Going out: the best of what’s on this week

MONDAY

Uniform

Jackie Nickerson , plus paintings from the NGI collection. Hugh Lane: The works donated by Lane. At a Glance: Over 20 portrait drawings and paintings by John Butler Yeats. (Through Jan) Pathos of Distance: A new work by Sarah Pierce on the Irish Diaspora (Until May 1) Hennessy Portrait Prize '15: 12 shortlisted artists including winner Very Klute (Until Feb14) National Gallery of Ireland, Clare St
nationalgallery.ie

Over the Christmas holidays, the National Gallery in Dublin is a haven, and a child-friendly one. With much of the complex closed for major refurbishment, there is still a lot to see, including a showing of work. The temporary displays and exhibitions (Jackie Nickerson, left) are all outstanding.

TUESDAY

Gary Lightbody

Waterfront Hall Belfast 8pm £27.50 waterfront.co.uk Also Wed, Co Down

Snow Patrol intend to release a new album next year, but in the meantime, lead singer Gary Lightbody has been flexing his solo muscles by undertaking a series of (relatively intimate) solo shows. Following gigs in the US , Lightbody returns home for two solo acoustic performances, the tickets for which sold out within minutes. All proceeds from the Wednesday event (at Bangor Abbey) will be donated to the Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice, the Church of Ireland Bishop’s Appeal (Ebola Crisis), and Bangor Abbey Fabric Fund. For this gig, also, he will be joined by Snow Patrol’s Nathan Connolly and band associate, Iain Archer.

John Duffy, A Life in Pictures

Curated by Brian Maguire and Stano. Axis Ballymun, Main St, Ballymun, Dublin Until Feb 5 axisballymun.ie

Artist and poet John Duffy, who died tragically young last December, held four exhibitions and had an artist’s residency at Axis during his lifetime. There he met his friend and collaborator, Stano. This survey show coincides with the release of an album on which he reads 12 of his poems, with music by Stano, Niall O’Shea and Damien Dempsey. Plus a triptych by Robert Ballagh, Brian Maguire and Donald Teskey and the launch of a youth artist bursary in John Duffy’s memory.

WEDNESDAY

Graphic Explorations in Print

32 Years of Student Work from Distillers Press, NCAD. National Print Museum, Beggars Bush Barracks, Haddington Rd, Dublin Until Feb nationalprintmuseum.ie

A large Mailander offset proofing press, a letterpress proofing press and a large collection of type form the core of NCAD’s Distillers Press. The Press is unique in being the only operational letterpress print facility used on a daily basis in third-level design education in Ireland. Work from the Press is collected by private collectors and national institutions. Curated by Seán Sills, Custodian of the Press, this exhibition includes posters, books and a collection of ephemera.

RTÉ 2fm Xmas Ball in aid of ISPCC

3Arena Dublin 8pm €45 ticketmaster.ie

A brilliant charity, and very decent Irish music – what’s not to like about the ISPCC Ball? The line-up that includes Hozier (last year’s breakout Irish musician), Gavin James (a safe bet for breakout Irish musician of 2016), Little Green Cars, Riptide Movement, Ryan Sheridan, Hudson Taylor, and a more acts waiting in the wings. 2fm presenters (including Nicky Byrne, Jenny Greene, Eoghan McDermott, Bernard O’Shea, Jen Maguire, Keith Walsh, Tracy Clifford) will host the event.

THURSDAY

The Only Gig in Town

Out the road, everywhere €20 should get the round in

Tonight, dear Ticket readers, if you do manage to escape the clutches of your mother and her army-sized phalanx of ham sandwiches (and who would want to) the best you can probably hope for is a quiet one in the local while bumping into people you haven’t seen since school. Everyone will be in cracking form though, so no awkward conversations are necessary. Merry Christmas.