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Welcome! After the food focus last week, it’s back to the performing arts this week. Pete Doherty and his band Babyshambles are playing at Cyprus Avenue, and the classic play A Streetcar Named Desire is running at The Everyman.
This week’s standout for something different is ‘Ireland’s Kicking King’ at Virgin Media Park, where 16–24-year-olds can try out to kick during a US college football game in Chicago.
We’re also getting a great addition to MacCurtain Street.
If you know someone in Cork who’d like this email each week, please send it their way!
• Follow Cork Circle on Instagram for updates during the week.
The Sauna Snugg Garrylucas/Ballincollig Passes
We’ve got 4 x 60-minute passes for The Sauna Snugg at either their Ballincollig or Garrylucas locations. To be considered, just reply to this email with: Snugg
For another entry, head to our Instagram post, follow @corkcircle.ie and @the_sauna_snugg_, like the post, and tag who you’d bring.
If you enter on Instagram too, include your handle in reply to get the extra entry. Entries close next Wednesday, August 26th at 10am and the selected reader will be named in next week’s newsletter.
Discounts & Deals
Cork Circle Exclusive: 10% off Mahers Coffee products with our code CIRCLE10
Shop Mahers Coffee
✈️ Cork Airport Flight Deals Found This Week
Faro - €56 (usually €172+)* | 📅 Sun Oct 18 - Fri Oct 23 | View fare →
Barcelona Reus - €60 (usually €182+)* | 📅 Sun Oct 11 - Thurs Oct 15 | View fare →
*Usually = the average return price from Ryanair’s month-view fares.
Pop-Ups & Openings
🐟 The Salty Dog (Opening at 45 MacCurtain Street) | 24 August (Soft Opening) |
New Cork city seafood restaurant from the group behind CUSH, Sea Church and Ballycotton’s Salty Dog.
What’s On This Week
Wednesday August 19
💕 Speed Dating Cork Ages 24-34 | Clancy's Cork | 8pm | 🎟 €18.56 |
Speed dating event for ages 24–34 with eight rotating three-minute dates.
🎭 Craic! The Improv Irish Play | Cork Arts Theatre | Wed Aug 19 - Sat Aug 22, 8pm | 🎟 €18, €15 group rate |
Improvised Irish comedy where audiences choose characters, scenarios and storylines each night.
Thursday August 20
🏛️ Community Matters Live Podcast: Heritage At Risk | The Creative Zone, UCC Library | 6pm–7pm | 🎟 Free |
Panel discussion on threats to Cork City’s built heritage and balancing growth with preservation.
🎨 Claire's Art Club Fundraiser in the Wilton | The Wilton Pub And Restaurant | 6:30pm | 🎟 €45 |
Step-by-step guided painting workshop with all materials supplied for fundraising.
📅 The Gilbert Baker Flag: Safety & the LGBTI+ Community Panel Discussion | City Hall | 6:30pm | 🎟 Free |
Panel discussion addressing safety, inclusion, and the LGBTI+ community.
🎵 The Wailers - 50 Years of Positive Vibrations | Cyprus Avenue | 7pm | 🎟 €41.26 |
The renowned band performs selections from Rastaman Vibration album on its anniversary tour.
😂 Comedy Cavern: Sadhbh McLoughlin – Not My Real Accent | Coughlan’s | 7:30pm | 🎟 €10 |
Solo stand-up storytelling show exploring Irish identity, belonging and returning home.
🎭 A Streetcar Named Desire | The Everyman | Thu 20–Sat 22 Aug, 7:30pm | 🎟 €29 / €21 concession |
Tennessee Williams’ drama follows Blanche DuBois’s troubled reunion with her sister in New Orleans.
Friday August 21
🌳 Gardens & Galleries Tour | Fitzgerald’s Park & Cork Public Museum | 12 pm | 🎟 Free |
Guided walk exploring the history, gardens and museum collections of Fitzgerald’s Park.
🎹 Friday Lunchtime Organ Recital: Peter Barley | Saint Fin Barre’s Cathedral | 1:10pm | 🎟 From €10 |
Lunchtime recital by organist Peter Barley as part of the Friday Organ Recital series.
