Seomra Spraoi

2008-10-03T07:08:00.000-07:00

This site is no longer in use, if you are not automagically forwarded to the new seomra spraoi site then click here!

Seomra Spraoi have a new building - come visit!

2008-10-01T03:27:00.000-07:00

Seomra Spraoi have a new building!

We've found a new space, please drop in! We got the keys on Saturday and are moving in over the next week or so, and we hope to be back open again as soon as possible. Our new space is at 10 Belvedere Court, near Mountjoy Square in D1. Call in if you're in the neighbourhood and have a look at the new place!

If you'd like to get involved in Seomra Spraoi, you can email us at seomraspraoi@gmail.com

"Roll Up Your Sleeves"

2008-09-15T08:27:00.000-07:00

[*** Watch this space: possible new Seomra Spraoi venue. Hopefully, there will be a callout for help and a chance for us all to get stuck in and roll up our sleeves again soon! Stay tuned***]

Hi All.

Premiere of the new documentary "Roll Up Your Sleeves" (27 mins) about Do It Yourself counterculture is taking place this Saturday 20th September at 12pm in the Irish Film Institute on Eustace Street in Temple Bar.

The event is FREE in and all are welcome.

It will also be showing on Dublin Community Television later in the year.

Hope to see you there!

Here's the Synopsis:

"Roll Up Your Sleeves: The DIY Counterculture (27 mins)

The debut film from 21 year old Dylan Haskins and a group of his friends was two years in the making. The documentary is a colourful exploration of the phenomenon of 'Do-It-Yourself' counterculture from the starting point of his own group of friends and their local alternative community. The journey of discovery leads Haskins to drive a US folk punk band on their European tour and looks at the relationship between DIY ideology and european autonomous social centres. This is contrasted with the Seomra Spraoi social centre project in Dublin and the problems they face. Independent music features as a thread throughout the film.

Interviewees include Ian MacKaye of legendary alternative bands Fugazi and Minor Threat, Ellen Lupton, author of DIY: Design it Yourself and Curator of Contemporary Design at the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum in New York, Ellie and Louise Macnamara of young irish band Heathers and members of long running Dutch experimental punk band The Ex."

Great news from Galway

2008-08-07T08:19:00.000-07:00

The Galway Social Centre is up and running! Here is short note from the group. Check out their website on www.galwayspace.org

Go n-éirí on t-ádh libh!

Hi all,

Just a quick note to let you all know that the long search is finally
over and we have found a space. We're setting up home at 24 Middle
Street.

PAINTING!
At the moment we're working on painting the place and trying to fill
it with donated items (computers, furniture, instruments etc).

If you, or anyone you know would like to get involved, please do get
in touch. There are people down there painting most days...

FUNDRAISING GIG!
We are having a celebration fundraising gig in the Warrick, Salthill next Thurs
14th. Intinn and Flo are playing. We'll forward on the poster in the
coming days.

OPEN DAY!
Our open day will be on Sat 16th from 2pm. Please do pop down for a
look and spread the word!

WEBSITE!
We have a new website at www.galwayspace.org

We're also on bebo and myspace

www.bebo.com/GalwayS24
www.myspace.com/galwayspace

Sooo much happening! Exciting times! Hope to chat with you all soon!

Beyond Mary's Abbey

2008-06-27T06:14:00.000-07:00

It's been a slow process finding a new Seomra but we are close. More details about that will be coming soon so watch this space for updates.

With each move we have grown and have seen more people taking an interest and getting involved in our project. Mary's Abbey saw a huge surge in involvement. We were surprised and inspired by the diversity and imagination that was present in the wide range of projects that grew up in the little gap in Dublin's concrete that Seomra Spraoi provided. Mary's Abbey wasn't just a place for meetings or having a good time at the weekend. It became a focal point for action, a place to perform, a space to be creative, and perhaps most importantly of all, a place for people of different backgrounds and nationalities to discuss and have lively arguments about anything, from politics to the music of Stevie Wonder.

The reactions that users of the space had to our shutting down re-asserted the desperate need for such a place, and our duty to keep the project alive. We were rarely short of people to help out or of donations to pay the rent and the bills. We are committed to rebuilding the project and we encourage new people, and people who were involved in the project before, to come and support us now. We say this every time we start in a new premises but it's true - now is a great time to get involved. A new building provides a new opportunity for people to begin with something of a blank slate.

It's been seven months since Seomra Spraoi closed its doors at Mary's Abbey for the last time. The drama and disappointment that came at the end of that amazing experience created a space for reflection. Since then we have been getting back to our roots and re-evaluating the project. A new organisational structure has been put in place. General collective meetings will now be held monthly with four working groups feeding into that meeting. Each working group is taking on specific tasks related to different aspects of the project. These working groups give people a chance to give a more focused and less time-consuming commitment to the project.

The next general meeting is on Thursday the 3^rd of July at 7:30 (venue to be confirmed). Alternatively you can email us on seomraspraoi@gmail.com if you are interested in working with us on the project.

Scoil Spraoi invites you to our first Social Centre gathering, on April 11th-13th!

2008-03-30T10:49:00.000-07:00

Scoil Spraoi is the Seomra Spraoi educational working group. This is our first event. We hope you like it…

Social Centre Gathering

"A space to share our experiences and knowledge about Social Centres. By sharing these things and making them collective we can sharpen our tools, develop our ideas; create new forms of non-hierarchical and anti-capitalist organisation. Through collective discussion debate & action we create communities of resistance"

Social Centres

Social Centres have been an important and stable development of social movements. Social Centres create space for meetings, workshops, benefit gigs, not for profit cafes, libraries, internet access, craft activities, bicycle workshops, self-defence training: the list goes on. What more can we use them to do? What forms of collective activity do they make possible? What forms of resistance emerge form such a social space? What are their limitations?

We have part of the answers to these questions in our collective experiences. This is a chance to share, discuss and debate those experiences.

Seomra Spraoi

The Seomra Spraoi collective was started three years ago with the intention of setting up an autonomous social centre in Dublin. We reckon we’ve been pretty successful…

Since our humble beginnings we have occupied three different spaces of our own, each bigger than the previous one. Our move to 4 Mary’s Abbey in July 2007 saw a huge surge in activity and an expansion of the collective. Over 20 groups held regular meetings or events there, with hundreds of people using the space on a weekly basis. After a month of bureaucratic dealings with the landlord, fire authority & police the collective decided to terminate the lease. From this experience we learned a lot...

We keep on learning. The collective is highly organised, with around 30 people managing the social centre, via working groups, and an open meeting of the collective every Thursday.

Europe wide days of action

This gathering coincides with a European wide call for "decentralized days of action for squats and autonomous spaces" - a weekend of discussion & action in defence of free spaces.
See http://april2008.squat.net/

We want to make autonomous spaces and social centres more visible as a political movement. We want to develop interconnections and solidarity between social centres and autonomous spaces. We want to keep linking our spaces with new people and new struggles, and support the creation of autonomous spaces in places where there has not been a history of this kind of action.

First things first - Friday
…will kick off around 7 and is shaping up to be a nicely chilled and fun evening.

Location
The venue for the gathering is CASADH, 19 Newmarket Square, The Coombe.

Click on the map below for a larger graphic.

Please note that CASADH is a DRUG & ALCOHOL FREE SPACE,
it is used as a drug rehabilitation centre during the week and drugs/alcohol are not allowed on the premises at any time.

Group presentations
So far we have individuals who will tell us about their experiences of working in autonomous spaces and social centre projects in Italy, Poland, Germany and Seomra Spraoi...more presentations to be confirmed.

