Art is a contentious point. While one man may think Rothko’s squares are progressive, another may think the simple visuals are lazy. A Last Supper tableau by da Vinci may be the kind of perspective and realism you may crave, or the sombre lighting may depress you and leave you yearning for the bright hues of Jasper Johns. What ever your personal art taste is, it is likely to differ to the person next to you. So what about public art? Is the nail in the pale your thing? Or the more traditional statue of Wilde in Merrion Square? Or is it the new wall art behind Whelans off Long Lane? Does public art even have a place anymore? John Byrne, curator Helen Carey, lecturer Emily Mark Fitzgerald, and curator Lisa Moran will discuss all this and more in the sculpture hall in the Hugh Lane Gallery. / Fiona Swan

Folk rock luminaries Fairport Convention are widely considered to be the most seminal act of the late sixties British folk revivalism movement. Blessed from the outset with a disciplined and talented cadre of musicians, the group’s marriage of trad-arr interpretations and boisterous songwriting, saw them reach dizzying commercial and critical heights, the high watermark being their spectacular opus Liege and Lief. The subsequent dramas, departures and arrivals that befall most bands on the road for over forty years have dulled this initial feverish energy a little, but two totems of Simon Nicol, guitar/vocals, and Dave Pegg, bass, remain steadfast, enduring torchbearers of a band and, in particular, a sound that has been experiencing its own re-birth and re-imagining in the last ten years. Win Tickets / Mark Keane

Of the past twenty years of Irish Theatre, Marie Jones’s ‘Stones In His Pockets’ is surely the frontrunner for the title of ‘The Little Play That Could’. A two-hander set in a rural Kerry town that’s invaded by a Hollywood film crew, Jones’s script has been warmly received on the West End and Broadway. The show has been such a fixture on the Irish theatre circuit that I assumed most culture vultures had seen it by now, and yet, a straw poll reveals that three out of four housemates have not. I will be goading the uninitiated to check out Simon Delaney and Conor Delaney juggling the play’s myriad of roles during their five night stand at The Olympia this week. Hilariously funny but laced with tragedy, this unmistakably Irish play has something to offer even the most reluctant of theatregoers. Win Tickets / Joey Kavanagh

Rather than play down the financial pressure the current economic downturn has exerted on their much-loved magazine, those behind Gay Community News have been refreshingly open about the threat posed to its 22 year existence. Displaying characteristic resilience, the team have launched the GCN Forever campaign to help keep Ireland’s foremost LGBT publication in circulation. As part of this, mindful vandal Will St Leger has rounded up 20 artists, illustrators and photographers to reveal their influences through a piece of work. The resulting ‘Under The Influence’ exhibition is an intriguing pick’n’mix of different media, with Amanda Lepore, Edward Gorey and The Children of Lir among the cited influences. All exhibited pieces are for sale, with proceeds going towards GCN Forever. / Joey Kavanagh

For those of you who missed the thrills and spills of Funderland this year, here’s your chance to get your fill of hurdy-gurdys with the St Patricks Day Festival’s ‘City at Play’. The funfair will run from Friday 12th to Wed 17th March at three different city centre locations – Merrion Square, Wolf Tone Square and Custom House Quay. Catch the best of our fair city at sunset, with a cloud of candyfloss and a jaunt on the 150 foot high Big Wheel. Other events such as the ‘Shop if you Can, Look if you Want – Art Trail’ and showings of ‘Bananas on the Breadboard’ at the Lighthouse cinema, display an innovative approach from the festival team, encouraging Dubliners to rediscover their city and reclaim our national holiday from the euro shop tat and streams of green vomit. / Aoife Concannon

The IMMA lecture, ‘How we gonna behave?’, is an exploration of the ideas of French-Algerian artist and film-maker Philippe Parreno and Cuban-American artist and sculptor Jorge Pardo. Phillipe Pareno is interested in what could be understood as two sides of the same coin: how our subjectivity is shaped by various media, and how our interpretations of what we call ‘reality’ are informed by our subjectivity. Jorge Pardo’s work unpicks traditional delineations between different types of space such as the home and the art gallery. He also considers the way different values are ascribed to artworks and objects. Both artists draw attention to the relationship between ‘art’ and ‘reality’. In doing so, they show that the distinction between the two is not easily drawn. If you’re into post-modern, self-reflexive, witty subversion (and who isn’t?), this is the lecture for you! / Holly McIndoe

