A guide to what's going on this week
It's St Valentine's Day on Wednesday. What, you mean you have nothing booked? Appropriately, Neil Simon's Barefoot in the Park, currently showing at the Smock Alley Theatre in Temple Bar, depicts the transition from dreamy lovers to arguing newlyweds. See www.tickets.ie.
Friday's St Valentine's Concertat Cork City Hall hopes to support local athletes participating in the Shanghai Special Olympics. The all-star line-up includes soprano Cara O'Sullivan and baritone Joe Corbett. Call 021-4966222
At 8pm on Wednesday at Christ Church in Dublin, Sacred Selectionsis a free organ recital by Paul Ayres, featuring experimental underground music. Dance music in Christ Church? On an organ? File this one under unusual. Call 01-6778099 or see www.cccdub.ie.
Why not buy your honey a beehive for St Valentine's Day? For €50 you can contribute to the Bóthar Honey Bee Appeal, which sponsors a beehive for a Third World family. Call 061-414142 or see www.bóthar.org.
On St Valentine's Day 1981, 48 people lost their lives in the Stardust fire. On Thursday at the Helix in Dublin, Remembering the Stardustis a tribute concert with performances by Don Baker, Mary Black, Finbar Furey and Mickey Harte. All proceeds go to the Stardust Support Committee. Call 01-7007000 or see www.stardustsupport.com.
RTÉ's Living Music Festivalruns from Friday to Sunday, with events at Vicar Street (01-7755800), the Sugar Club (01-6787188), the National Concert Hall (01-4170000) and the National Gallery of Ireland (01-6615133). The festival's focus is the US composer John Adams. See www.rte.ie/livingmusic.
The Jameson Dublin International Film Festivalstarts on Friday and runs until February 25th, with more than 100 feature films, shorts and events at the Screen (01-6725500), the Savoy (0818-776776), Cineworld (1520 880444) and the IFI (01-6793477). Highlights include Fritz Lang's Metropolisat the National Gallery, the award-winning musical Once, starring Glen Hansard, and the first Irish-language feature to be shown at the festival, Cré Na Cille. See www.dubliniff.com
Appropriately, perhaps, for an election year, the Abbey presents Julius Caesar, directed by Jason Byrne, from Monday until March 17th, starring Robert O'Mahoney. Currently showing at The Peacock is Caryl Churchill's troubling A Number. Call 01-8787222 or see www.abbeytheatre.ie.
Badly Drawn Boyplays the Music Factory in Carlow this evening (059-9135920) and Dublin's Olympia tomorrow (01-6793323). David Kitt plays Cyprus Avenue in Cork on Tuesday (021-4276165), and Bloc Party are at the Ambassador in Dublin on Friday (0818-719300).
In advance of Shrove Tuesday, on February 20th, the Odlums National Pancake Party, to raise money for the National Children's Hospital, in Tallaght, starts on Friday. Last year 15,000 people took part. See www.pancakeparty.ie
In sport, all eyes will be on Croke Park tomorrow for the Six Nationsencounter with France. On Friday Leinster take on Edinburgh at Donnybrook in the Magners League. Call 01-6473800 or see www.irishrugby.ie.
The Hennessy Gold Cuptakes place today at Leopardstown. Call 01-2890500 or see www.leopardstown.com.