Journalism

Want to feel more confident when you speak? Join us for a **free live session** of *The Public Speaking Club* on **May 21**. In this interactive session you will: * Practice speaking in a supportive environment * Get simple tools to reduce pressure and anxiety * Receive real-time feedback * Connect with like minded people * network with industry leaders This session is perfect for: ✔️ Professionals ✔️ Founders ✔️ Anyone who wants to speak with more confidence 🎟️ **Limited spots – free registration required** See you live, Thai

You'll meet your local guide at the meeting point a little before 11AM and show your booking. Then we'll commence a fascinating walking tour through the streets, sights, and sounds of Dublin old and new. You'll get an unrivalled insight to the history and culture that has shaped the capital you see today - warts and all, discover the lesser-known, intriguing oddities of our city, and get unique insider tips for the rest of your stay. Sites and topics covered include: Dublin Castle, Christchurch, Viking & Medieval Dublin, Temple Bar, fables, folklore and mythology, Trinity College, Stephen's Green, risings and rebellions, writers & rogues and so, so much more... please remember, places are limited and you must book your spot via: https://www.generationtours.com/dublin See you soon!

We've survived the Winter, and are looking forward to a busy Summer! To kick things off we're partnering with **MongoDB** to bring you our latest Meetup. We'll be hosted by **MongoDB** in their Dublin office on **Thursday 21st May from 6:00pm** and we'll have two speakers for you that evening. **MongoDB** need very little in the way of introduction, they've a strong presence here in the Irish tech scene and are big supporters of other communities we're all part of. We're delighted to have finally made that connection now ourselves here at Go Ireland and look forward to what's to come over the next few years together. We've got two speakers for you for this Meetup, the first is a Go Ireland regular Dmytro Lahoza, and the second is MongoDB's own Andrei Matei who'll be coming over from Manchester to join us on the night. **"MongoDB × Go: Inside the Ecosystem and How It Runs at Scale" with Andrei Matei - Software Engineer at MongoDB** **"Plugins Without Borders: A Language-Agnostic Plugin System for Go and Beyond"** **with Dmytro Lahoza - Software Engineer at Verda** Big thanks again to **MongoDB** who'll be supporting us for this entire event. As always, you'll be fed, watered, and we'll head to a pub nearby after the event to keep the conversations going. We've also got a new home on [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/go-ire), going forward this will be the best place to find updates.

Join us to **practise and improve your target language with native speakers on Thursday downstairs in River Bar** (Burgh Quay, Dublin 2) from **6.30pm to 8.30pm**. **Our system:** **• You sit opposite a native speaker of the language you're learning** **• You speak 5mins English, 5mins other language, then change table** This ensures everyone gets an equal opportunity to practise the language they're learning. Our team seats people, controls the time, organises the table changes etc. What to expect: • Relaxed easy going atmosphere • Professional and quality service • Great networking opportunities • All levels welcome from absolute beginner to fully fluent • A big mix of ages with attendees at each event from 18 to 70+ years old • Topic cards on the tables to help start conversations Wide range of languages: We usually have **native speakers of English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, German, Italian, Japanese, Chinese** and more depending on who shows up. **Admission fee €7** (€6 for student card holders). **No pre-registration required, just show up**. Loyalty card system: Come to 5 events and the 6th is free. Over 150,000 people have attended our language exchange events since 2012 to practise and improve their target language - you can too! Everyone is welcome! For more news and info check: Website: [www.languageexchangeireland.com](http://www.languageexchangeireland.com/) FB: [www.facebook.com/languageexchangeireland](http://www.facebook.com/languageexchangeireland) Instagram: [www.instagram.com/languageexchangeireland](http://www.instagram.com/languageexchangeireland) NOTE: The MeetUp attendance does not reflect actual attendance. There are usually around 100 people at each event.