There is an argument that Noah Lennox is the driving force behind Animal Collective. It is true that the band always present themselves as an egalitarian musical brains trust that has a unique equanimity and fluidity. Yet Panda Bear (Lennox) and Avey Tare are the only AC members who have appeared on every band release. Certainly the band’s latest opus, Merriweather Post Pavilion, owes a serious debt of gratitude to Lennox’s sample driven fluency, as heard on his own outstanding third solo effort, 2007’s Person Pitch. Whatever the hierarchy, Lennox’s own output has a distinct clarity. Born of AC but not simply ersatz makeovers, it journeys to a similar lysergic sonic menagerie but is perhaps a more direct sort of trip. Here he’ll showcase material from his upcoming album Tomboy. Good support from Kurt Vile and Angkorwat. / Mark Keane

Wowsers! We’re on the way to a triple crown — and if temperamental whingers France cock up, maybe a championship too. As Decko says, “its out of our hands”. Strident, ham-legged hero Brian O’Driscoll turns 100 this Saturday, and what better way to celebrate than kicking lumps out of the Heineken Cup whipping boys, the ever-hopeful Wales. The match is on in Croker, which means that a lot of the local bars will do a fair trade — the match will be on in Quinn’s and Fagan’s in Drumcondra, but expect a few Soccer fans in the mix. If you’re in town you could do worse for atmosphere than the Woolshed on Parnell St — it’s a horribly packed, sweaty hell-box, but there’s often cute Canadians. They have pitchers of beer too, which means getting served at the bar becomes only an intermittent ordeal. / Brian Herron

Any time I’ve been to New York I’ve been struck by the force with which the Irish undercurrent flows. People are buoyed by the seemingly intrinsic connection, as if Ireland and New York share an exclusive blood supply that not even the Atlantic can stem. But for all the commonalities, there are the polarities, both of which are laid bare at Wildly Different Things. A quick scan over the works conjures up an image of two tidal waves summoned from either coast. There are clashes, but there is also a blurring of sides. Bolstered by an injection of fresh art from New York, some of the 42 artists will be distilling the experience with talks about their work this afternoon, which may clarify whether there is (or isn’t) a definitive line drawn in the sand at all. Lauren Crothers

Has it really been SEVENTEEN years since these guys released their debut album? God, that makes me feel old. Coming in at the tail end of the so-called golden age of hip hop, 93 ‘til Infinity stood apart from the G-funk trend that was so popular in West Coast rap circles – utilising jazz rather than funk samples. The quartet of MC’s – A-Plus, Opio, Phesto, and Tajai – lyrical style had more in common with Rakim’s exceptional flow as opposed to the languid Snoop Dogg or rapid thug-life influenced Tupac. Each member retains an individual voice, without disrupting the perfect chemistry of the group. The song “93 ‘til Infinity” is a cherished anthem to aficionados -considered by many to be the perfect embodiment of hip hop. They never quite matched this astounding debut, but hey, who cares, it still sounds incredible in 2010. / Simon Judge

Famed for its dedication to nightly trad sessions Smithfield’s Cobblestone is also a haven for bluegrass, roots and rockabilly due to its annual participation in the Red Line Roots Festival and also its monthly Tumbleweed Love Sessions. Every month the Prairie Dawgs play a set and are joined by special guests. This Saturday sees Lisa McLaughlin and Cuckoo Savante fulfil that honour of special guests. Tip your hat down low, order a bourbon on the rocks, piece of straw in the corner of your mouth is optional but it’s gonna be a hot hootenanny in the back room of the Cobblestone this weekend. / Jade O’Callaghan

