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🌇 Cork Sunset Today: 6:43pm
🌇 Last Wednesday: 6:31pm

It’s the day after St Patrick’s Day, so you may still be recovering. But just in case…

I’ve rounded up 47 events happening around Cork over the next 7 days!

Also, lots of reactions to the new gym comparison tool for Cork.

Enjoy and forward this email to a friend if you’re getting value!

Follow Cork Circle on Instagram for updates during the week.

New Business Openings

Uncle’s Deli (Now Open in English Market)

New rotisserie chicken sandwich stall from the team behind Paper Boys, Goodhood and Hansum, made with produce from neighbouring market stalls. Learn more

Discounts & Deals

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

💸 Clancy’s March Sale
Clancy’s, Princes Street
€5 pints | €10 cocktails | €5 vodka & dash | €8 wine | €8 prosecco
Not valid after 8pm Fri/Sat

Building Tools For Cork

Thanks for your responses to the gym poll last week!

I also asked Cork’s subreddit for their thoughts on the gym comparison website, and they had plenty to say, as you can see from the comment count above! You can view the thread here.

One thing I’m realising is that some of the features people want to compare, like cleanliness, can only really come from user experience. Gyms themselves aren’t going to give objective feedback on things like that.

Because of this, I’ll need to create a survey and crowdsource people’s experiences across Cork gyms.

I will have that ready to share next week.

In the meantime, I’ve started the data-gathering process by emailing and calling gyms for information on prices, contracts, and memberships.

It’s early days, but I’m looking forward to building this properly as it feels like a tool Cork really needs.

What’s On This Week

Wednesday March 18th

🎨 Open Walls Exhibition
St Peter’s Cork | 10am-5pm | 🎟 Free |
Group exhibition featuring 16 international artists across painting, photography, sculpture, ceramics and film. Runs until March 28th. 

🎬 Holy Smoke
Triskel Arts Centre | 8pm | 🎟 €11 |
Screening of Jane Campion’s 1999 film starring Kate Winslet and Harvey Keitel, part of Triskel’s Jane Campion season.

🧘 The Self-Care Sessions Cork
The Kingsley Hotel | 6pm–9:30pm | 🎟 From €27.27 |
Women’s wellness event featuring talks on beauty, wellbeing and personal development, plus a styling session and sound bath.

🎬 The Forgotten Temperate Rainforest 
UCC Council Room | 6:30pm–8:30pm | 🎟 From €10 (kids free) |
Social cinema evening featuring short films about Ireland’s temperate rainforests, followed by discussion and a Q&A with Hometree co-founder Matt Smith

🎤 Stand-Up Comedy Club: Low-Key Funny 
The Roundy | 8:30pm | 🎟 Free |
New material comedy night where secret guest comedians test out fresh stand-up sets.

Thursday March 19th

🥐 March Business Breakfast – Port of Cork
Commodore Hotel, Cobh | 8:30am–10:30am | 🎟 From €22.42 |
Business breakfast hosted by Cobh & Harbour Chamber featuring guest speaker Moira Murrell, Chief Executive of Cork County Council.

🤝 Speed Networking with Blarney & District Chamber
Blarney Woollen Mills Hotel | 12pm–1:30pm | 🎟 €17.07 |
Business networking event with short timed conversations designed to help professionals make new connections quickly.

📚 Friends of Nano Book Launch
Nano Nagle Place | 1pm | 🎟 Free |
Launch of the Friends of Nano digital book and art exhibition, sharing Nano Nagle’s story through artwork created by children from around the world.

🎭 March Artists Afternoon
The Everyman, MacCurtain St. | 1:30pm–3:30pm | 🎟 Free (booking required) |
Informal meetup for artists and arts workers with tea, coffee and conversation in the Everyman bar.

🎨 Art Workshop for Older People
Coffee Scape | 4:30pm–6pm | 🎟 Free (registration required) |
Social craft workshop teaching the Japanese embroidery technique Sashiko, with tea and refreshments provided.

🎬 Kinsale Film Series – Christy
Kinsale Community School | 7pm–9:30pm | 🎟 €16.68 |
Screening of Cork film Christy followed by a Q&A with Kinsale director Brendan Canty.

🎸 Ben Reel Band
Crane Lane Theatre | 11:30pm | 🎟 Free |
Late-night blues and roots rock show from Irish singer-songwriter Ben Reel and band.

Friday March 20th

🌌 Capturing the Stars: Introduction to Astrophotography
Douglas Library | 1pm–2pm | 🎟 Free |
Talk by astrophotographer Kevin Levins covering the basics of photographing the night sky, including camera setup, planning apps and Ireland’s best dark-sky locations.

🧶 Stitch and B*tch at Alchemy Coffee
Alchemy Coffee, Barrack St. | 7:30pm | 🎟 €5 (message to book, pay on arrival) |
Casual knitting and craft meetup. Bring your project, BYOB and meet other makers

🎤 KODA presents STATIC – Live Hip-Hop & Rap Event
Kino Events House | 7:30pm–10:30pm | 🎟 From €9.99 |
Live hip-hop showcase featuring Cork artists including wav.teo, shmuca, xolotus and beddyminaj, with a DJ set from 00FROST.