Food
Dinner will be provided by the skilled ’Peoples Kitchen’ collective. If you think you’ll be arriving late let us know and we’ll try to keep food for you or if you have special dietary needs, again, do let us know. Lunch and dinner will be provided on Saturday also.

Movies
While we’re chowing down we’ll chill out watching some short movies on various international social centre projects. If you have an interesting short documentary that you think we could show feel free to bring it along.

Saturday’s discussion topics
Saturday will be broken into 3 discussion sessions – each session will deal with a variety of themes – we are currently working on the structure of the discussions to enable full participation so please mull over these topics – we wanna know what you think!

Session 1 - practical issues associated to running a social centre
1. From shaky ground to safer spaces
Can we make social centre spaces free from oppression? How do we deal with behaviour and language that perpetuate oppression?
2. Decision making by consensus
Why do it without leaders? How can we increase democratic participation in social centres?
3. Avoiding the ghetto and increase accessibility.
How can we broaden the appeal of social centres and not just serve the needs of the familiar activist scenes?

Session 2 - Discussion topics relating to viewing social centres as a political project
1. From autonomy to bureaucracy and back
Can Irish social centres remain truly autonomous in the face of bureaucratic challenges? How do we raise finances without being limited or diverted in our aims?
2. Creating spaces of resistance
How do we see the role of social centres in social movements and wider revolutionary currents? Are we just providing services that the government provides?
3. Developing aims & principles
How do social centres develop their politics?

Session 3 - Futures
1. Creating a social centre network - developing social centres in Ireland
What ways can we support each other in creating social centres and other spaces?
2. Social centres as places of skill sharing and popular education?
In what ways can we tap in to the full potential of social spaces to share and develop skills; inspire and create amongst each other?
3. Creating spaces beyond the social centre
How can we create temporary autonomous zones? What role can social centres play in campaigning and taking action to reclaim spaces?

Sunday’s antics
A fun and kid friendly picnic marking the privatisation of public space. We’re encouraging creative participation so get any costumes out and start making banners!

Accommodation
If you need somewhere to crash over the weekend please email us - seomraspraoi@gmail.com - and we’ll try to sort you out. There is limited space so we can’t guarantee everyone a place but we’ll do our best to sort you out.

Over and Out!

The search goes on...

2008-03-11T06:54:00.000-07:00

Seomra Spraoi is continuing to look for a new home, if any of you are aware of somewhere suitable in Dublin please let us know. Weekly meetings take place at 7.30pm on Thursdays - the location varies so get in touch for directions.

Similarly, if you are involved in any groups or activities which have used Seomra Spraoi in the past send on any details of your current activities. We can put them up here on the blog and let other Seomra Spraoi friends know what's cool and happening in the city!

seomraspraoi at gmail dot com
www.myspace.com/seomraspraoi

Movin' on up ...

2008-01-24T08:01:00.000-08:00

The Seomra Spraoi collective continue to meet weekly on Thursdays at 7.30pm. As we have now moved from Mary's Abbey, there is no fixed meeting place. Anyone interested in attending please get in touch and we will notify you with regards to meeting locations. Alternatively keep an eye on the events calendar on indymedia.ie .

We are looking at a number of different possible new locations and hope to re-open as soon as possible. Now, more than ever, all help and assistance is needed.

Here is a link to an excellent story about Seomra Spraoi on Indymedia: http://www.indymedia.ie/article/85489

The energy and spirit of all involved in Seomra Spraoi is as strong as ever. Watch this space for further developments!

Fundraiser for Seomra Spraoi - Friday January 11th

2008-01-06T23:16:00.000-08:00

Ballroom of Romance #72: Seomra Spraoi Benefit Gig. 11th January, Lower Deck

Ballroom 72: Seomra Spraoi Benefit
Featuring...

Estel http://www.myspace.com/estelrocks
Large Mound http://www.myspace.com/largemound
Party Weirdo http://www.myspace.com/partyweirdomusic
Hounds http://www.myspace.com/houndslikejumpers

The Lower Deck, Portobello
Friday 11th January
€10, doors 9pm
http://www.ballroomofromance.com

Fundraiser for Seomra Spraoi - Saturday January 5th

2008-01-01T13:15:00.000-08:00

A fundraiser gig for Seomra Spraoi social centre
Saturday January 5th 9pm - Lower Deck

gz present

A fundraiser for Seomra Spraoi social centre, featuring

The Freebooters http://www.myspace.com/irishfreebooters
Party Weirdo http://www.myspace.com/partyweirdomusic
The Worthwhile Experience http://www.myspace.com/theworthwhileexperience
Swing Youth http://www.myspace.com/swingfuckingyouth
DJ Richie Kaboogie

Running order TBC on the night

Sat 5th January 2008
The Lower Deck, Portobello
9pm. Minimum donation €6.

Seomra Spraoi Closed

2007-12-02T09:41:00.001-08:00

Sunday, December 2^nd 2007.

Seomra Spraoi Closed

For Now…

Seomra Spraoi (& the entire building in 4 Marys Abbey) was closed down by the Fire Authority last night.

At 8pm around 10 Police and 4 Fire Officers arrived to inspect the space. Less than 10 people were present in Seomra Spraoi. The Fire Authority stated that the building did not meet fire safety regulations and closed the building. An hour was negotiated with the Fire Authority to move out any of our stuff we might need whilst we don’t have access to the building. The Fire Authority were, supportive and apologetic, but ultimately had no choice but to close us down.

Phonecalls went out and around 30 people supporters arrived within the hour in solidarity and to help move out stuff we might need.

Around 20 people from the Seomra Spraoi Collective reconvened for an extraordinary general meeting (at midnight). We see this as a temporary setback and obviously agree that we’d like the building to be fire safe. We have booked a fire consultant to see what work needs to be done and will be working with the Fire Authority to get the building re-opened as soon as possible.

We’ll be having a public meeting on Thursday to keep all the users of the space informed on what’s going on. Details of time and venue will be posted on Indymedia.

Thanks for your continued support

Seomra Spraoi Collective

Trad Session in Seomra Spraoi - Friday 9pm

2007-11-30T05:12:00.000-08:00

Trad music session in Seomra Spraoi this evening.

All welcome, 9.00pm, bring a musical instrument.

BYOB

Zine workshop - Thursday evening

2007-11-28T15:33:00.000-08:00

Revisiting The Personal
As Political

29 Nov 2007, 20:30
Dublin,
Cost : € 5-7 donation

www.myspace.com/revisitingthepersonalaspolitical

A workshop for womn, grrls and all
female identifying peeps
€ 5-7 donation, no one turned away

Saturday from 1 - 5pm

2007-11-26T02:58:00.000-08:00

bicycle jumble

Saturday, December 1st, 1-5pm

Bring your unwanted bike parts and swap 'em!

brakes, frame, handlebars, saddle, bell, pedals, lights, wheels

Moore Street Development - Public Meeting Thursday 6.30pm

2007-11-21T14:30:00.000-08:00

Public meeting - Save Moore Street Thursday 6.30pm
Seomra Spraoi

There is a meeting being held for anybody interested in working against this development, both publicising the proposals and hopefully submitting a planning objection. Lots of ideas and people needed

Dublin's much loved Moore St. market, one of the most organically diverse, culturally & historically layered streets remaining in Dublin city centre is under serious threat of extinction from a €500 million multi-storey commercial development. Plans are soon due to be fully unveiled to the public.

The developer behind the Dundrum shopping centre has in the past few years bought most of the property in an area encompassing Henry Street to Parnell Street in the north/south direction and O'Connell Street to Moore Street in the east/west direction. Most of the buildings are to be demolished to make way for a glorified shopping centre to include two canopied multi-storey shopping streets.

