Safari

🐠First timers who are interested in doing their first Open Water Scuba dive 🐬course, please RSVP and I will send you the contact information about the scuba dive course and dive master's details. There will be other people on this course besides people from this meetup. There are different course dates, so RSVP and you can choose another date if you wish. The cost of this PADI Scuba Dive course is about 650 euros or so and it is a part time course. The duration is over about a month or so. https://www.padi.com/ https://youtu.be/kvmgy4XsqrU This (PADI) scuba dive course is also a legal qualification requirement for scuba divers. The first dives will be in a large swimming pool 5m deep. If you like you can also do a pool try dive to see how you go before you start your dive course. You will be shown how to use scuba diving equipment. This PADI Open Water Diver course consists of three main phases: * Knowledge Development (online, home study or in a classroom ) to understand basic principles of scuba diving (5 modules) * Confined Water Dives to learn basic scuba skills (5 pool training dives). * Open Water Dives to review your skills and explore (4 open water dives). * Once you become a PADI qualified scuba diver you can do open water boat dives and weekend Atlantic sea boat dives and or Fyords boat scuba dives trips will be avaliable to you around Ireland and overseas. ## **Course Schedule (3-Week Format)** ### **Week One** **7:00 pm – 9:00 pm:** Induction, equipment orientation, safety briefing **9:00 pm – 10:00 pm:** Confined Water Session 1 ### **Week Two** **7:00 pm – 9:00 pm:** Knowledge Development + skills briefing **9:00 pm – 10:00 pm:** Confined Water Session 2 ### **Week Three** **7:00 pm – 9:00 pm:** Knowledge Development + final review **9:00 pm – 10:00 pm:** Confined Water Session 3 ✅ After your pool training, you're ready for your **two open-water dives.** People use Sea swimming for its healing salt properties,it washes viruses, bacteria and cleanse your skin amongst other things due to the sea salt content. There has been a large increase in people going swimming these last years. Scuba diving also refreshes your mind like hiking to start a new fresh day and a new work week. Anyone thinking about doing scuba diving this would be a good starting point for you. As usual this is a sporting event, so when you RSVP and attend this course, every person is directly responsible for their own health and saftey and accept full responsibilty. To find out more, please RSVP and I will send you the Dive Master Contact Details.🐳🐬🐚

**This tuesday it's free before 6:15pm** [Participate to win Discounts or Free entry](https://forms.gle/wKXom67Aq9aK55UGA) The best way to connect, meet people, play, sing, dance, and have fun while learning. Here’s how it works: 1️⃣ First, relaxed conversations, no music, for real talk and connection. 2️⃣ Then the energy rises! games & karaoke like a party with friends. 🤔 Coming alone? Don’t worry we’ll introduce you to people and break the ice for you! 🤔 Not confident in your language level? Relax — everyone’s learning too. 🤔 Afraid of awkward silences? We’ve got icebreakers and games to keep the vibe flowing. ### 💶 Price 🎟️ **€5 entry** 🍺 **€10 entry including a pint** *(If you don’t win free entry or a discount.)*

**Come Dance the Blues with Us! 🎶** Discover a new way to move, connect, and feel the music through Blues dancing in Dublin. From your very first step, you'll feel part of a friendly, inclusive community that welcomes everyone from complete beginners to experienced dancers. **Curious about Blues dancing? Want to know what to expect?** Have a look at our website for all the details: [downtownbluesdublin.com](https://downtownbluesdublin.com/blues-dancing/?source=meetup) **New to Blues? Your first class is FREE!** Say hello and mention Meetup when you arrive—we’ll make sure you feel right at home. 🕒 **Every Tuesday** from 8:15pm 📍 Studio upstairs at **Mind the Step Café** 🎟️ **€10** (covers class & social) No registration needed—just show up and pay at the door. **Comfort is key:** Wear whatever feels good, there’s no dress code. Flat shoes or low heels are ideal, avoid heavy boots or high heels. Note: Our Meetup list is only a small part of the story. We have a dedicated group of regulars who show up every week, so there’s always someone to dance with. Come join us and find your groove! Check our website for the latest info on classes and events: [www.downtownbluesdublin.com](https://www.downtownbluesdublin.com) Subscribe to our YouTube channel: [Downtown Blues Dublin](https://www.youtube.com/@DowntownBluesDublin).