🎶 Safe From Harm – Live Trip-Hop & Electronica Tribute
Cyprus Avenue | 7pm–10:30pm | 🎟 €16.50 |
Live band tribute performing music by Massive Attack, Portishead, Morcheeba, Moby and other trip-hop and electronica artists.

🎶 This Flight Tonight: The Songs of Joni Mitchell
Kinsale Hotel & Spa | 8pm–10:30pm | 🎟 €31.57 |
Live acoustic tribute to Joni Mitchell performed by Zervas & Pepper and band.

🎷 Marc Copland Quartet feat. Robin Verheyen
Triskel Arts Centre | 8pm | 🎟 €26–€28 |
Live jazz performance from pianist Marc Copland and saxophonist Robin Verheyen as part of the Triskel International Jazz Programme.

🎶 Dani Larkin & guest Fiona O’Connell
Coughlan’s | 8pm | 🎟 €15 |
Live performance from Northern Irish singer-songwriter Dani Larkin, known for her storytelling-driven folk music.

Saturday March 21st

👶 Hypnobirthing Antenatal Course
St Joseph’s Parish Centre, Glanmire | Sat 21 Mar | 9:30am–4:30pm | 🎟 €330
One-day in-person hypnobirthing course offers practical tools, clear evidence-based guidance and calm mindset preparation for labour and birth. It’s designed for both you and your birth partner so you can learn together in a relaxed setting.

🧘 Spring Equinox Half-Day Retreat
Hidden Sauna Bridgefield | 10am–1pm | 🎟 €53.53 |
Half-day wellness retreat featuring Pilates, guided meditation, mindset workshop and optional sauna and cold plunge.

🥂 Singalong Bottomless Brunch
Sky Bar, Clancy’s | 1pm-4pm | 🎟 €43.87 |
Brunch event with live singalong music from Caroline Bailey and Dave Daly, including 90 minutes of bottomless prosecco.

🔭 Our Galaxy and Beyond: Deep Space Photography
Cork City Library | 3pm | 🎟 Free (registration required) |
Talk from photographer Sara Harvey exploring deep-space images and the techniques used to capture them.

💃 AJ School of Dance – Reach For The Stars
Cork Opera House | 4pm | 🎟 €28 |
Dance showcase from the Aideen Johnson School of Dance featuring ballet, lyrical, modern and acro performances set to Disney classics and modern hits.

💃 Ecstatic Dance Cork – Opening Night
Nano Nagle Theatre | 7:30pm | 🎟 €25–€30 |
Free-form dance event with a guided embodiment session followed by a live DJ set encouraging movement and self-expression.

🎙 The Comeback with Brenda Dennehy
Live at St Luke’s | 8pm | 🎟 €31.07 |
Live podcast recording hosted by Brenda Dennehy exploring stories of recovery, resilience and personal comebacks.

🎹 The Piano Man: Elton John & Billy Joel – A Live Celebration
The Everyman, MacCurtain St. | 8pm | 🎟 €31 |
John Forde and The 52nd Street Band perform a live tribute to Elton John and Billy Joel.

😂 Award-winning Danny Ryan at Cork Comedy Club
City Limits Comedy Club | 8pm | 🎟 €22.42 |
Stand-up night headlined by Limerick comedian Danny Ryan with guest comedians.

🔊 PolyAmber Presents Amber Nights: Anthony Pappa
Kino Events House | 9pm–2:30am | 🎟 From €17.07 |
Progressive house DJ Anthony Pappa headlines a late-night club event with support from Amber Nights residents Nalón, R.E.E.V., Fitz and Electric Foxx.

🕯️ Candlelight: Hans Zimmer’s Best Works
Aula Maxima, UCC | 9pm | 🎟 From €30 |
A candlelit concert by the Munster String Quartet performing iconic film scores by Hans Zimmer, including music from Interstellar, The Dark Knight, Gladiator and Pirates of the Caribbean.

🎧 Swiftogeddon – The Taylor Themed Club Night
Cyprus Avenue | 11pm–2:30am | 🎟 From €8.82 |
Club night dedicated entirely to Taylor Swift, playing deep cuts, fan favourites and all the hits.

Sunday March 22nd

Cruz Invitational Drift Day
Kartworld Adventure Park, Watergrasshill | 9am–6pm | 🎟 €0–€17.07 |
Drift event featuring road and pro drift cars on track, show cars on display and live DJs throughout the day.

💼 Peer to Peer Boardroom
The Address Hotel | 10am–4:30pm | 🎟 €269.11 |
Small-group leadership session focused on open discussion, problem-solving and networking with other professionals.

🎬 Twinless (15A)
Triskel Arts Centre, Tobin St. | 2pm | 🎟 €8 |
Dark comedy about two men who meet in a twin bereavement support group and form an unlikely friendship while navigating grief and identity. Critically acclaimed with a 97% Rotten Tomatoes score.