📷 EAST CORK TATTOO CONVENTION | Ballymaloe Grainstore | Fri Aug 21 - Sun Aug 23, 3pm | 🎟 €19.20 |
Tattoo convention with 45 international artists, live music, workshops, and tintype photography.
📖 I’ll Be Your Mirror: Young Voices | Saint Fin Barre’s Cathedral | 6pm–7pm | 🎟 Free |
Four young writers aged 14–19 share readings developed with Graffiti Theatre Company.
💃 Friday Fast Track Salsa & Bachata Courses | The Tribe Dance Academy | 7pm | 🎟 Free Trial Class |
Six-week beginner salsa and bachata dance courses meeting Friday evenings.
🎶 DMode | savoy | 8pm | 🎟 €22.43 |
Electro-pop tribute band performs Depeche Mode songs from their extensive catalogue.
📅 Caleb Klauder & Reeb Willms | The White Horse | 8:30pm | 🎟 €24.54 |
Bluegrass duo perform material from their new album.
Saturday August 22
🎨 Healing through the subconscious mind - Self healing course | Dervish Bookshop & Holistic Centre | 12:30pm | 🎟 €108.23 |
Workshop teaching techniques to release emotional blocks and activate natural healing abilities.
🎷 Curveball | Triskel Arts Centre | 1pm | 🎟 €18, €16 concession |
Cork six-piece jazz fusion group debuts new compositions and arrangements.
🏊 Ardgroom Swim 2026 | Glenbeg Lake, Ardgroom | 2pm | 🎟 €11.70 |
Open-water swim with 4km and 400m distances around Glenbeg Lake.
📚 The Dungeon Book Signing with Gareth Hanrahan | Waterstones Cork | 2pm | 🎟 Free |
Cork-based fantasy author Gareth Hanrahan signs copies of his new novel The Dungeon Book.
📚 Fallacies of the Zeitgeist - Misunderstandings of Scientific Ideas | New Acropolis Ireland - Cork | 3pm | 🎟 €5 |
Philosophy talk examining common misconceptions and misunderstandings in mainstream scientific thought.
🎸 Tia Bow | Cork City Library | 3:15pm–4pm | 🎟 Free |
Belfast songwriter Fionnuala Fagan-Thiébot blends contemporary folk with rock and electronica.
🎶 Summer Sessions | Marina Market | 4pm–6pm | 🎟 Free |
Outdoor event with DJs, live musicians, dance, graffiti, reggae, dub and jazz.
🎨 Réalta Voices, Natural Voice Singing | My Goodness Cafe, upstairs @ The Quay Co-op | 6:30pm | 🎟 €12 |
Natural voice singing workshop teaching simple songs in unison and harmony for wellbeing.
🎸 Babyshambles | Cyprus Avenue | 7pm | 🎟 €55 |
Pete Doherty’s indie rock band performs following their return to the stage in 2025.
🎵 Historical Harp Concert with Javier Sáinz | The Harp in Ireland | Bandon Methodist Church | 7:30pm | 🎟 €17.07 |
Harp concert exploring the instrument's role and history in Irish culture.
📅 Declan Sinnott presents: Evelyn and Dec Live at Greywood Arts | Greywood Arts (Residency for Artists) | 8pm | 🎟 €27.79 |
Singer-songwriter duo performs material from debut album and new record.
🎵 Shane Johnson | savoy | 8:30pm | 🎟 €22.43 |
House DJ and producer of Fish Go Deep performs a four-hour set.
🎉 Voodoo Summer Sunset Party with Bacardi | Voodoo Rooms | 10pm | 🎟 €9.55 |
Bacardi-sponsored party across three floors with DJs and prize giveaways.
Sunday August 23
🏖️ Singles Beach Party 2026 | Fountainstown Beach | 11am–2pm | 🎟 Free |
Singles social for ages 18+ with beach games, music, group walks and relaxed mingling.
