Des FitzGerald
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Des FitzGerald
@fitzgeralddes.bsky.social
RHA Gallery | Dublin City FM (2003-23) | Le Cool Dublin (2010-16) | 🇪🇺
Reposted by Des FitzGerald
A new substack, dedicated to the story of the Irish public house. All follows welcome! Today, in memory of Con Houlihan (born 6 December 1925) the story of one of Dublin's most beloved snugs and a drink that never happened.
publichousehistory.substack.com/p/the-day-wb...
The day W.B Yeats went to the pub. Now read on.
Today is the centenary of the birth of Con Houlihan, the Castle Island (two words, he insisted) writer.
publichousehistory.substack.com
December 6, 2025 at 3:12 PM
Reposted by Des FitzGerald
I got quite excited when I heard that Bram was due. I imagined sitting up late by the fire, exchanging vampire tales. It seems I got it wrong, and the dolt has shut off the power. That's another half-crown's worth of candles gone over the weir.
December 9, 2025 at 7:16 PM
Me too! One of my December highlights, perhaps THE highlight...
Concert cancellation! Tonight's Arvo Part at 90 concert at the NCH has been cancelled due to storm flight disruptions; the Estonian Philharmonic Choir is unable to travel to Dublin. Drat. was really looking forward to tonight.
December 9, 2025 at 4:05 PM
Reposted by Des FitzGerald
Dazzle Ships in Drydock, Liverpool, 1919, painting by Edward Wadsworth. Dazzle camouflage was created in WW1 to protect British ships from German artillery, making it difficult to estimate speed and direction. Wadsworth supervised design of camouflage patterns. #NorthernArt
December 8, 2025 at 8:58 AM
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Oileán Thoraí • Tory Island • Donegal

The 7th of December is traditionally believed to be the birthday of Colmcille, one of Ireland's three patron saints, alongside Patrick & Brigid.

One of the places associated with the saint is Tory Island, set in the Atlantic some 14km off the Donegal coast.
December 7, 2025 at 11:02 AM
Reposted by Des FitzGerald
Ladybird Artists Advent Calendar
Window 7
‘Frost’
Artist: CF Tunnicliffe
December 7, 2025 at 8:26 AM
Reposted by Des FitzGerald
Listen back to @colindavidsonart.bsky.social’s recent interview with @rickoshea.bsky.social on the @rteradio1.bsky.social Arena arts programme.

Colin was discussing his work, Stranger, now showing at the RHA – find their chat here: www.rte.ie/radio/radio1/clips/22565221
Stranger - Colin Davidson
Colin Davidson discuss Stranger, his new exhibition at the RHA.
www.rte.ie
December 5, 2025 at 2:51 PM
Definitely worth the wait - and, unusually for me, I just love watching this particular pod with the visuals 👏
I'm afraid the latest episode of the podcast will be out tomorrow, not today as usual. We're squeezing in an extra special discussion of Turner and Constable at the Tate.
December 4, 2025 at 4:49 PM
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The Complex in Dublin's north inner city has been told it has to leave its premises by next month www.thejournal.ie/the-complex-...
Arts centre in Dublin's north inner city told it has to leave its premises by next month
A petition has been launched to urge the Government to act to prevent The Complex from being evicted.
www.thejournal.ie
December 4, 2025 at 3:24 PM
Almost impossible to follow in Melvyn Bragg's shadow — but I'm looking forward to Misha Glenny as the new host of In Our Time. Melvyn approves too 👏

www.bbc.com/mediacentre/...
Misha Glenny to present BBC Radio 4’s In Our Time
The much loved series returns on 15 January 2026
www.bbc.com
December 3, 2025 at 12:23 PM
Reposted by Des FitzGerald
One of my journalistic heroes: Andreas Whittam Smith, who co-founded The Independent with Steven Glover and Matthew Symonds on 7 October 1986, has died aged 88.
Andreas Whittam Smith, co-founder of the Independent, dies aged 88
Journalist and editor also led British Board of Film Classification and served as senior lay member of the Church of England
www.theguardian.com
December 1, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Reposted by Des FitzGerald
Radio 4 is currently repeating this wonderful episode of In Our Time
BBC Radio 4 - Margery Kempe and English Mysticism share.google/9liBWxkcH4pC...
BBC Radio 4 - In Our Time, Margery Kempe and English Mysticism
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Margery Kempe, the medieval English mystic.
share.google
November 27, 2025 at 9:22 AM
Reposted by Des FitzGerald
This weekend at the RHA ⤵️