🎶 John Spillane – Afternoon and Evening Shows
Coughlan’s | 3pm and 7:30pm | 🎟 €25 |
Cork singer-songwriter John Spillane performs a live set blending folk, storytelling and traditional Irish influences.

🌳 Treenote Sessions
Aula Maxima, UCC | 3pm | 🎟 Free (registration required) |
Afternoon programme combining traditional music, science and storytelling exploring Ireland’s trees, followed by a guided arboretum tour.

🎶 Sacred Harp Singing Beginners’ Workshop
Quaker Meeting House | 🎟 Free |
Beginner-friendly workshop introducing the Sacred Harp four-part harmony singing tradition.

🎤 Finbar Wright
Cork Opera House | 8pm | 🎟 From €39 |
Concert from Irish romantic tenor Finbar Wright featuring special guest uilleann piper Ronan Browne.

Monday March 23rd

🎨 Canvas and Clay
Potteria Creative Studio, Douglas St. | 6:30pm–8pm | 🎟 €38.09 (last few tickets) |
Creative workshop combining canvas painting with clay appliqué to create a textured 3D artwork.

🧘 Move and Meditate
Ritual – Holistic Venue | 6:30pm–7:45pm | 🎟 €17.07 |
Session combining Pilates, breathwork and meditation designed to help you reset and unwind at the start of the week.

🎬 Sirât (15A)
Triskel Arts Centre, Tobin St. | Playing Mar 23–25 | 8pm | 🎟 €11 |
Drama following a father and son searching for a missing daughter at underground raves in the mountains of Morocco. Academy Award nominee for Best International Feature Film and has a 90% Rotten Tomatoes score.

Tuesday March 24th

📚 Mary Costello in Conversation with Danielle McLaughlin
Waterstones, Patrick St. | 6:30pm–8pm | 🎟 Free |
Author Mary Costello discusses her new novel A Beautiful Loan in conversation with writer Danielle McLaughlin.

🏡 The Cork Property Evening
Talbot Hotel Ballincollig | 6:30pm–8:30pm | 🎟 Free (registration required) |
Information evening covering mortgages, grants, home energy upgrades and navigating today’s property market with local experts.

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

Events For Kids This Week

🎨 First Steps! Art and Nature for Early Years
The Glucksman, UCC | Sat, March 21 | 10am-11am | 🎟 €15 (almost full) |
Art and nature session for toddlers aged 1–3 and their caregivers, combining a gallery visit with creative activities and a short nature walk.

🎵 Toddler Music Fun
Tory Top Library | Sat 21 Mar | 11:30am–12:30pm | 🎟 Free
Music session for toddlers featuring percussion, dancing, singing and rhythm. Parent or guardian must accompany each child.

🦖 Jurassic Art! Creative Class for Children
The Glucksman, UCC | Sat, March 21 | 3pm-4pm | 🎟 €11.70 |
Hands-on art class for children aged 8–12 inspired by the Domain of the Dinosaurs exhibition, with drawing and creative activities exploring prehistoric life.

CWSSL 3v3 Girls Football Festival
Nemo Rangers GAA Club | Sat, March 21 | 2pm-7pm | 🎟 From €11.57 |
Girls-only 3v3 football festival for players born between 2015–2019, featuring small-sided matches, skills and friendly competition.

Planning Ahead

🧠 Tech Talk: MTU Innovation – Forging the Future of Digital and Advanced Technologies
Nimbus Research Centre, MTU | Thu 26 Mar, 7:30am–9:30am | 🎟 Free (registration required) |
Short talks and demos exploring MTU’s work in AI, cybersecurity, engineering and digital innovation, with speakers from Dell Technologies, IDA Ireland and MTU.

🎤 The Blindboy Podcast (Live)
Cork Opera House | Thu Mar 26 | 8pm | 🎟 From €33 (selling fast) |
Blindboy brings his hugely popular storytelling podcast to Cork, blending history, culture, humour and mental health in an intimate live show.

🎙 Crime World Live with Nicola Tallant
Cork Opera House | Fri Mar 27 | 8pm | 🎟 From €35 |
Live podcast recording from crime journalist Nicola Tallant exploring organised crime and major criminal cases.

🚀 NDRC StartUp Sprint
Republic of Work | Sat 28 Mar, 9am–7pm | 🎟 Free (application required) |
A one-day startup sprint with workshops, mentors and resources to help turn early ideas into scalable business concepts. Applications close 26 March.

🎤 Rosie O’Donnell – Common Knowledge
Cork Opera House | Sun Mar 29 | 8pm | 🎟 From €33 (selling fast) |
The American comedian returns to the stage with her first stand-up show in nearly a decade, reflecting on life, family and her move to Dublin.

Old Cork

This photo was taken in 1955 from the Merchant’s Quay end of Patrick Street, looking up the street toward the city centre, with the Father Mathew statue in the middle of the frame.

The modern photo below shows that the architecture has largely stayed the same. The most notable difference is that the statue once sat in the middle of a planted garden with flowers and shrubs, compared with today’s plain paving.

Image attribution: Ben Brooksbank / Cork: St Patrick Street, 1955 / CC BY-SA 2.0

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