing Daft Punk tracks with support from DJ Stevie G.

💃 Celtic Beats: The Irish Dance Show
Cork Opera House | 7pm | 🎟 €29 (booking required, last few tickets) |
Irish dance production showcasing performers from the Kiely-Walsh Academy.

🎉 Rory’s Birthday Party Feat. Lerato, Tamasumo, East West Assembly & more
Kino Events House | 7pm | 🎟 €18.50 |
Club night featuring Tama Sumo & Lakuti, East West Assembly, Abbie Lee and resident DJs Frawl and Shane.

🚤 Kinsale St Patrick's Maritime Parade
Kinsale Harbour | 7:30pm | 🎟 Free |
Evening harbour parade with illuminated boats, music, family activities and a fireworks display from around 8pm.

🎶 Séamus & Caoimhe Uí Fhlatharta
St Peter’s Cork | 8pm | 🎟 €17.07 (booking required) |
Sean nós singing performance from the Connemara sibling duo as part of the St Patrick’s Festival.

Tuesday March 17th (St Patrick’s Day)

⛪ Finding the Shamrock at St Fin Barre’s Cathedral
St Fin Barre’s Cathedral | 1pm & 2:30pm | 🎟 €10 (booking required) |
Guided tour exploring the cathedral’s architecture, history and symbolism with the Operations Manager. Children under 16 go free.

☘️ Cork St. Patrick’s Day Parade
City Centre | 1pm | 🎟 Free |
Cork’s St Patrick’s Day parade featuring community groups and performers.

🔊 Curate Launch Party
The Pavilion | 2pm–6pm | 🎟 Free |
Face-to-face DJ concept placing the booth on the floor, with Tara Casey, Vealer, Forrest, Bonz, Peter Vogelaar and Conor Walsh playing in a 360° crowd setup.

🔊 Tag Team – Battle of the B2B’s
Sky Bar, Clancy’s | 3pm-2am | 🎟 From €6.34 (booking required) |
St Patrick’s Day DJ event featuring 22 DJs playing back-to-back sets in a live judged competition.

🔊 LF System
Cyprus Avenue | 9pm | 🎟 €22.50 |
Scottish house duo LF System headline with support from Tara Casey, Natmac, Rosina, Roc and Nichol.

Events For Kids This Week

🐍 St. Patrick's Snake Hunt at Elizabeth Fort
Elizabeth Fort | Fri, Mar 13 – Tues, Mar 17 | 11am–4pm | 🎟 Free |
Self-guided family trail following a map to find hidden snakes around the fort grounds.

🐉 Zog
The Everyman | Wed, Mar 11 - Sat, Mar 14 | Various Times | 🎟 From €20 (booking required) |
Stage musical adaptation of Julia Donaldson’s children’s story about an accident-prone young dragon at school.

🤼 Megaslam Wrestling
Cork Opera House | Wed, Mar 11 | 7pm | 🎟 €17 (booking required) |
Family wrestling show featuring international performers in a series of live matches.

🧒 Playing in the Park
Bishop Lucey Park | Sat, Mar 14 | 12pm–2pm | 🎟 Free |
Family event featuring traditional street games and sensory play zones led by the Let’s Play Cork team.

🏃 Tailteann Games
Elizabeth Fort | Sat, Mar 14 | 12pm–3pm | 🎟 Free |
Family event inspired by ancient Irish games with playful challenges centred on teamwork, agility and problem-solving.

🎾 Cork Lions Club Ball Run
Patrick’s Hill | Sun, Mar 15 | 2pm–4pm | 🎟 €2 per ball |
Charity ball race down Patrick’s Hill raising funds for Cork local charities.

Planning Ahead

🎙 Cork Podcast Festival
Various venues across Cork | Mar 20–29 | 🎟 Ticketed |
Ten days of live podcast recordings, talks and workshops across the city, with shows including The Blindboy Podcast, Crime World with Nicola Tallant, and Untold Sounds with Seán Ronayne.

⚽ An Evening with Robbie Fowler
Cork Opera House | Tue Mar 24 | 7:30pm | 🎟 From €46 |
Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler live in conversation about his career and time at Anfield.

🥃 Cork Whiskey Fest
Various venues across Cork City | Mar 27–29 | 🎟 Ticketed |
Three-day festival of tastings, talks and whiskey experiences across the city. Several events are already sold out, so booking early is advised.

The original Cork Opera House on Emmet Place in 1883. The theatre first opened in 1855, originally called the Athenaeum, and later became the Opera House. It stood here for a century before a fire destroyed the building in December 1955

Image attribution: French, Robert, photographer - National Library of Ireland Catalogue

The Opera House was rebuilt in 1965, and the Christy Ring Bridge followed in 1987.