‘Telling Images of China’, the new temporary exhibition at the Chester Beatty Library, replaces the much-beloved snuff-bottle collection. I have spent an unlikely amount of time staring at those tiny, whimsical jade creations and was skeptical that anything else could be as pleasing, but this temporary exhibition on loan from the Shanghai museum converted me. The ‘Telling Images’ are so-called as they are narratives or histories of political, cultural, religious and mythical events. As such, the exhibition is a complex and varied insight into Chinese culture over the last 600 years. The scrolls themselves typically combine painting, poetry and calligraphy. Thematically diverse and visually stunning, this exhibition warrants more than one visit; there is much to delight and absorb. / Holly McIndoe

Alternative Miss Ireland is the annual pageant with no boundaries of beauty, gender, creativity — or taste! Ten contestants fight for the 16th AMI crown from the head of reigning Queen, Miss Smilin’ Kanker, in rounds of daywear, swimwear and eveningwear. The ribald spectacle is presided over by Panti — encouraging, and sometimes gently disposing of, the aspiring Queens. Expect insane performances from Heidi Konnt, the cast of Silver Stars, Anúna, Shirley Temple Bar, Le Gateau Chocolat and DC Cowboys. The judges’ box features New York film-maker Impala Discobar; Fantastic Man and Butt Magazine publisher Gert Jonkers; and national televisual treasure Ann Doyle. This is the most riotous, bawdy night to be had in Ireland, whilst at the same time raising funds for Irish HIV/AIDS organisations. / Niall Sweeney

There’s something about the life of crime and in particular the gangster’s moll that seems very alluring. In my mid-teens I sought out the local estate bad boy and we ran wild; he once came home with a Ford Sierra Cosworth (alloy wheels, tinted windows) paid for with a wad of cash which was the result of a weekend’s ill-gotten gains. Glamorous, heady days. I blame society, and Hollywood of course, who’ve done much to romanticise crime. Bonnie and Clyde and their Barrow Gang were real-life American depression-era bank robbers and murderers. Young, gorgeous and on the rampage, in part reviled by the American public and in part adored for raging against the machine. When this beautifully shot film, starring Warren Beatty and an achingly pretty Faye Dunaway, was released in the late 60s it was groundbreaking, shocking cinema; the film at first wooing audiences with the young love and craziness of it all but getting more and more violent towards its bloody conclusion. OK crime may not pay, but I don’t think it ever looked as good. / Guy Bingley

Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue is one of the best known instrumental pieces of all time. The swelling notes portray precisely his intentionally uber American sound. Ella Fitzgerald’s vocals are unmistakable. Her life, nearly indescribable. Yet Scott Joplin (to those who aren’t already fans) is an unknown. It’s unsurprising considering the man known as the ‘King of Ragtime’ died in 1917. But also shocking, as he wrote oft played tune ‘The Entertainer.’ Fats Waller too is an unfamiliar, but was apparently quite famous in 30s Ireland. Which is perhaps the attraction of this night. You’re lured in by Swing and Jazz of Fitzgerald and Gershwin but will undoubtedly learn something about Ragtime. A style of music which has permeated most contemporary popular tunes and is just about ready for a revival. / Louise Finn

Call yourself Irish? Call yourself a foreigner? It doesn’t really matter when it comes to a céilí – that is unless you find yourself partnered with with someone who can really dance. At its finest, this is a high octane work out that builds gradually from the ‘heel, toe, one, two, three, four’ into intricate patterns as you weave your way around looping elbows, clicking heels and changing partners at a hectic pace. Ideally marrying the ‘craic’ and the ‘ceoil’ and everything wonderful about what it means to be Irish, céilís date back to 1897. If you haven’t before today is the day to treat yourself to some sweet sweaty inter-generational madness. / Zach Joyce

Marlena Shaw is one of the most famous people you’ve never heard of (a bit like Bill Withers). She’s spent most of the last 15 years having her incredible back catalogue being canabalised by superstar DJs — St Germain’s Rose Rouge (“I want you to get together”), and Blue Boys 90’s club hit, Remember Me (the one that went ging gi-gi-ging-ging) were both sourced from Shaw’s seminal, Woman of the Ghetto, and DJ Shadow revived the 70’s classic California Soul. Here’s a chance to see one of the grande dames of soul. She has has an awesome reputation for great live shows. And at Crawdaddy no less. Check out her Live at Montreaux album for more. God knows what kind of hippy freaks, muso-geeks and pilled out goons are going to show up at this — I’m going. Win Tickets / Brian Herron

Ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-check it out. The serial wax killer returns to Dublin with his reputation as one of the worlds foremost turntablists firmly intact. Not only does he know where the crossfader is, if you were lucky enough to catch him at one the Beastie Boys shows, you would appreciate just what one man and a bunch of records can do. He fairly lifted the tent right out of its moorings at Electric Picnic two years ago. In the early days, he competed alongside the equally influential Q-Bert – they strolled off with every prize available. Rumour has it, Mike and Q were asked to stop entering competitions because nobody else was getting a look in. “Cos nobody can do it like Mix Master Mike can. Come on now…” Special support tonight from Blackalicious MC Gift of Gab. Win Tickets / Simon Judge

Chi-town house merchant Derrick Carter may never quite have reached the level of acclaim of local boys-done-good, doyen Frankie Knuckles or the ubiquitous Felix Da Housecat, but his work has a reassuring air of unfussiness, adhering to the solid dogma of Chicago electronic music. Shorn of the razzle-dazzle of many of his peers, and spared the backstory – if he was from Detroit, perhaps he’d get more notoriety – Carter’s perception as being merely serviceable runs counter to his years of immersion into house music and his dedication to his craft. His career arc maybe now nestling cosily into the European DJ tour gravy train, but at the very least you will hear a knowledge and breadth of dance music that will run the whole gamut from disco to funk, but rooted in the house that Carter built. An education. Win Tickets / Mark Keane

“Oh, it’s that choon from Beefa.It’s a choon babe”. That’s what my mate said when I played her ‘The Man With The Red Face’. And she was right, it is a choon (babe) and it was one of the Ibiza anthems a few years back. The artist? Laurent Garnier, of course. Actually, I’ve seen him quite a lot recently: Ibiza, Serbia, UK—he gets around a bit, our Fructis (that’s what I call him, as in Laboratoires Garnier…get it?). He’s prolific and he’s been around for time—he started in the Haçienda; now that’s old school. Respected by the dons of Detroit techno and the minimal generation alike, his sets are diverse, encompassing house, techno, trance, even drum n bass and always with his distinctive jazz riffs woven into the mix. Essentially, he rocks. Go see him at Tripod tonight, you’ll regret it otherwise (babe). Win Tickets / Leo

Siúcra Éireann’s float consisted of a pyramid of sugar bags on the back of a truck. Keatings bakery threw pan loafs at us (which we accepted). The folk from the local motor accessory shop drove on the back of their fancy lawnmowers. More Goodbye Bruton than Goodbye Lenin, these are my memories of the Paddy’s Day parade in small town rural Ireland in the early ‘90s. The Six O’Clock news invariably carried glitzier images of rain lashed American majorettes and marching bands in Dublin. While most people treat today, as erm, an excuse to get lashed, spare some time to support people who make an effort. Countless hours have been spent on costumes and synchronised dances. The theme is ‘Extraordinary World’. Mind you given the times, I wouldn’t say no to a few freebies off the back of a float. / Zach Joyce

Who knew that some-kind-of-paradise could survive in such close proximity to the barren of joy hinterland that is Bray, but here it is, at the foothills of the mountains, where lost and overlooked films will finally find a home in the splendour of ancient drawing rooms and libraries beside roaring open fires where cocktails will be taken in the sculpture gallery. There is almost too much to say about how lovely this Silent Film Festival, the about the magnificance of the guest speakers, the love and care with which the programme is selected, or the gems that can be watched the the hidden abandon of this erstwhile film set. Live scores accompany a treasure throve of rare movie while a festival cafe and bar, and a setting that belies the unfortunate circumstance of its geography make for the most perfect days. In case further encourgement is required talks, by Rebecca Miller, John Boorman and Matt Zoller Seitz. Win a Weekend Pass / Jeanette Farrell