November 10th-16th.
theatre
Can Ross O'Carroll-Kelly (left) really be down to his last €20,000? You should laugh your way through the capital's class war in Paul Howard's The Last Days of the Celtic Tiger, at the Olympia Theatre in Dublin. Actor Rory Nolan suits the part perfectly. Opens Monday, 8pm.
boy toys
Toys 4 Big Boys, at the RDS in Dublin this weekend, features all manner of manly cars, gadgets and gizmos. That will be me in the queues for the lads' pad, motor pavilion, white-collar boxing, urban paintball shooting range, rodeo bull and . . . ladies' pamper zone? From 10am to 7pm today and tomorrow. www.toys4bigboys.ie
giving
Arthritis Ireland hosts the Jasper Ball, at the Shelbourne Hotel in Dublin on Thursday, to raise money for young sufferers of arthritis. A 10-place table is €2,500 from 01-6618188. www.arthritisireland.ie. The Irish Wheelchair Association holds its
Be an Angel, Buy an Angel campaign next Friday; angel pins will cost €2.
skating
As if we needed reminding that a certain winter festival is just around the corner, GoSkate 2007 opens in Booterstown, Co Dublin next Friday. Open 10.30am-10.15pm weekdays, 10am-10pm weekends. Tickets cost €16 for adults and €8 for children (family of four €44). Tickets from www.goskate.ie or 01-2303300.
music
Harry Connick jnr is at the RDS in Dublin on Tuesday. Rostov State Opera performs Puccini's Madama Butterfly and Verdi's La Traviata at the Helix in Dublin from Wednesday until tomorrow week; www.thehelix.ie. Housemartin and Beautiful Souther Paul Heaton is at Whelan's, Dublin, tomorrow. The Cuban singer Roberto Fonseca is at Cork Opera House on Monday (with Susana Baca) and the Sugar Club, Dublin, on Wednesday.
big art shows
Art Ireland 2007, at the RDS from Friday until Sunday, features paintings, prints, sculptures and other works of art by hundreds of artists. www.artireland.ie.
Scratch is a new showcase of animation, sculpture, installations, graffiti and paintings by internationally-known artists such as Francis McCrory, Dereck Ogilby and Lucy Apple. Most of the pieces are for sale, with prices from €400 to €3,000. Monday-Friday, CHQ, IFSC, D1. Call 01-6432801.
science week
Next Thursday, as part of science week, the broadcaster Karen Coleman hosts a discussion on the science of beauty. Among the participants will be L'Oréal's UK scientific director, Dr Raniero De Stasio. It's at the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, Dublin 2, 7-9pm. Free tickets from www.scienceweek.ie/lectures. Call 01-6073042.
sport
Champions Wexford lead the way with 11 nominations for the Camogie All-Stars, which takes place this evening at Citywest Hotel, in Co Dublin. In the Heineken Cup, Leinster take on Leicester at the RDS at 7.30pm this evening; Munster take on Wasps at the Ricoh Arena, in Coventry. The World Rally Championship comes to Ireland for the first time, from Thursday until tomorrow week, starting at Stormont, in Belfast. Stages take place on both sides of the Border. www.wrc.com.
and finally . . .
The Carte Noire French Film Festival, which kicks off at the IFI, Dublin 2, on Tuesday, includes Persepolis, which won the Prix du Jury at Cannes this year, and Ensemble, C'est Tout, starring Audrey Tautou ( www.irishfilm.ie).
Michael Kelly... mkelly@irish-times.ie