Special Olympics Ireland launched the “Support an Athlete” campaign in Dublin. The goal is to raise EUR 5 million for athletes. The initiative is backed by celebrities such as Colin Farrell.
SOI has helped thousands of disabled persons experience the benefits and joy of playing sports in the last four years, since the World Games were last held in Ireland. This was reported by SOI executive Mary Davis.

There are going to be many fun celebrations in Dublin on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. There will also be a fun parade in the city, with marching bands from all parts of the world.
Dublin is among the most friendly and exciting capital cities in the world, truly an international party central. It will definitely be an unforgettable party.
The easy-going lifestyle of Dubliners creates a special cosmopolitan atmosphere, especially in the pleasant restaurants and bars. The city offers many shopping opportunities and a lively art scene, a rich history and nightlife. You can rest assured that you won’t be disappointed in Dublin, no matter what you decide to do.

If you are thinking about traveling to Dublin, rest assured that there is plenty to see and do in the city of James Joyce. There are innumerable attractions and points of interest, tons of fun events, and many other possibilities.
A great option is the Dublin Pass, giving lots of features in one major value package. It includes free access to more than 30 of the top attractions in Dublin, over 25 special offers for tours, shopping, eating, and entertainment, and free airport transfer to Dublin via Aircoach.

Depeche Mode will perform at the Point Theatre in Dublin in the evening of June 26th. The legendary group recently released its latest album, Playing the Angel. This concert is part of their European tour. Depeche Mode have sold over 50 million records worldwide and 13 of their albums have topped the charts in history. The group also boasts no fewer than 38 hit singles.
The group was originally part of the new romantic movement on the music scene of Britain. They went on to become a major electro-pop band, one of the first groups to establish a musical identity solely on the basis of synthesizers. The group’s first few albums had a light dance-pop touch, but they gradually developed a melancholic, more dramatic sound. This has helped establish them as one of the most successful alternative acts of their age. Depeche Mode is a resilient and especially versatile band, which has always managed to adapt to the tendencies in the music business at any given point in time.

It is common knowledge that sometimes art can be bad to the extent that it starts to be good. The women running the so-called Bad Art Gallery in Dublin reached this conclusion a long time ago. This venue has the objective of showcasing pieces of poor art. The bad art exhibit will run until May 30, 2006 at the gallery on Francis Street, Dublin.
The concept behind this display, which sprung from the plagued soul of commended artist Deborah Donnelly, involves an attempt to boost the diminished self-confidence of artists, who recently learned that their paintings aren’t good enough to be displayed at the annual Royal Hibernian Academy exhibit this year. This traditional event enters its 176th edition in 2006.

Irish public service television and radio broadcaster Radio Telefis Eireann (RTE) made an attempt to give consolation and closure to the victims of the Stardust disaster in Dublin 25 years ago, but sadly it went awry. 48 young people died after a club was set on fire in Artane, north Dublin. Neil Fetherstonhaugh and Tony McCullagh’s book They never came home tells the story of this tragic incident. RTE launched a TV series based on the book. It is expected to incite great conflict and controversy. Around 140 people arrived at Clontarf Castle to watch the private screening of Stardust, a two-part drama. It will be broadcast on TV shortly.

The Dublin Gay Theatre Festival is a festival commemorating the birth of legendary writer and playwright Oscar Wilde. It was established in honor of the 150th anniversary of his birthday. The third annual edition of this international drama festival will start on May 1 and end on May 14 this year.
The city will become the world center of gay theatre once again. The festival aims to promote and develop all concepts of gay dramaturgy and theatre. In the process of contributing to this art form, the festival will provide academic and theatrical forms for presenting the traditional and modern works of gay playwrights and authors. Works that carry the theme of homosexuality in some form or are in some way relevant to the gay community and lifestyle will be presented. The aim is to promote the contribution to arts made by gays on a local and international scale. Oscar Wilde was an artist whose superb talent will never be forgotten. The festival’s chief objective is to discover and promote such talents.

Dublin is preparing for a great and unique event - The Ireland Challenge 2006. It will take place from April 22 to April 29. This yacht race will begin and end in Dublin city. The yachts will race around the Emerald Isle. The crews will be welcomed with a ceremony in Dublin before the race starts.
Everybody with at least some knowledge of sailing is aware that the waters around Ireland can be very challenging. For example, the crews will have to navigate in the area of Fastnet Rock, a dangerous part of the Irish Sea. There are tidal abnormalities west of Ireland due to the strong currents of the Atlantic Ocean.

The third edition of International Dance Festival Ireland is coming up soon! It will run for two weeks from Friday, April 21 to Sunday, May 7 in 2006. Following the resounding success of International Dance Festival Ireland 2002 and 2004, the festival is preparing for its third edition, which will probably be the most exciting to date. It will take place at various venues in Dublin. Irish audiences will delight in international modern dance performances, traditional Irish dances and a wide range of special festival commissions. World-renowned dance troupes and famous companies are part of the lineup. The program is a diverse blend of dances of all traditions and styles. It is accessible to people from all walks of life – from dance professionals to amateurs. There will be a community participation program, a kids’ program, a film program, an artist in residence program and a new initiative on dance criticism.