Unless you've been living under a rock for the past six months, Pope Francis is headed to Ireland this weekend and is going to pretty much disrupt the entire city of Dublin with his presence.
So, if you happen to be stuck in the city this weekend and can't escape, or if you're looking for something to do that isn't remotely related to the papal visit, fear not - we've got a few suggestions for things to do that have nothing whatsoever to do with it.
First off, there's plenty of gigs taking place this weekend. Mik Pyro, formerly of Republic Of Loose, is playing Whelan's on Saturday night with doors at 8PM with tickets costing you €16. Wicked is playing in the Bord Gais Energy Theatre and is an absolute hoot, so that's definitely worth a visit if you haven't already been. Public Image Ltd. are playing Vicar Street on Sunday night, having moved the show from Tivoli Theatre. Tickets are on sale for €34.50 and doors are at 7.30PM.
Gin N Juice, which is described a four-piece powerhouse of hip-hop, funk and dance, is happening at the Old Oak in Cork on Friday, Saturday and Sunday with doors opening at 10PM every night. Meanwhile, over in Galway, the Dirty Circus Cabaret and Burlesque Show is taking place at Roisin Dubh on Saturday at 8.30PM, which is exactly the kind of show Pope Francis would probably have nothing to do with.
If live music isn't your bag and you fancy locking yourself in, there's plenty of new shows and movies added to Netflix this weekend to check out. We've updated our own picks of the best horror movies on Netflix for this month, there's also an updated list of the best action movies on Netflix this month and you can check out our dedicated Netflix section to see what else has been added as well. Also, Monty Python's 'The Life Of Brian' - which was banned in Ireland in 1979, the year of the last papal visit - is now available on Netflix here in Ireland, so there's that as well.
If you want to get out of the house and go see a movie, 'Blackkklansman' has arrived in cinemas this weekend and comes highly recommended by staff writer Deirdre Molumby, who describes it in her review as one of the best movies of 2018 so far. 'The Children Act', starring Emma Thompson and Stanley Tucci, is also in cinemas this weekend and is a fascinating legal drama about a high-profile judge whose marriage falls apart during a trial involving a Jehovah's Witness with a terminal illness. It's a bit heavy, but Emma Thompson's performance really is cracking.
For theatre buffs, this weekend sees 'The Snapper' continue its run at the Gate Theatre with our pal Simon Delaney as the head of the Rabbitte clan, 'A Skull In Connemara' - written and directed by Martin McDonagh - is playing at the Olympia all this weekend, whilst 'Jimmy's Hall' and 'FRNKSTN' are playing at the Abbey in the Main Stage and the Peacock Stage respectively.
And finally, if you're around on Sunday in Dublin, the Stand For Truth event is taking place at 3PM at the Garden of Remembrance at Parnell Square, Dublin.