These plans are due to be submitted for planning application with the full support of Dublin City Council in what will no doubt be sold to the public as a 'visionary' and 'revitalising' project for the north inner city.

Plans of this development will soon be made available to the public who have the power to object and make a stand with the traders.

Further details see: http://www.indymedia.ie/article/85003

Burma - film and information evening on Wednesday

2007-11-21T01:46:00.000-08:00

Film screening and discussion, Wednesday November 21st 2007

A special information evening and discussion is taking place on
Wednesday 21st of November at 7.30pm in Seomra Spraoi on recent and
past events in Burma. The event is organised jointly by Voluntary
Service International and Burma Action Ireland and will higlight the
need to maintain focus on Burma and current events there.
€3 entrance will be collected at the door and divided between Seomra
Spraoi, VSI and Burma Action Ireland.

Related Link: http://www.vsi.ie
More details: http://www.indymedia.ie/article/85044

Gluaiseacht Skillshare Weekend - Nov 16th to 18th

2007-11-15T01:48:00.000-08:00

You are invited to a weekend of workshops, talks and films to be held in Seomra Spraoi in Dublin from 16th-18th November.

The purpose of the weekend is to get people interested in activism from various backgrounds and groups to meet up, get to know each other and learn from the experience of the current Gluaiseacht activists and others. We hope to create enthusiasm for the various campaigns and some formal and informal networks which would kick-start some serious activism through Gluaiseacht and each other.

Where

Seomra Spraoi

4 Mary’s Abbey, Dublin 1

Directions: coming from Capel St Bridge, walk up Capel St, turn left at the Boar’s Head of, large grey-blue building on your right, old Music Maker building. It is across the road from and Rhodes restaurant.
It is on the Luas track.

http://www.seomraspraoi.org/

http://seomraspraoi.blogspot.com/

How Much?

Free of charge and food will be provided. If you are coming from outside Dublin and are in need of a place to stay please let us know and we will try to hook you up with a couch or a floor.

Please let us know if you are coming anyway so we can provide food for all

Gluaiseacht@gmail.com

Ph 0851590728

www.gluaiseacht.ie

Admission is free and food will be provided (vegan/vegetarian). There will also be a social on saturday evening. Please confirm you are coming so we make sure we can provide food for all.

Phone Fergal on 0851590728 or e-mail gluaiseacht@gmail.ie

Workshop List

Climate Change - Oisin Coughlan (Friends of the Earth)

Media work - Mark Malone (WSM, Grassroots Network, Seomra Spraoi, Gluaiseacht), William Hederman (Ex Irish Times photo journalist and current media lecturer DCU)

NVDA Legal advice - Owen Rice , Sean Ryan

Zero-carbon living – Andy Wilson (Sustainability Magazine)

Biodiversity - Anja Murray (An Taisce)

Shell to Sea - Aron Baker (Rossport Solidarity camp resident engineer)

Pie- and jam- making! - Mags Liddy (Gluaiseacht, Political author, Peace activist and Chef Extraordinaire)

Permaculture/natural building – Grainne McHugh (Gluaiseacht, Shell to Sea)

Irish Anti War - Conor Cregan (Gluaiseacht, Shannon Peace Activist)

Boycott Coke - Daniel Finn (Winner of the Daniel Singer Prise for Journalism, ISN, UCD student union Delegate to Colombia)

Student Action on Climate Change - Dave Curran (Current Environmental Officer
of USI and Twice Deputy President of UCDSU)

Sustainable living - [growing your own food, making wine, herbal medicine etc] Tracy Ryan (Bitchin Kitchin, Rossport Solidarity Camp, Gluaiseacht)

Justice for Terrence Wheelock - Larry Wheelock

for more Information about gluaiseacht see www.gluaiseacht.ie or www.bebo.com/gluaiseacht

Screening this Wednesday, November 14th - Fast Food Nation

2007-11-13T15:11:00.000-08:00

Feature: Fast Food Nation

Venue: Seomra Spraoi

4, Mary's Abbey D1

Suggested Donation: Waged/Unwaged 2.50/2.00

Directions: Coming from Capel St bridge, turn left at the Boar's Head off Capel Street, large grey-blue building (blue door) on your right, old Melody Maker building. It is across the road from the "Capel Building" and Rhodes restaurant. It is on the Luas track.

time: 7.30pm

If you want to screen a feature/short/documentary/music video..........

e-mail: screeninggroup@hushmail.com

Launch Party for The Rag no.2 - Saturday Nov 10th

2007-11-07T17:19:00.000-08:00

RAG Issue 2 Launch Party
Seomra Spraoi
Sat 10th Nov 6.30pm-late
mag, food, music, us!
4/6 euros

What's all this then?
The RAG is a magazine produced by a group of anarcha-feminists in Dublin. To celebrate the publication of our second issue, we're throwing a party for YOU!

Cool. So when is it?
Saturday, 10th November, 6.30pm til late.

Where?
Seomra Spraoi, 4 Mary's Abbey, Dublin 1. That's a blue door, on the luas tracks, just off Capel st.

What about me fella/ me dog/ me sprog?
All ages and all genders welcome! We'll even entertain the kiddies for you - up until 9 when the bands start. Not sure about your dog though.. is it on a string?

Yeah, nevermind that, did you say music?
Oh yes - fun fun fun. There'll be a plate of yummy food for your belly, a shiny new RAG magazine for your mitts, sofas to curl up and read on, RAGsters for you to chat anarcha-feminism to and kick-ass music to dance the night away. All for a measly 6 euros (or 4 if you need).

Sounds great! I'm there!
Well... Hurrah! See you there!

Route Irish - film screening Wednesday November 7th

2007-11-04T12:48:00.000-08:00

'Route Irish' Feature Length Documentary On Movement Against Use of Shannon By US Military 2002-2006

'Route Irish', a feature length verité/essay film on the campaign(s) against Irish facilitation of the US/UK Invasion of Iraq will be screened for the first time publicly on Wedensday 7th November in Seomra Spraoi.

The event will begin at 8pm.

Ciaron O'Reilly of the Pitstop Ploghshares will launch the film.

All are invited.

Pay what you can afford to the Seomra Spraoi project.

The screening will be followed by a discussion. The editor of the film, which was shot over a period of four years by a loose network of Irish video activists, will be there to shout at when it's over should you so choose.

Warning. This is not a happy clappy celebration film. It is a subjective essay on the events around Shannon Airport between 2002 and 2006.

After this initial screening the film will be distributed hopefully with the help of some of the audience through torrent networks and also through (the evil but efficient) google video.

A 'raw materials' package will be made available at cost for the use of any individuals or groups who wish to use the archive on which it relies to tell a different / thir own version of the story. For details - attend the screening or contact the editor at ecrudden (at) gmail.com.

Thanks in advance to seomra spraoi and revolt video for facilitating this screening.

Sunday 4th November - 5pm Break the World Bank and 7pm Reproductive Rights in Ireland

2007-11-01T16:50:00.000-07:00

[DETAILS ON BREAK THE WORLD BANK FILM AND DISCUSSION BELOW]

Reproductive Rights in Ireland: Past, present and future

A discussion meeting on reproductive rights in Ireland.

A discussion meeting introduced by Mary Muldowney, pro-choice campaigner, entitled:
Reproductive Rights in Ireland:Past, Present and Future
will be hosted by Choice Ireland on Sunday 4th November at 7pm.