**This tuesday it's free before 6:15pm** [Participate to win Discounts or Free entry](https://forms.gle/wKXom67Aq9aK55UGA) The best way to connect, meet people, play, sing, dance, and have fun while learning. Here’s how it works: 1️⃣ First, relaxed conversations, no music, for real talk and connection. 2️⃣ Then the energy rises! games & karaoke like a party with friends. 🤔 Coming alone? Don’t worry we’ll introduce you to people and break the ice for you! 🤔 Not confident in your language level? Relax — everyone’s learning too. 🤔 Afraid of awkward silences? We’ve got icebreakers and games to keep the vibe flowing. ### 💶 Price 🎟️ **€5 entry** 🍺 **€10 entry including a pint** *(If you don’t win free entry or a discount.)*

Are you Solo and Single!! Easily Make new 💑 friends🍻 with Speed Friending! No need for Apps 😀We are meeting for social drinks including soft drinks 🍺🍸🍷 at Hogans Bar. We will be inside the Bar area. Please, at least buy a drink or a soft drink or so, as we may not be welcomed again to certain bars. We will go to another late bar afterwards for dancing. So Dress Nice & neat please. Leave your surfing cloths and 🏖 surfboards at home please.😂 https://youtu.be/wD0Mm6WIcYs?feature=shared Many new people come solo to socialize and make new friends, so do not worry if you are solo, you are welcome to join us. I will introduce you to others in the group,so you are no longer solo. 😆Welcome to ask me questions about hiking gear and 🐬🐠🐡 scuba diving.

Kindly understand that This is Not an online event. We created this for the people to communicate with each other (in the comment section) to find their travel mates. However, since the Meetup site requires a date and time. We constantly have to update the date and time to keep the event alive. **Dear friends,** If you have plans to travel somewhere in the world, and you are looking for a travel mate/roommate, you can post it here to let others know, and maybe you can arrange to travel together. It would probably be a good idea to meet up before deciding to travel together but at least this will give you a chance to find a like-minded travel mate. **How to Choose the Right Travel-mate** 1. Have some common interests. 2. Avoid people who tend to extremes. 3. Agree on expenditures before you leave. 4. Make sure your personalities 5. Friends aren’t always good travel companions 6. Don’t go backpacking with a luxury-seeker 7. Make sure you’re able to communicate 8. Agree on a similar budget 9. Avoid picky, crazy and whiny individuals 10. Test each other on a short trip 11. You don’t have to be like a couple of inseparable lovebirds Good Luck and Cheers, Ree & Smyl

Monthly Music Club meets in the Central Library on the 3rd Monday of every month. showcasing curated music documentaries from all genres and different decades. Watch the movie and then chat with refreshments after. List of movies can be emailed to interested members. No obligation to talk after simply just go! New members always welcome Sign up and we can send this months movie choice.

**Explore Donabate Beach in County Dublin** **Meeting Point : Dublin Connolly Train Station (Inside beside Pret A Manger).** **Time : 12:00PM.** **When : Saturday, 23rd of May.** We will be meeting at **Dublin Connolly Train Station for 12:00PM**, we will be **waiting** for only **10 minutes**. **At 12:10PM**, we will be walking to the **Scheduled InterCity Train to Drogheda at 12:17PM.** This Train Serves Howth Junction/Donaghmede, Clongriffin, Portmarnock, Malahide and Donabate, Duration 29 Minutes. We will be getting of the Train at Donabate Train Station **(12:47PM).** After we get of the train, then we will be walking for 35 minutes to Donabate Beach, then starting our walk on Donabate Beach. **Duration : 7.6KM** **Length : 2 Hours** Coffee Shops nearby : Triangle Coffee, Cates Cafe, Cuppacabana Cafe and The Shoreline Hotel. Bathrooms : Shoreline Hotel, Triangle Coffee and Donabate Beach. Every event is 5 Euro's you can pay by using Revolut or Cash. I hope to see you there. Many Thanks Thomas.

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.

Hi Everyone, This is so exciting! We're going back 🥳 We are taking our private bus up to hike Irelands own table mountain, Benbulben in Sligo. Benbulben is a truly amazing mountain with some very special stops along the route. It’s approximately 11km hike with 500m of height gain taking 4 - 4.5 hours. It’s moderate difficulty needing a reasonable level of fitness. A few requirements to make sure we have a safe and enjoyable day.. - Hiking boots are essential for this hike. - Suitable clothing for hiking, no jeans please. - waterproofs. - Pack a spare warm layer to keep warm during stops. - Plenty of water and snacks. - A bag to carry all this in Please dont hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions. The cost of this trip is €89 including private minibus transfers to Sligo from Dublin and places are strictly limited. payment by Revolut to @surfireland or 0879811701

Early-bird coffee and conversation at [Shibam Coffee](https://shibamcoffee.com/)!

