March 2024 is shaping up to be an amazing month of events and activities. The highlight of the month is obviously the St Patrick’s Festival from the 15th to 18th including the St Patrick’s Day Parade and the International Band Competition. On top of that, we have International Women’s Day, Mother’s Day, the Team Limerick Cleanup, Easter and a whole host of great concerts, comedy shows, plays, sporting events and community gatherings. Keep an eye out for our weekly Limerick Events Guide to keep up to date with everything that’s happening in the City and County.
Starting the month off, we have Torch Players’ production of By the Bog of Cats, Marina Carr 1998 play about greed and betrayal, ethnic prejudices and profound self-sacrifice.
Set in a bleak landscape in the Irish midlands By The Bog Of Cats follows Hester Swane, a traveller, as she embarks on a journey of vengeance to lay claim to what is hers. This is a dark psychological drama and a hilarious dark comedy.
By the Bog of Cats is in the Belltable from the 5th to the 9th March at 8pm each evening. Tickets €22/€18. Tickets are available on LimeTreeBelltable.ie
Songwriters in the Round
Every year, International Women’s Day offers us a great choice of events and this year is no exception. Dolans is hosting a special Songwriters In The Round event featuring Jayne, Emma Langford, Annie Cheevers, Jennifer McMahon and Luila. This intimate event, based on the popular Nashville institution, will feature the five songwriters on stage, taking turns, singing songs they have written either for themselves or other artists.
Songwriters In The Round takes place Upstairs in Dolans at 8pm. Tickets €13.50, available from Dolans.ie.
St Patrick’s Festival
The theme for this year’s Limerick’s St Patrick’s Festival is “Different Kind of Energy” and it’s already shaping up to an energetic few days here in Limerick. The highlight of the festival is the St Patrick’s Day Parade which kicks off on 12pm on Sunday. The parade will feature visual artists Bui Bolg, Lumen Street Theatre, the Hit Machine Drummers, Mirror Dancers and hundreds of local participants. Coláiste Chiaráin student Seán O’Sullivan (winner of the BT Young Scientist Award) from has will be the Grand Marshal for the parade.
The 52nd International Band Championship takes to the streets on Monday 18th with over 1,600 musicans from across the globe taking part. There will be loads of other events throughout the city and county including the Green Stage on Thomas Street and the Shamrock Shows on Bedford Row.
The Limerick St Patrick’s Festival takes place from the 15th-18th March. Find out more on Limerick.ie/StPatricksFestival or check out the Festival Brochure here.
Belltable Late Night Events
Earlier this year, the Belltable was announced as one of 14 Arts Centres to receive funding to open their doors into the night as part of the Late-Night Events Pilot Scheme. As part of this initiave, two events will take place over the Paddy’s Weekend.
Under Cover of Night is a late-night double-bill of artists’ film being organised in association with Ormston House. A brief introduction precedes each film and there will be a DJ in the foyer playing music before, between and after the films. Becoming Plant (2022) by Grace Ndiritu follows six dancers who participate in a therapeutic group experiment with psychedelics, while temporarily ‘living’ together on the demilitarised industrial site. Expulsion (2021) by Caoimhín Gaffney follows a fictional utopian Queer State as it devolves from a promised oppositional force into a dystopian bureaucracy.
Hardware is a new concept club event with a focus on the tools we use to make electronic music. Musicians Brawni, Chaz Moloney, Paddy Mulcahy and Rustal combine their systems to create a 4-hour live improvised performance in the theatre. Visual artists Alt For Jesus, Diabhal666, Fannylander, Glossy Boi, Mankyy & Ohhi Ohno will be exhibiting work to the theme of “ENERGY”. Finally, the downstairs cafe will be lined with soft furnishings to create the ultimate Ambient Lounge, to chill out to the sounds of local hero Jack Brolly.
Under Cover of Night takes place on the 15th March at 9pm. Tickets €10. Hardware takes place on the 16th March at 7pm. Tickets €18. You can buy tickets to both events on LimeTreeBelltable.ie
Team Limerick Cleanup
Every year on Good Friday, the people of Limerick take to the streets to help tidy up their local communities. The Team Limerick Cleanup (TLC) initiative, back by JP McManus, Paul O’Connell and Helen O’Connell, has been running since 2015 with up to 20,000 excepted to take part this year.
TLC Day is always an incredible feel-good event and it’s a great chance to get outside, get some fresh air and get to know your neighbours while helping make Limerick a nicer place for us all to live.
Team Limerick Clean-Up 9 will take place on 29th March in several locations across Limerick City and County. Find out more on TeamLimerickCleanup.ie
Siege of Limerick
For heavy metal fans across Ireland, the Siege of Limerick is a cultural institution. First started in 2009, the free Rock and Metal festival takes over the entirety of Dolans twice a year. If any of the previous Sieges are to go by, this is not an event you want to miss. Starting at 1pm on the 31st, over 25 bands play across three stages throughout the day. This year’s headliners are The Sun’s Journey Through The Night, Harbinger and The Infernal Sea.
The Siege of Limerick – Earrach MMXXIV takes place in Dolans on the 31st March from 1pm. This is a free, non-ticketed event (subject to the capacity limits of Dolans). The Siege will be Family Friendly between 1pm and 5pm and strictly over 18’s after 5pm. More info on Dolans.ie
Other Dates for your diary:
8th March: International Women’s Day
8th March: Referendums
8th March: Treaty United (M) vs Bray Wanderers – Markets Field
9th March: NHL: Limerick vs Tipperary- Gaelic Grounds