The venue is Seomra Spraoi, Marys Abbey (continuation of Abbey Street, off Capel Street), Dublin 1 opposite Rhodes restaraunt.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Break the World Bank

Film and Discussion

Sunday 4^th November 5pm Seomra Spraoi

In advance of the upcoming World Bank meeting in Dublin on 12th November there will be an info evening with discussion and a few short movies looking at the role of the World Bank in the spread of destructive global capitalism and how this impacts on communities around the world.

Through its conditions for loans the World Bank has forced privatisation of many essential services. This movie looks at water privatisation in Bolivia and how communities have been affected by harsh World Bank policies.

The World Bank has been very comfortable handing out loans to right wing dictators and brutal regimes who used the money to oppress the people of their countries. Though the tyrannic regimes may have fallen many are still living with their legacy by being forced to repay these loans to the World Bank. 'Dictators Debt' examines the effects of these illegitimate debts on majority world countries, focusing on South Africa and the Philippines.

*******************************************************************************************************

The World Bank is coming to Dublin on Monday November 12th November - delegates will stay at the Grand Hotel Malahide. This is also where they will meet and discuss new strategies for the privatisation of "development".

They claim to be working for a world free of poverty yet...

-The World Bank keeps millions in poverty through crippling debt structures, unfair trade rules, enforced privatisation and public service cutbacks.

-The World Bank funds environmentally devastating projects.

-The same neo-liberal ideology that fuels the World Bank - profit for the few over the lives of the many - is destroying communities here in Ireland.

We* think this is a perfect opportunity to have a bit of a party. So we've gathered up some buckets and spades, our favourite tunes we're making some salad sandwiches and we've invited all our friends. So join us out in Malahide on Monday 12th of November. All ages welcome!

*A network of social justice, anarchist, anti-capitalist and environmental activists who operate under the principles of Grassroots Dissent

Seomra Spraoi first training day - Sunday 21st October, 5pm

2007-10-17T06:22:00.000-07:00

Ever thought "i'd like to help out but i'm not sure what it is i can do"?
Want to become an active participant and get more fun outta Seomra Spraoi?

well read on!

Seomra Spraoi first public training day - Sunday 21st October 5pm

Seomra Spraoi autonomous social centre is hosting a training session open to everyone who would like to help out and get involved, in whatever way they can, with the day to day running of the social centre. The aim of these training is to skill share, and to make it accessible for people to help out in a way that is inclusive and gives confidence to all.

We aspire to have these skill shares as an ongoing thing , so as to have an ever growing pool of people working collectively.

This initial training will be for all those who are interested in **working** on the 'welcome rota', and also working at events organised within the space

The welcoming rota role is generally for one or two hours a weeks (more or less if its suits). by developing this rota, the centre hopes to have more solid and regular opening hours through out the week, and the training will cover all the aspects of this role. its hope that there will always be two people doing this at any one time. essentially its about facilitating opening hours, welcoming and introducing new visitors to the workings and function of the social centre etc

For all those interested in working at events within the space, we will have a really comprehensive and exciting training which cover all aspects of teamwork at events within the space. we will cover positive space policy, working and communicating as a team, and other issues that arise.

This is a great opportunity to come along even if you are unsure of what you can commit to in the long term. Its about building and skill sharing and breaking down formal and informal hierarchies and changing the social and working relationships we've been culturally ingrained with.

** its for this reason that we have deliberately chosen the term work as opposed to volunteer, because we see this as positive productive activity both for ourselves as worker but also collectively as a project....

Hope to see ya there, oh and don't forget the people's kitchen is on from 2pm!

Film and Info Night on the G8 2001 Trials on Wednesday

2007-10-16T02:28:00.000-07:00

Film and Info Night on the G8 2001 Trials at Seomra Spraoi

Genoa, July 2001. Hundreds of thousands gather to protest against the G8 Summit. More than six years later, 25 demostrators are still on trial for the events of those days: charged with destruction and looting, they risk 8 to 15 years imprisonment. Another 13 protesters are in the dock in the south of Italy, with the accuse of having attempted to "subvert the world economic order" at the time of the 2001 G8. In the meantime, the Italian State is judging itself for the tortures in the Bolzaneto barracks and the unjustifed assault on 93 people at the Diaz school -- while in Strasbourg the European Court for Human Rights has admitted the case of the Giuliani family against the Italian State in relation to the murder of Carlo Giuliani...

wed. 17th october from 8 pm
seomra spraoi presents

genoa is not over

film + info night
on the 2001 G8 Trials

*Comics Expo*
'Our History in the Dock' (2003) & 'It Is Not Over' (2006)
Short graphics novels created by italian illustrator Zerocalcare
for the Supporto Legale network. Brand new English version.

*Snippets from Berlusconi's Mouse Trap*
[Ireland, 2002]. By Indymedia Ireland/Eamon Crudden.

*8.30 pm Film Screening*
'OP. Genova 2001. Public Order during the G8'
[Italy, 2007]. 42 min. English version.
Produced by the Secretariat of the Genoa Legal Forum.

OP is a detailed examination of the events of the 20th of July 2001, when marches and rallies around the red zone were heavily attacked by the police. Through maps, recordings of police radio communications and other evidence gathered in the course of the trial against 25 demostrators, the film exposes the way the police forces turned the streets of Genoa into a war zone. Who was the real threat to Public Order at the 2001 G8?

*plus infos and snacks for all*

...memory is a collective mechanism...

to read about the G8 2001 trials:
www.supportolegale.org/?q=taxonomy/term/15 (English section)

OP trailer available at:
www.processig8.org/OP.html (Italian only)

Seomra Spraoi
4 Mary's Abbey, Dublin 1

Suggested Donation: Waged/Unwaged 2.50 /2.00

All ages gig at 2.30pm and Force 10 gig tonight

2007-10-13T03:59:00.000-07:00

http://www.myspace.com/captainmoonlightkilkenny

http://www.myspace.com/fonoone

http://www.myspace.com/djthephatcontroller

http://www.myspace.com/deejayplanb

+

http://www.audioterrorists.com

Spraoi for all - All ages gig October 13th

2007-10-10T06:20:00.000-07:00

Spraoi for all - All ages gig on Saturday October 13th at Seomra Spraoi.
Doors open at 2.30pm, €3, all welcome.
With Vimanas, Sylvan, Swing Youth.

http://www.myspace.com/vimanamusic
http://www.myspace.com/sylvan1
http://www.myspace.com/swingfuckingyouth

Premiere of new documentary about Seomra Spraoi - Wednesday

2007-10-09T15:53:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, October 10th, 8pm at Seomra Spraoi

Premiere of new documentary about Seomra Spraoi, produced by Revolt Video
Colllective.

Durations 15 minutes.

All footage was shoot over the launch weekend, music by unsigned Dublin based bands and still images by photographer William Hederman.

Thanks for people tolerating intrusive cameras over the weekend. Drop down, watch the documentary, any suggestions for changes more than welcome.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

This is followed by the film Dancer in the Dark.

Dancer in the Dark is an award-winning musical film drama released in 2000. It was directed by Lars von Trier and stars Björk Guðmundsdóttir, Catherine Deneuve, David Morse, Vladica Kostic, Cara Seymour and Peter Stormare. The soundtrack for the film, released as the album Selmasongs, was created entirely by Björk.

Eyewitness account from Oaxaca - Sunday 7th October

2007-10-04T08:48:00.000-07:00

Meet activists who have helped to build one of the most hopeful experiments in self management and people's power in recent years.

This Sunday, October 7th - starts at 5pm following the peoples kitchen @ 2pm.

Showing several short videos, with discussions from indymedia, and local Oaxaca community radio activists from across a wide range of topic including police repression, community organisng,creating media to carry the voices of struggles and making real links, local stuggles both in the global north and south against global capitalism and neo liberal oppression.