**History** The history of [Blendon Woods Metro Park](https://www.metroparks.net/parks-and-trails/blendon-woods/) began long before its 1951 opening, rooted in a landscape of rugged ridges and deep ravines that made the land unsuitable for traditional farming. In 1945, a report proposing a metropolitan park system for Franklin County specifically highlighted these cliffs of Bedford Shale as some of the "wildest land in the vicinity". Following this recommendation, the recently formed park district purchased the first 229 acres in early 1949. Because the terrain was so uneven, developers had to cut a mile-and-a-half-long roadway through dense woods just to bring in heavy equipment. This initial preservation effort ensured that the mature second-growth hardwood forests remained largely untouched by the urban expansion spreading toward Westerville. Opening day arrived on Labor Day, September 3, 1951, marking Blendon Woods as the second park in the Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks system. The final push to open was a frantic race; the State Highway Department only finished the primary gravel access road four days before the gates opened. Early staff members, consisting of just four full-time employees, had to hand-dig pit toilets and learn construction skills on the fly to build the first picnic shelters. Despite the dusty conditions and limited facilities, the park was an immediate success, drawing massive crowds from across Central Ohio. By the end of the 1950s, annual visitation had already climbed to over 190,000 people. As the surrounding suburbs grew in the 1960s, the park faced severe overcrowding that threatened its natural habitats. In response, Franklin County voters passed the first Metro Parks levy in 1960, providing the funds necessary for a decade of steady expansion. During this era, the park nearly doubled in size, growing from 264 acres to over 570 acres by 1968. Planners also addressed a critical water shortage by collaborating with the U.S. Soil and Conservation Service to build a lake in 1964. This body of water originally served as a temporary reservoir before its role shifted toward conservation and wildlife support. The 1970s marked a transition toward the specialized wildlife and educational focus for which the park is known today. In 1971, the Walden Waterfowl Refuge was established around the 11-acre Thoreau Lake, creating a sanctuary that remains restricted to provide a quiet habitat for migratory birds. A formal nature center was also developed during this period, expanding on the guided Sunday walks that had been a park staple since the early 1950s. The park’s famous "Monarch Mansion" also became a prominent fixture, starting a long tradition of raising and releasing thousands of monarch butterflies each September. These initiatives cemented the park’s reputation as a premier destination for birders and nature enthusiasts. In more recent decades, Blendon Woods has continued to modernize while maintaining its wilderness character. The 10-acre Natural Play Area was added in 2017, encouraging kids to explore the ravines and woods off-trail. This was followed by the opening of a $1.5 million inclusive playground in April 2025, designed to accommodate children of all physical abilities. The nature center also underwent major renovations to include immersive, three-dimensional exhibits and a new butterfly house. Today, the park encompasses 653 acres, preserving a unique geologic and biological corridor amidst the bustling Westerville and Northeast Columbus area. **Map of the Park** Here is a map of [Blendon Woods](https://www.metroparks.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/BLN_map_Inclusive-Playground-and-Butterfly-Trail_May-2025_1980px.png). **Summary** For this event, we will hike the Lake View, Hickory Ridge, Ripple Rock, Overlook, Brookside, and Sugarbush Trails. This sounds like a lot, but it will really be only a little over five miles. Blendon Woods has a few hills here and there, but it's not one of the more strenuous metro parks. **Where We'll Meet** We'll meet just in front of the Nature Center. This is about a mile into the park from the main entrance. You have to go past the Ranger Station and the Shadblow Reservable Area to get to it, so don't stop too early at the Ranger Station and get it confused with the Nature Center. **After the Hike** Afterward, we will head over to [Forbidden Root Restaurant & Brewery](https://forbiddenroot.com/restaurants/columbus-ohio/) at Easton for [drinks](https://forbiddenroot.com/restaurants/columbus-ohio/#dinner-menu) and [food](https://forbiddenroot.com/wp-content/uploads/Cbus-Food.pdf). We should be there by 5 if you can't make the hike and just want to join us for drinks. The brewery's actual address is [4080 Worth Ave, Columbus, OH 43219](https://www.google.com/maps/place/4080+Worth+Ave,+Columbus,+OH+43219/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x88388a86d10b6619:0x4d42b470a5cf11d3?sa=X&ved=1t:242&ictx=111); however, I recommend pointing your GPS to the [Worth Garage](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Worth+Garage/@40.0542293,-82.9137962,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x88388b4df6082825:0x17582f0eccd9dda1!8m2!3d40.0542293!4d-82.9137962!16s%2Fg%2F11rzfvvv8b?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MDQxNS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D) across the street. Parking in this garage is free as long as you're not on the first floor, and it is literally right next to the brewery.

5:45-7:45 in Conference Room B, Library lower level. Bring your yarn projects, meet new friends. If you plan to attend, please RSVP yes. If you can’t attend, please change your RSVP to no. This helps anyone who is waitlisted and it allows me to have an accurate count of attendees as our space is quite limited. Plenty of parking in the lot, in the overflow lot across the street, and on the street. See you there!

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."

Join us this Thursday at 6:30 pm for a nice hike along the Big Walnut Trail along the Gahanna golf course, circling Creekside and back. This 2 mile hike is fully paved and a beautiful walk through the heart of Gahanna.