Join us on a history-focused walking tour of Killiney Hill Park! My name is Marina Boyle and I'm a local tour guide excited to lead a tour of Killiney Hill Park! I’ll be taking you through everything from the obelisk to the quarry, and explaining why the stories of Killiney Castle and Daedalus and Icarus have enchanted visitors to the park for years. Whether you are local, new to the area, or wanting to learn and make friends at the same time, this tour is for you. We'll start at the car park in Killiney Hill, which is accessible via Dalkey DART station, car, or the 59 bus. Together we'll visit all the highlights of the park, where I'll explain the local history and leave time for guests to chat and make connections as well. This event will start at 15:30 sharp and last approximately 1.5 hours. Please note that this is a tip-based tour, and most guests choose to contribute around €5–€10 per person (or more if the tour was unforgettable 😄). Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions! I am looking forward to meeting you!

Let's attend together Literature Festival Dublin to see Colm Toibin with his new book The News From Dublin. After the event we can hang out and benefit from Festival Attractions, Foodtracks, bar, library and bookshops around the park :) Link to book: https://ilfdublin.com/whats-on/festival/type/conversations/the-news-from-dublin-colm-toibin/ Event desctiption: ***The News from Dublin* comes to Dublin… A master of understated emotions, the bestselling author of *Brooklyn* and *Long Island* returns to ILFD with a beautiful new collection of short stories.** *“A subtle, intelligent and deeply felt writer.*” Guardian A woman in Galway hears of the death of her son in the First World War. An Irishman seeks anonymity in Barcelona, haunted by crimes he has committed. A man goes to Dublin from Enniscorthy to implore the Minister for Health for a special favour. A young woman is pregnant during the Spanish Civil War. An undocumented worker finds himself living an illegal life and must leave San Francisco, and his child, after thirty years in America. Three sisters who have been living in Argentina decide to return to Catalonia…There are few authors more attuned to human yearning than Colm Tóibín. In *The News from Dublin* he delves into the days and nights of those living far from home: lives of great longing, at a great distance from past lives and past selves. Colm Tóibín is the author of eleven novels, including *The Master,* *Brooklyn* and its sequel *Long Island*, and *The Magician*, and three collections of stories. He has been three times shortlisted for the Booker Prize. In 2021, he was awarded the David Cohen Prize for Literature. Between 2022 and 2024 he was the Laureate for Irish Fiction.

Let’s team up for a chill Literati Dublin meetup at the International Literature Festival Dublin. We’ll hang out in Merrion Square Park, soak up the good weather, and enjoy a full day of talks, readings, and creative events together. No pressure, just good vibes, books, and interesting conversations. **Bring a blanket**, and get ready to spend a relaxed day in the park surrounded by stories and inspiring people ☀️ Perfect chance to connect, discover new authors, and enjoy Dublin at its best. **The area will have chairs to sit, bars, food trucks, bookshop and libraries.** The events are listed here :) https://ilfdublin.com/whats-on/festival/ See you there 💚

You'll meet your local guide at the meeting point a little before 11AM and show your booking. Then we'll commence a fascinating walking tour through the streets, sights, and sounds of Dublin old and new. You'll get an unrivalled insight to the history and culture that has shaped the capital you see today - warts and all, discover the lesser-known, intriguing oddities of our city, and get unique insider tips for the rest of your stay. Sites and topics covered include: Dublin Castle, Christchurch, Viking & Medieval Dublin, Temple Bar, fables, folklore and mythology, Trinity College, Stephen's Green, risings and rebellions, writers & rogues and so, so much more... please remember, places are limited and you must book your spot via: https://www.generationtours.com/dublin See you soon!

Have you ever walked down a street and wondered who lived there, what happened on the street, or behind closed doors? Walk along an ancient highway known in Irish as Slí Mhor, The Great Way. Listen to tales of Normans and Nobels, Rebellions and Weavers, Traders and local characters who once called this place home. Consider as you walk in the footsteps of the many people who went before you, how the area has evolved over the years and what the future may be. Our guide is Anita Ray, a proud local, born and raised in the Liberties. Be prepared to travel through the centuries, look through walls and buildings and imagine how life 'used to be'. Cost: €10.00 payable at time of booking. Please note: Bookings are not honoured without payment! [PayPal.Me/DLHGroup](https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/DLHGroup?v=1&utm_source=unp&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=RT000269&utm_unptid=c5d142a8-2861-11ed-aa18-98039ba0714a&ppid=RT000269&cnac=IE&rsta=en_US%28en-IE%29&cust=ZTGE7US474996&unptid=c5d142a8-2861-11ed-aa18-98039ba0714a&calc=f793604dc7c12&unp_tpcid=ppme-social-user-profile-created&page=main%3Aemail%3ART000269&pgrp=main%3Aemail&e=cl&mchn=em&s=ci&mail=sys&appVersion=1.109.0&xt=104038) Meeting point: St. James's RC Church on James's Street.