For over a year Oaxaca in the south of Mexico has witnessed the massive growth of strong and vibrant social movements. Unsurprisingly, the state has responded to people power with violence and repression. The broad based social movements, which include unions and community groups, have developed new forms of popular media. Activists involved in the social movements and in alternative radio and Indymedia will be speaking in Dublin this Sunday (7/10/07) in Seomra Spraoi at 5 pm. Seomra Spraoi is self-managed social centre in the heart of Dublin(Mary's Abbey just off Capel street just follow the Luas line in the direction away from town). All are welcome. More details on the talk will be available tomorrow.

La lucha sigue !

Dublin Shell to Sea benefit

2007-09-28T03:21:00.000-07:00

Shell to Shell Benefit in Seomra Spraoi - Sat 29th September

Kicking off at 8pm with a selection of Shell/Rossport screenings including the Dublin premiere of " Under Pressure".

To be followed up with a trio of acoustic acts including Dermot Looney.

Finally Electronic Resistance will be completing the night with their usual great mix of DJs and tunes.

Should be a great night, come along and support Shell to Sea,
Suggested donation €6 waged / €4 unwaged.

Anti-authoritarian kids / parents group

2007-09-26T03:31:00.000-07:00

Anti-authoritarian kids / parents group

Each Sunday, 3 to 5 pm

Seomra Spraoi
(4 Mary's Abbey, on the Luas tracks, just off Capel St., grey door on
the right, just opposite Gary Rhodes restaurant.)

Whether you are a parent or parent-to-be, work with kids or just take an interest, come along to a friendly space where we share looking after the children and can talk about kids, alternative ways to practice parenting, organise childcare, and relate to education.

We've been meeting weekly over the summer (8 Sundays so far, with just one skipped!). We're hoping to have more regular discussions in one room, with some of us looking after the kids in the next room, starting next Sunday (29th). Beyond that, we've been talking about the possibility of even longer-term projects around childcare / education.

Bring the kids (any age!) if you have them, and non-sugary snacks to share. You can also join the email discussion group at http://groups. yahoo.com/ group/AAkids/

LAUNCH WEEKEND Sep 21st - 23rd

2007-09-17T03:34:00.000-07:00

This weekend come and see our lovely new space!!! The space is open all weekend for people to drop in and drink tea and look around any time from 12 midday onwards.

This weekend's events:

Friday 21st @ 7pm, Trad night - traditional music session, bring your instrument or just come to listen.

Saturday 22nd
@ 3pm (registration 2pm) Car-free scavanger hunt, hunt by bike, on foot, skate board, roller skate, jog, whatever. Teams of 2/3/4
@ 7pm Contemporary Storytelling: You are invited to find out what Irish storytelling is, was and what it might be.
@ 10pm Live Music - Known (Uk), Eva Urban, Heathers, Mike Igeo Poet, Dropping bombs

Sunday 23rd
@ 2pm People's Kitchen (vegan food)
@ 3pm Kids activites, all ages, table tennis, toys, stencils, drawing..,
@ 4pm Brief talk/slideshow about Seomra Spraoi past, present and future, plus discussion
@ 5.30 "3 minutes of Infamy" - meet the the groups that use the space as they explain in three short minutes each who they are and what they do. With slideshow. (groups include Shell to Sea, RAG, cuppocrafts, to name but a few)
@ 7pm Cabaret!!! (cover charge on the door)
@ 8pm (in a different room) film screening (time subject to change)

Seomra Spraoi is an autonomous social centre. We are a collective of different people with different backgrounds and interests working together in co-operation with a common purpose, to create a non-comercial space with an atmosphere of tolerence and respect, and a sense of community.

The centre is run on libertarian principles and participatory democracy, it is independant of any political party, business etc. and everyone involved has an equal voice in deciding how it is run.

We've been at 4 Mary's Abbey, just off Capel St (on the luas line) for 2 months now and although we've had lots going on, we haven't really taken the time to stop and celebrate and show it off!

For more information about seomra spraoi please check out our blog at http://seomraspraoi.blogspot.com/

All ages gig - Saturday 15th

2007-09-10T15:29:00.000-07:00

This is the first of what we hope to be regular seomra spraoi all ages events. Come along and get involved.

www.myspace.com/seomraspraoi

Last of the Summer Wine Party - Saturday 25th August

2007-08-21T02:08:00.000-07:00

This Saturday the 25th !

Seomra Spraoi
(Last of the Summer Wine) Party !!
25th of August 2007

It All Kicks Off at 8:30:

Live Acoustic Music (five acts take the stage!)
followed by:

DJ Deko Deadly Tunez (Swords Massive/ bleedin' rapah sounds)
Fists in the Air Power DJ's (90's rave meets 80's metal)

Door Tax: €7 waged / €5 unwaged,

with all proceeds towards Seomra Spraoi
(a rent-raising / roof-raising benefit event!)

at Seomra Spraoi, 4 Mary's Abbey, off Capel Street (on LUAS line and opp. Rhodes Restaurant)

Tell your friends!

Story telling on Friday 8.30pm

2007-08-15T05:16:00.000-07:00

Storytelling evening with the Oh-Aissieux

You are invited to forget what Irish storytelling was, and find out what it might be.

Friday 17 August.

Show starts 9 pm. Doors 8.30 pm.

Soft drinks and biscuits will be served in the break.

Suggested donation: EUR 2.

Proceeds to the Seomra Spraoi.

You are invited to forget what Irish storytelling was, and find out what it might be.

The Seomra Spraoi is delighted to host an evening of storytelling with a performer who has already done a lot to promote his art as an innovative form of entertainment for savvy young urbanites.

Coilín Oh-Aissieux is the founder and a co-organiser of the Narrative Arts Club, which has brought innovative storytelling to young adults in Dublin since November 2005.

Here's how one visitor to the Narrative Arts Club in the Central Hotel in May described the experience:

"This is something modern, perplexing and thoroughly engaging, which knows no boundaries and succumbs to few taboos."

Coilin performs from a very diverse repertoire, ranging from accounts of his own misadventures with mushroom soup to shamanic tales from Greenland, the Arabian Nights and the Tibetan saga, Gesar of Ling. He also performs the old Irish saga, Mael Dun's Voyage, though he wouldn't like his work with Irish motifs to overshadow his international repertoiire.

"There's no point being nationalistic about it," he says. "As far as I'm concerned, the Greenlandic shaman stories are just as much my heritage as any Celtic saga."

Coilin is looking forward to performing for members and friends of the Seomra Spraoi. At a recent meeting of the collective, he told us how he wants to reclaim some of the territory that has been captured by corporate media such as the cinema, and to establish storytelling as a form of entertainment that is just as relevant as movies like Trainspotting and Fight Club. If the response is good, he is prepared to make it a series of evenings for us in the Seomra Spraoi.

So come on over, and invite your friends. Let's see a good crowd for this first new event, so he knows we want him to come again. Phone your friends and invite them in person!

Be entertained.
Be perplexed.
Be moved.
Or bemused.
But be there!

Background detail:
Narrative Arts Club to be founded in Dublin
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/71918

Beginning at the end: Dublin's Narrative Arts Club

Film screening every Wednesday - Belleville rendezvous

2007-08-14T17:10:00.000-07:00

belleville rendezvous/bellville triplets/tri de bellevilles sa seomra tomorrow!

After probably the most controversial Tour De France in history relax and enjoy this whimsical look at the Tour amongst other things.
Not that it's still without a fair share of skullduggery.
A wonderful animated short - with the most addictive score of all time - covering themes as varied as friendship, a mother's love, fat dogs and trains, the power of music and toasted frogs and ze mafia.

