One of the most prestigious art salesheld in Ireland takes place on Tuesday at Adam's, on St Stephen's Green, Dublin 2.
More than 170 pieces, mostly from private collections, will be auctioned. Highlights include Roderic O'Conor's Sur la Côte, Finistère, Walter Osborne's A Grey Morning in a Breton Farmyard and Louis le Brocquy's Sick Tinker's Child. You can view the catalogue at www.adams.ie.
Two days later, on New Bond Street in London on Thursday, the star lot in Sotheby's auctionof English and Irish literature auction will be a private collection of more than 300 of Samuel Beckett'sprivate letters and postcards. See www.sothebys.co.uk.
The National Crafts Fairopens at the RDS on Wednesday, running until tomorrow week. The earlier you get there, the more likely you are to get most of your shopping done under one roof.
The Crafts Council of Ireland has organised Collectors Eventsin Limerick and Kilkenny this month. The Limerick event is at the Hunt Museum until Wednesday; in Kilkenny, head for the National Craft Gallery until January 6th.
With so many office parties going on, December is rife with gossip about who's with whom and dilemmas about what to wear - not so very different from the world exposed in The School for Scandal, Sheridan's play from 1777, which is one of the great comedies of manners. It tells the story of a wealthy bachelor, Sir Peter Teazle, who marries a beautiful young woman obsessed with fashion, gossip and young men. The Abbey'snew production, directed by Jimmy Fay, is in preview until Tuesday, then runs until January 27th.
Many towns are climbing aboard the Christmas-festival bandwagon. There should probably be a law against calling an ice rink and a Santa's grotto a "festival".
A few are the real thing, however. One of our favourite events at the month-long Christmas in Killarneyis an open-air feast, with food from the town's top restaurants, on Main Street from Friday until tomorrow week. In Clare, Ballyvaughan Christmas Visitincludes Christkindl-style markets each weekend until Christmas. See www.ballyvaughan ireland.com.
The Blizzardshave spent the past couple of months touring, to promote their album A Public Display of Affection. They are supporting The Kooks at the Ambassador, in Dublin, tomorrow week, but lucky Cork fans can catch them at a free gig at the Old Oak on Monday.
When I was young and hip, my college party piece was to whip out my guitar and play some tunes by Kevin "Bloody" Wilson.The names of the Australian's songs are generally too filthy to mention here, but once you get beyond the smut you find much hilarity and the odd touch of genius. Which is why I will be at the Forum in Waterford tonight, hoping that Wilson will play Santa Claus You ****. He's at Vicar Street in Dublin tomorrow, but he's not for the faint-hearted.
Finally, a quick mention for A Small Hours Picture Show, at the Digital Hub in Dublin on Thursday at 8pm. It features visuals by Donal Dineen with live music from Chequerboard and Windings. See www.digitalhub.com/exhibit.html. Proceeds go to Fountain Resource youth club, Oliver Bond youth group and Little Flower homeless project. Michael Kelly