**📚 Join us for a special evening with Meena Kandasamy** as we celebrate her powerful new novel, *[Fieldwork as a Sex Object](https://www.waterstones.com/book/fieldwork-as-a-sex-object/meena-kandasamy/9781840919448)* — an incendiary and fearless work exploring deepfakes, online misogyny, political violence, race, and the chaos of digital life. Set between London and India, the novel follows a young woman whose life spirals after a deepfake video of her goes viral, opening urgent conversations around feminism, surveillance, shame, and resistance in the internet age. The Irish launch of the book will take place at The Bread and Roses Festival 2026, and we highly recommend attending the festival on 22nd and 23rd May — [tickets are still available](https://projectartscentre.ie/events/bread-and-roses-festival/)! [Meena Kandasamy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meena_Kandasamy) is one of the most [vital literary and political voices writing today](https://www.kandasamy.co.uk/) — a poet, novelist, translator, actor, and anti-caste activist whose work spans fiction, memoir, poetry, and essays. Her acclaimed books include *[When I Hit You](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/When_I_Hit_You:_Or,_A_Portrait_of_the_Writer_as_a_Young_Wife)*, shortlisted for the Women’s Prize, *The Gypsy Goddess*, *Exquisite Cadavers*, and the poetry collections *Ms Militancy* and *Tomorrow Someone Will Arrest You*. **Her translation of Salma's Novel Women Dreaming / Lux and was nominated for [Dublin Literary Award in 2022](https://dublinliteraryaward.ie/the-library/books/women-dreaming/). I**n 2022, she was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature (FRSL). The same year, in November, she was also awarded the PEN Hermann Kesten Prize for her writing and work as a ‘fearless fighter for democracy, human rights and the free word.’ During the event, Meena Kandasamy will read from her work (around 3:30 PM), followed by an open and informal conversation with attendees about books, contemporary literature, activism, feminism, politics, and creative practice. This is a casual, warm conversation-style gathering similar to Books & Social, where everyone is welcome to participate, listen, and connect. Whether you are a long-time reader of her work or discovering her writing for the first time, we warmly invite you to join us for an evening of conversation, ideas, and community. See you all on Sunday! ✨

**Welcome to Drunken Philosophy** a casual, curious social discussion **Optional topic for this meetup: What's up with all the AI hate?** A recent survey found that 74% of Americans have a negative view of AI, and I want to know why. Come out and debate whether AI is good or bad. My hot take: a labor-saving tool that could potentially help cure cancer gets called dangerous because it might raise unemployment or cause a speculative investment bubble, that tells you a lot more about capitalism and the economic system we live under than it does about the tool itself. As a computer programmer, I think AI is a wonderful tool that has increased my productivity by at least an order of magnitude. I'd go so far as to say Claude Code is the best tool I have ever used. Debate me and name a better one. Is AI potentially dangerous? Yes, but so are a lot of tools. Chainsaws. Steam engines (early ones would occasionally explode and kill everyone in the room). Do you think cavemen sat around debating whether fire could be used as a weapon or for self-harm, and decided not to discover it? I have two friends who hate AI for opposite reasons: one thinks it's a fad and not useful, and the other thinks it's going to take over everything and cause human extinction. Come out tonight, have a friendly debate, and make some friends. No lectures. Friendly crowd. Drop in for one drink and stay if it's fun.