🍽️ Stevie G's RNB Brunch | Sky Bar Cork | 1pm | 🎟 €43.87 |
RnB brunch with unlimited prosecco (for 90 mins) and entertainment.
🏈 Ireland's Kicking King: Road to Ryan Field | Virgin Media Park | 1pm–2:30pm | 🎟 Free (reserve spot) |
American football kicking tryout for ages 16–24. Top performers advance towards the Aviva Stadium finals, with winners earning a US trip, two months’ specialist training and a half-time kicking opportunity at Ryan Field in Chicago, where the overall winner receives a cash prize.
🎉 Blackpool Block Party | Great William O’Brien Street | 1pm–5pm | 🎟 Free |
Community street party with lunch, céilí, live music, workshops, displays and outdoor games.
✨ Girls Just Wanna Have Fun | Zumba & Personal Card Reading Experience | Marina Market | 2pm | 🎟 €12.50 |
Zumba workout followed by individual three-card tarot readings with a reader.
💕 PITCH -A- FRIEND Cork (Silver - Baby Boomer edition) | Moxy Cork | 2pm | 🎟 Free |
Speed-dating event where friends pitch single acquaintances to potential matches.
🎬 Shrek Pop Up Choir Session 3 | Quaker Meeting House | 2:30pm | 🎟 €13.85 |
Pop-up choir workshop focused on singing songs from the animated film.
🧘 Sunday Sanctuary Mini Retreat | The Hot Box Sauna - Studio | 2:30pm | 🎟 €33.15 |
Gentle yoga, meditation, journaling, and yoga nidra retreat for self-reconnection.
🎸 Alfi | The White Horse | 8pm | 🎟 €21.89 |
Irish trad and folk trio performs debut show.
Monday August 24
🎨 Understanding Social Media Addiction | Temperence Hall, Kinsale | 7pm | 🎟 Free |
Workshop exploring how social media algorithms influence user behaviour and content consumption.
😂 Rebel Comedy Club: Open Mic Night | Franciscan Well | 8:30pm | 🎟 Free |
Open mic comedy night with established performers and newer acts from Cork and beyond.
Tuesday August 25
🎩 Secret Magic Show | Kino Events House | 7pm | 🎟 €33.15 |
Magic performance featuring rotating lineup of magicians each month.
🥃 Costigan's Cut X West Cork Distillers | Costigan's Pub | 7:30pm | 🎟 €17.07 |
Whiskey tasting featuring six selections with distillery representatives and surprise offerings.
Kids Events
🎶 Can Linn Singalong in Irish | Douglas Library | Fri, Aug 21, 11:30am | 🎟 Free | Singalong session in Irish language for children with adult supervision.
🎶 Kid's Pop | Hibernian Hotel & Leisure Centre | Sat, Aug 22, 1pm | 🎟 €24.57 | Pop music concert for children with catchy songs and upbeat performances.
🧸 Make Your Own Puppet | Civic Trust House | Sat 22 Aug, 2pm–4pm | 🎟 Price not stated |
Make a spoon puppet using provided materials, and enjoy some puppet demos. This family-friendly workshop is open to all ages and beginners.
💧 Water Heritage Day 2026 | Old Cork Waterworks Experience | Sun 23 Aug, 11am–4pm | 🎟 €5 |
Family drop-in workshops explore water science, filtration, aquatic life and Cork’s water heritage.
Planning Ahead
🎸 Freddie White | St Catherine's Cultural Centre, Kinsale | Fri Sept 4, 8pm | 🎟 €33.15 |
Irish folk and rock artist performs new songs and classics from his 40-year career.
🏋️ The Female Health & Fitness Summit | SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh | Sun 6 Sep, 10am–5pm | 🎟 €108.23 |
Full-day summit covering female hormones, nutrition, training, body image, menopause and athletic performance.
🎬 Dirty Dancing at Fota House | Fota House | Gates 8pm, film 8:30pm | 🎟 €12 |
Outdoor screening of Dirty Dancing in the grounds of Fota House.
Old Cork
The Savoy cinema on Patrick’s Street in the 1960s (most likely 1965).
Image attribution: Anthony Barry Photographic Archive