Very 1930s/1940s not so politically correct in places but shure what is? Beautiful animation in an autumnal style...

Accompanied by some political shorts (about 35 minutes or so)

http://www.indymedia.ie/article/83793

Please forward

Screening of Independent Short Films - Wednesday 7.30pm

2007-08-07T04:54:00.000-07:00

Venue: Seomra Spraoi

Directions: Coming from Capel St bridge, turn left at the Boar's Head off Capel Street, large grey-blue building on your right, old Melody Maker building. It is across the road from the "Capel Building" and Rhodes restaurant. It is on the Luas track.

Time 7:30

Suggested Donation: Waged/Unwaged 2.50 /2.00

If you want to screen a feature/short/documentary/music video..........

e-mail screeninggroup@hushmail.com

More Info on Pro Bono Publicohttp://www.probonodublin.com/

Childrens group - this Sunday

2007-07-25T15:59:00.001-07:00

Anti-authoritarian kids group

Anti-authoritarian kids group Sunday 3pm Seomra Spraoi 4 Mary's Abbey, on the Luas tracks, grey door, opposite Rhodes restaurant. Whether you are a parent or just interested in kids, come along to talk about kids, different ways to practice parenting, organise childcare and relate to education. This is the initial meeting, with a hope to move forward into more regular get-togethers - weekly or monthly, possibly even longer-term projects around childcare/education. Bring the kids and toys/snacks to share. The Seomra Spraoi cafe is on from 2pm, so come earlier if you want a good meal!

Film screening tonight and every Wednesday

2007-07-18T03:37:00.000-07:00

Classic film tonight

Akira

(On wednesday week another animated classic - Linelaker's "this waking life")

Notable themes of the film include youth culture, delinquency, social unrest and future uncertainty weighed against the historical spectre of nuclear destruction and Japan's post-war economic revival.

Akira (アキラ, Akira?) is a 1988 Japanese animated film co-written and directed by Katsuhiro Otomo based on his manga of the same name. The movie led the way for the growing popularity of anime in the West, with Akira considered a forerunner of the second wave of anime fandom that began in the early 1990s. One of the reasons for the movie's success was the highly advanced quality of its animation. At the time, most anime was notorious for cutting production corners with limited motion, such as having only the characters' mouths move while their faces remained static. Akira broke from this trend with meticulously detailed scenes, exactingly lip-synched dialogue — a first for an anime production (voices were recorded before the animation was completed, rather than the opposite) — and super-fluid motion as realized in the film's more than 160,000 animation cels.[1] It is regarded by critics as one of the greatest animated films ever made.[2]

While most of the character designs and basic settings were directly adapted from the original 2,182 page manga epic, the restructured plot of the movie differs considerably from the print version, pruning much of the last half of the book.

Notable themes of the film include youth culture, delinquency, social unrest and future uncertainty weighed against the historical spectre of nuclear destruction and Japan's post-war economic revival. This pervasive atmosphere of impending doom is set to fuse in the feature's tag line, "Neo-Tokyo is about to E•X•P•L•O•D•E."

Suggested Donation: Waged/Unwaged 2.50 /2.00

Directions:

Coming from Capel St bridge, turn left at the Boar's Head off Capel Street, large grey-blue building on your right, old Melody Maker building. It is across the road from the "Capel Building" and Rhodes restaurant. It is on the Luas track.

This will be the second film screening in the new Seomra Spraoi (Dublin Social Centre) location. The aspiration is that there will be a D.I.Y weekly screening in Sproai Spraoi.

Porco Dio seomra spraoi fundraiser - Thursday July 12th

2007-07-08T02:56:00.000-07:00

Our good friends Porco Dio are organising a seomra spraoi fundraiser gig on Thursday, July 12th in the Lower Deck, Portobello, Dublin 8.

Porco Dio Present
Fundraiser for the new Seomra Spraoi

Frigits hideaway house punks http://www.myspace.com/frigits
Another Day in Hell hardcore for the hard core
Illuminatus mournful metal http://www.myspace.com/illuminatusonline
Groundburst ambient rock http://www.myspace.com/groundburst

The Lower Deck, Portobello
Thursday 12 July
€5 before 9pm / €6 after

http://seomraspraoi.blogspot.com
http://www.myspace.com/seomraspraoi

http://www.myspace.com/porcodiodublin

Film screening every Wednesday

2007-07-08T02:43:00.000-07:00

Film screening at Seomra Spraoi, every Wednesday evening at 7.30pm.

Different types of films each week, all ideas welcome. If you've a film you'd like to show drop in and bring it along. Would be really great if people could get involved to help with organising each week. We have a really large screen, a good projector and a perfect big room.

Donation at the door, no one turned away for lack of funds.

7.30pm, all welcome.
Address 4 Marys Abbey, Dublin 1 (first and second floor)

Party this Friday

2007-07-05T09:07:00.000-07:00

There will be a party at Seomra Spraoi this Friday, July 6th.

Music, dancing and fun.

Put it in your diary now and more details to follow.

Tabless Quizz

2007-07-02T06:57:00.000-07:00

First event at our new location

A tabless quiz will take place in our new HUGE premises.
All sorts of questions, great fun and a chance to explore the new gaff.
€3 per person or €2 if in fancy dress. All welcome.

Address: 4 Mary's Abbey, Dublin 1 (First and second floor)

Directions: coming from Capel St bridge, turn left at the Boar's Head off Capel St, large grey-blue building on your right, old Music Maker building. It is across the road from the "Capel Building" and Rhodes restaurant.
It is on the Luas track.

Related Link: http://www.myspace.com/seomraspraoi
www.seomraspraoi.blogspot.com

NEW HOME FOR SEOMRA SPRAOI

2007-06-27T16:15:00.000-07:00

..... we got the keys!!!

Drum roll please ….. Seomra Spraoi has a new home. It has big rooms, small rooms, loads of space, absolutely gigantic potential.

If there was ever a time to get involved, to start a project or just to help out it is NOW!

This week’s Seomra Spraoi meeting will take place today, Thursday at 7.30pm in the brand new fantastic fabulous, potential filled Seomra Spraoi. Everyone very welcome, you should at least come to check the new place out.

4 Mary’s Abbey, Dublin 1

Directions: coming from Capel St bridge, turn left at the Boar’s Head off Capel St, large grey-blue building on your right, old Melody Maker building. It is across the road from the “Capel Building” and Rhodes restaurant. It is on the Luas track.

Come along, get involved, there are endless possibilities …. it really is up to you all!

For updates on events and whats going on check out:
www.seomraspraoi.blogspot.com
www.myspace.com/seomraspraoi

or contact: seomraspraoi@ gmail.com

Please forward

Totally Seomra Spraoi

2007-06-13T07:15:00.000-07:00

WE'RE MOVING!!!! Watch this space for updates...

Here's a nice piece written about Seomra Spraoi and published in Totally Dublin magazine, May 2007.

DO MAKE SAY THINK

Playing with the future in Seomra Spraoi

Words: Jane Ruffino / Pictures: Maria de la Iglesia

Sunday afternoon, and the Seomra Spraoi (Irish for ‘room of play’) is living up to its name. There’s Brazilian music, capoeira, sunshine and palpable cameraderie. Polish anarchists occupy the couch, eating lunch before their scheduled meeting, and visiting French activist Sebastien browses the Forgotten Zine Archive in the corner. Collective members’ toddlers (it’s also Kids’ Day, even though children are generally welcome at daytime events or evening meetings) bang toy instruments or have used their infant charms to commandeer bongos. But the effect of the cacophony is a harmonious one. Seomra Spraoi began in late 2004, a collective brought together to provide an informal space for artists, activists, and just about anyone sympathetic to its DIY and pro-equality ethos.