It’s time to take control of your mental health. How do you get rid of stress, anxiety and uncertainty? These emotions are buried deep in your reactive mind. Find out what the reactive mind is, and in the process find yourself. Here is the secret of being positive and free: Thinking positively is not enough. You also have to get rid of the negative thinking. Your mind is like a garden. You can plant many beautiful flowers in it, but if you don't get rid of the weeds when you plant your flowers, the weeds will soon take over the whole garden. A positive thought is like a flower in your mental garden, and a negative thought is like a weed. You cannot expect to have a positive mindset if you continue to have negative thoughts dwelling and growing there. So, how do you get rid of the negative thoughts? That's what this Meetup is all about. Attend this local meeting and find out! The Meetup event will be led by a consultant who had helped many people live happier in life. Be sure to click on the red "Attend" button below to come to this local event. We look forward to seeing you there. This group is created by the Dianetics & Scientology life improvement center.

Who else is ready to sit outside? Join us for a casual chat over coffee & tea at Grandview Grind! Come out and meet some new people, enjoy your favorite drink, and make some new friends!

It’s time to take control of your mental health. How do you get rid of stress, anxiety and uncertainty? These emotions are buried deep in your reactive mind. Find out what the reactive mind is, and in the process find yourself. Have you ever suffered from a traumatic experience, a deep loss or been through a painful breakup? Has your ability to communicate suffered as a result? And after that, even though you "moved on" did you find that things were never quite the same? Have you ever looked at childhood photos, or reminisced your early life and wondered where that happiness and spark went? Are your emotions out of your own control? Have you ever felt, even if you aren’t aware of it, that possibly you are getting in your own way of your happiness and success? How does this affect your self-confidence? Find out what is at the root of all stress, anxiety, depression and self-doubt. Find out how and why you hold yourself back from achieving your goals and having the life you have dreamed of. As soon as you learn what is at the root of these unwanted conditions, you’ll see it is something you can DO something about. You will not be labeled or categorized at this MeetUp.

Let's grab some coffee/food and share a morning chat! The East Market has an ample parking lot and outdoor and indoor seating. Grab a cup of coffee from Winston's Coffee & Waffles or on your way to East Market and meet us on the second floor - table behind or east of the elevator. Per what this group is about: "Everyone is welcome! International transplants to Columbus who want to improve language skills, Columbus residents who enjoy talking to people from other countries, and those who would like to discuss international travel and culture, and who enjoy getting together for good conversations."

Come attend a free in-person seminar where you will find out why you: -Feel isolated -Can't express yourself openly -Get nervous or anxious in front of people -Run out of things to say or feel tongue-tied -Feel introverted -Don't feel comfortable in any social setting -Can't make more friends -Are shy and miss opportunities to connect in a meaningful way And we cover what you can do about any one, some or all of the above. This seminar is the weapon against loneliness, isolation and boredom, come join us! COME TO THIS SEMINAR AND LEARN THE SECRETS TODAY This seminar is brought to you by the Dianetics & Scientology Life Improvement Center. 1266 Dublin Road, Columbus, Ohio 43215

The topic for May is "Ink" Speak Easy: true stories, told live. The idea is simple: an audience, an open microphone, and great stories. Hilarious, gripping, poignant- it's up to you. Audiences are invited to come to listen or come to tell as folks from all corners of Columbus offer their stories live on stage! Held at Wild Goose Creative's warm, intimate space, this night of tales occurs on the 3rd Thursday of every month. Doors open at 6:30 pm, show starts at 7:00 pm. Please arrive early if you want to tell, as we generally only have room for a limited number of tellers, and the sign-up sheet has a tendency to fill up fast. Formed around the idea that people need stories--they're what hold and draw us together--SpeakEasy celebrates the strangeness and commonness of being human. And in a world of smartphones, Facebook, Twitter, and more . . . it gives people a real, breathing, in-person way to connect. The night is geared for true stories of all kinds, taking the best tales told around kitchen tables, in darkened pubs, on the street corner, and at late-night parties and giving them an audience. Speak Easy is also a great outlet for performers, writers, and artists looking to share their favorite stories and perfect their skills. We strongly encourage tellers to please tell the story rather than read it so we keep within the spirit of good storytelling and stay engaged with the audience. All are welcome. Hang around after the show for a drink and build community!