RDS Visual Art Awards 2025
A R C H I P E L A G O, Island Photographers Group
Colin Davidson, Stranger
Sarah McEneaney, Here and There
Lelia Henry, Conversations with Trees
Alex de Roeck, Debt Wish

Open Saturday 11am–5pm, Sunday 12–5pm.

💻 rhagallery.ie
November 28, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Great news - it's become something of an annual tradition for me to walk that bit extra to the open newsagents on St Stephen's Day...
Calendar coming along..think this might be the cover..think,also, that it might be published with the paper on St Stephens Day again so ask your local newsagent if they are going to be open
November 28, 2025 at 4:10 PM
Reposted by Des FitzGerald
A R C H I P E L A G O, a major exhibition of Irish photography at the RHA, runs until 21 December.

Curated by RHA Curator Davey Moor, it features seventeen artists, whose practice spans the myriad of themes that concern lens-based culture in Ireland today.

💻 rhagallery.ie/events/exhib...
November 28, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Fingers 🤞 for another Martyn Turner calendar - it's almost that time of year...
November 28, 2025 at 10:12 AM
Very interesting in-conversation with artist Lelia Henry and Tom Gorman, the resident ecologist at Westport House, at the RHA tonight. Tom shared insights into an exciting woodlands restoration project currently underway on the estate.
November 26, 2025 at 7:32 PM
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November 26, 2025 at 7:36 AM
Reposted by Des FitzGerald
Plans for the weekend? We're open today until 6pm, tomorrow noon until 5pm
November 22, 2025 at 10:15 AM
Reposted by Des FitzGerald
Alex de Roeck’s new exhibition, Debt Wish, examines an indulgence in wellness and self-optimisation in a culture where lifestyle, value and identity are endlessly renewed, quantified and consumed.

Learn more at rhagallery.ie/events/exhib...
Alex de Roeck, Debt Wish - RHA Gallery
rhagallery.ie
November 21, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Reposted by Des FitzGerald
Our new season of exhibitions now showing at the RHA ⤵️

RDS Visual Art Awards, to 25 Jan
Colin Davidson, Stranger, to 25 Jan
Sarah McEneaney, Here and There, to 25 Jan
Lelia Henry, Conversations with Trees, to 21 Dec
Alex de Roeck, Debt Wish, to 21 Dec 🧵
November 21, 2025 at 4:30 PM
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November 21, 2025 at 8:25 AM
Reposted by Des FitzGerald
Hey Bluesky arts/music folks in Ireland! At New Music Dublin we are looking to fill a new role: part-time general manager, working closely with our festival director and producer (& board). Role to commence in Jan. Detailed info here: www.newmusicdublin.ie/job-opportun... #SpeirGorm
Job Opportunities | Ireland’s foremost contemporary music festival
New Music Dublin takes place in Spring each year within the National Concert Hall and other venues throughout Dublin.
www.newmusicdublin.ie
November 21, 2025 at 11:59 AM
Reposted by Des FitzGerald
IT’S HERE IT’S HERE IT’S HERE!!!! The very first album ever dedicated to Avril Coleridge-Taylor. This has been such a labour of love - please do listen to it, her music deserves to be heard @jkaconductor.bsky.social @tomedney.bsky.social open.spotify.com/album/6EroQD...
Avril Coleridge-Taylor: Piano Concerto & Orchestral Works
open.spotify.com
November 21, 2025 at 9:12 AM