I’m sitting on the floor chatting with Marianne. The music is lively, but we can still hear each other. “I hope the neighbours don’t complain,” she says. One of the problems with the Seomra Spraoi is that while most European social centres occupy entire buildings, Dublin’s has only a single room in a partly residential building. Noise isn’t the only issue. It’s also a constant struggle to maintain the sense that this is a community space, and not a service. Says Marianne, “We're brought up in a world where everything is a service. Here if you mess the place up it's other people around you who have to clean it up. People also still think there's some overlord or something, some unknown force that says what's ok and not ok, what is possible to do in the space and what isn't.”

It is the people who define the space, and everyone I talk to emphasises the value of the informality that feeds its creative and social potential. Marianne gets inspired, “When new projects come together because of it or even people just meet and hang out and talk to each other.”

It isn’t only a space, but a physical place allows its purpose to extend beyond the largely word-of-mouth network of people who simultaneously benefit from and contribute to its operation. “In a city with few common spaces, we wanted to replicate the autonomous social centres in Europe,” says collective member William Hederman, who also lectures at DCU.

The pan-European trend for autonomous spaces grew out of a tradition of squatting, more common on the continent, where the productive use of abandoned spaces is often tolerated, if not legally provided for. In Dublin, it was more practical to rent: Irish property law means that a squatted space is by necessity a secretive one, and thus defeats the purpose of a centre that, as William emphasises, wants to “reach out of the activist ghetto and into communities.”

The rent is paid through fundraisers, donations and standing orders to the group’s credit union account. It may be only one room, but it is an oasis of practical idealism in a city full of greedy chrome bars and ham-fisted panini peddlers, where developers and the government happily conflate ‘society’ with ‘Irish economy’.

“We always wanted a non-commercial place for people to be, where you can go and sit and read a book without having to pay for the privilege, “says Marianne, “We wanted a place that would be a focal point for activity, politics, art, music, whatever.”

The Seomra began its search for a home in 2004, occasionally using the St Nicholas of Myra Hall before finding temporary shelter in the boisterously painted Middle Abbey Street dwelling of an artist from August 2005 until early 2006. In August of last year, they began renting this space on Ormond Quay, which they quickly made their own.

Every day is different. Monday evenings, the Radical Anarcha-Feminist Group (RAG) meets to discuss issues or work on the magazine it publishes, and Tuesday the space is used by Dublin Shell to Sea. Although the very nature of a collectively run space is a form of political action, it isn’t all explicit radical politics. There are also informal social gatherings, sometimes loosely themed, such as this afternoon’s Brazilian Day, or make-and-do coffee mornings, where you can come and work on your own creative projects. In addition to the zine archive, it houses the Revolt Video Collective, and you can also come on Saturdays or Sunday afternoon (the only days it is possible to have the centre open) and curl up in the corner with a volume from the Bad Books Community Library.

There’s no official joining process. “In fact if you start showing up on Thursdays at meetings and helping out you are one of the collective,” asserts Marianne. “New people always bring fresh enthusiasm and new ideas, which is great.”

From his involvement with Electronic Resistance, an organisation of politically-active producers and DJs, Fergal Scully was inspired to step up his involvement about four months ago. “Everyone was very welcoming. You really can come along and contribute as much as anyone else from the word go. The group accepts how little or how much you can contribute at any time, so you never feel like what you’re doing is a chore.”

Marianne is concerned but optimistic. “I was, and still am, always worried that it won't work. It's constant, it's never finished. Maybe that's what keeps us going, it never gets boring. We still think of the space we have as a stepping stone to a bigger better more accessible and workable Seomra.”

What would it look like in an ideal world? “[It] would be huge and have ground floor access so people could just walk in off the street without ringing the bell. It would be wheelchair accessible. It would have an outdoor area, room for a bike workshop and the libraries, a kitchen area, a large meeting room, space where bands could practice and play gigs, a dark room for photo developing and screen printing, I could go on and on. It would be in the city centre, the area we're in now is great, and the rent would be affordable.”

For now, at least, the Seomra has a home, but even this is temporary, a pity in a city where, as William points out, there are millions of square metres of empty space, mostly in private hands. Look at almost any city block, and you will notice a boom in activity, but look more closely and you will see terraces peppered with vacant or semi-abandoned buildings in even the most exclusive neighbourhoods.

Productive use of these spaces could provide a home for community activities, bring neighbourhoods to life in ways that wouldn’t be dominated by commercial interests. Ironically, though, the use of these spaces, even if only temporary, threatens not the preservation of buildings, but the dereliction that allows an otherwise historic structure to be demolished to make way for shiny minimalist luxury. In New York, it was the ‘broken window theory’ that allowed ‘decaying’ neighbourhoods to be gentrified (which brought its own problems of socio-economic exclusion), but Dublin has redefined it: to a developer hoping to demolish a building, each broken window might symbolise another step closer to its future as an ‘exclusive development’.

The Seomra’s floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the Liffey is both a physical one onto a city hurried and worried by economic booms and potential busts, and a metaphorical one, into the kind of city the new Dublin could be. And there is an atmosphere of possibility, that with wider support and a more concerted vision, things might actually get better.

This building, like most of Ormond Quay, was developed in the 18^th century as part of the Jervis estate, built to house the prosperous middle classes, fuelled by profits from trade as well as large-scale rural enclosure, where common lands were consumed by private landlords eager for landscape gardens and arable fields. It seems fitting, then, that it is one of these Georgian buildings that houses the Seomra, where it is a ‘room of play’ as well as one of rest and relief.

The roots of popular resistance stretch back much further than modern activism, and as I’m lounging on the sun-warmed carpet like a cat in repose, I can’t help but think of the 18^th-century English protest rhyme:

They hang the man and flog the woman,
That steal the goose from off the common,
But let the greater villain loose,
That steals the common from the goose.

Contemporary collectives aren’t about a romanticised past (and indeed, the historical reality of the ‘commons’ was hardly egalitarian), they occupy a hopeful present, making their immediate surroundings more amenable to change. “When you see what can be achieved in this way and how easy and enjoyable it can be, it makes you try and bring this to other parts of your life,” says Fergal.

After my afternoon’s bask, I leave and walk down the puke-stained quays, past lifestyle shops in Georgian buildings ten-generations deep in conspicuous consumption, but I feel buttressed, my cynicism at least temporarily replaced with a defiant optimism. It might fade by morning, but right now, it’s Sunday afternoon and I’m actually smiling.

Postscript: after this article was written, eviction papers were served on the occupants of Seomra Spraoi. If you know of a suitable premises or can help with a donation, please contact seomraspraoi@gmail.com

Weekend events kick off with RAG gig

2007-05-24T02:46:00.000-07:00

Friday May 25th 2007

RAG gig in Seomra Spraoi
Time: 5.30 - 9.30

Acoustic gig and food

All welcome
€5 or donation

This is the final weekend for Seomra Spraoi at Ormond Quay.

All help welcome and needed. Drop by over the weekend or even better come along to the meeting this evening, Thursday at 7.30pm ......

Tonight there is the usual weekly MEETING at 7.30pm, to discuss the weekend events, the clear-out and the future. Please come along!

Friday _early_ evening there's an ACOUSTIC GIG, organised by RAG.Karen Mc D, Mark Malone, and Mer (singers, songwriters, storytellers) 5.30 - 9.30pm

Saturday - Open day with a special invite for kids; tea, puppet making and crafts.Surprise event on Saturday evening (i.e. nobody knows yet what we're doing... come along tonight and help plan it)

Sunday - The last supper, our regular weekly cafe but a little later than usual. Food served 3pm. Film showing following food, film TBAWe are going to be paying a bigger rent very soon. Your help is needed. BRING YOUR BANK DETAILS along this weekend and fill out a standing order form. No amount is too small!

Saturday May 19th - A day of Wonder

2007-05-15T01:44:00.000-07:00

Saturday May 19th at Seomra Spraoi

A full day of Wonder

Cuppocrafts, DIY make and do from 11pm to 1pm.
This is followed by a fun papier mache workshop.
This day of glorious activity is rounded off with a Stevie Wonder film at 5pm… to mark this great man's birthday of course!

Some more info on Cuppocrafts:
Every second Saturday come along for a morning of make and do. If you have a creative yearning then this is the place for you. Here is a temporary refuge to have some space to create and relax. Every second week there'll be a project.You can bring your own project to work on and/or suggest one for a future Saturday.Tis up to you! You can start it there and then or bring your own to do.You can keep it for yourself or share it for another week's project. Come along for a look, have a cuppa and a treat, make something, have a natter, be yourself. What's in the pot is there to share: tea, materials, ideas, space and compassion. A cuppo refreshment, a cuppo relaxation, a cuppo creativity, a cuppocraft.

http://www.myspace.com/cuppocrafts

Please forward, all welcome.

Call out for help, get involved!!

2007-05-02T05:23:00.000-07:00

Public meeting Thursday, May 3rd, 8pm at the Seomra

The Dublin social centre, Seomra Spraoi, will be homeless again from May 23rd. The social centre has been located on Lwr Ormond Quay since August 2006, but is currently seeking a new home, as the owner of the building is planning to sell up.

Montage showing 6 Lr Ormond Quay

The collective that set up and runs the centre - also called Seomra Spraoi - is calling on all the people and groups who have used the space to help keep the project going. A public meeting on Thursday (May 3rd) at 8pm will include a slide show and short talk about social centres and the history of Seomra Spraoi and an open discussion about how you can get involved at this critical stage.

"Our 10-month residency on the quays has seen the project really grow and involve lots more people and a real diversity of events and activities," said a Seomra Spraoi regular, gazing wistfully out over the Liffey from the huge first-floor window. "We'll sure miss this view."

"Literally thousands of people have passed through this place since last August. By now there is something on nearly every day - gigs, craft workshops, screenings, meetings, children's events, exhibitions. At the last count, more than 20 different groups were using the place for meetings or other events. "

It's not too late to organise an event. In fact, the collective is trying to put on as many events as possible in its final weeks at Ormond Quay. See contact details below.

Seomra Spraoi expects to have to pay a bigger rent on whatever space it moves into next. You can help by taking out a standing order (see below) or organising a benefit gig or making a donation at the Seomra. Groups who have used the space and hope to use the next space are encouraged to make a regular donation of whatever they can afford, preferably by standing order.

Watch out for more background about the project soon on Indymedia.

What you can do:

• Look out for spaces to rent in Dublin city centre.

• Let Seomra Spraoi know if you have storage space.

• Come to our public meeting on Thursday, May 3rd, at 8pm at 6 Lower Ormond Quay.

• Come to our regular meetings every Thursday at 7.30pm (not this week).

• Take out a standing order (to be posted here in a minute).

How to contact Seomra Spraoi:

Email:- seomraspraoi AT gmail DOT com

Book an event:- seomraspraoievents AT gmail DOT com

Blog:- seomraspraoi.blogspot.com

MySpace:- www.myspace.com/seomraspraoi

Revolutionary Love Gig - Thursday April 26th

2007-04-24T01:26:00.000-07:00

Revolutionary Love Gig - Thursday April 26th

Acoustic Sets from punk to flamenco in support of popular democracy prisoners in Oaxaca, Mexico

Thurs 26th April @ 21.30 Seomra Spraoi hosts Lynched!, Mark Malone and Manzano (Spain)

4 E on the door, proceeds go for legal and medical support of imprisioned activists from APPO popular democracy movement in Oaxaca, Mexico

For more info on Oaxaca check out: www.narconews.org

Make and Do this Saturday morning

2007-04-20T03:03:00.000-07:00

Make and Do Workshop

Sat Apr 21 11am - 1pm

20070421T110000/20070421T130000

Having a cup of Arts and Crafts Morning
How it will be run

• free/€1 donation
• tea/ccoffee/biscuits for sale (made by us) or bring
• your own (either way, you’ll have a choice and it will be cheap)
• each session bring your own supplies
• work on your own project and/or there will be activities fore each session
• there will also be a supplies box for those who to use it or, donate items into it
• myspace/mailout for folks; people can make suggestions, we can put pics up from each week
• should be for all ages and sexes etc.
• open to everyone
• show a movie every so often
• music chilled

a place of peace and creativity. A temporary residence tha feels like home.

This Saturday, 21st of April at 'Cuppocrafts' it's time to get funky with your old rekkids. How? Here's how...
Bring along any old and preferably wrecked 7" or 12"records and you can transform them into a bowl! Oh yeah.
It's gonna be so easy to do and you can impress all our friends when they call round with your super-fly bowl (in fact you could use it to trap flies but they'd have to be very big insects. Stick to simplicity).

So, pop along and have a go or bring whatever project you'd prefer to work on.

There will be refreshments and treats too.

2007-03-29T04:58:00.000-07:00

Make and Do Workshop

Saturday April 7th 2007
11.00 -1.00

Having a cup of Arts and Crafts Morning
How it will be run

• free/€1 donation
• tea/ccoffee/biscuits for sale (made by us) or bring
• your own (either way, you’ll have a choice and it will be cheap)
• each session bring your own supplies
• work on your own project and/or there will be activities fore each session
• there will also be a supplies box for those who to use it or, donate items into it
• myspace/mailout for folks; people can make suggestions, we can put pics up from each week
• should be for all ages and sexes etc.
• open to everyone
• show a movie every so often
• music chilled

a place of peace and creativity. A temporary residence that feels like home.

RAG Gig, Monday 26th March

2007-03-20T03:25:00.000-07:00

This coming monday the 26th of March, RAG presents an evening of international aural treats, to help fund the up and coming second issue of their magazine...

MUSIC FOR ONE (accoustic resonate bluesy-folky from london meets canadia www.musicforone.com)

EWA GIGON (vibrators, crazy noises and cheese graters www.myspace.com/ewagigon)

MER (singer, songwriter, storyteller)
@
Seomra Spraoi
(6 Lower Ormond Quay, Dublin 1 - ring the top buzzer by the big blue door)

€5...includes entry and food (as long as supplies last)
7pm for food
7:30 - 11:00 for music

ALL ARE WELCOME

www.ragdublin.org

Photos From The Brazilian Night

2005-01-30T18:17:00.000-08:00

There was something approaching a hundred people at the fundraiser, the above gives some idea of the crowd in St Nicholas of Myras.

The Documentary was about the struggles of women and organic farming in Brazil. Surprise, surprise, given that it was a Brazilian night, above is a photo of the band that played.

Seomra Spraoi

Seomra Spraoi have a new building - come visit!

Seomra Spraoi have a new building!

"Roll Up Your Sleeves"

Great news from Galway

Beyond Mary's Abbey

Scoil Spraoi invites you to our first Social Centre gathering, on April 11th-13th!

The search goes on...

Movin' on up ...

Fundraiser for Seomra Spraoi - Friday January 11th

Fundraiser for Seomra Spraoi - Saturday January 5th

Seomra Spraoi Closed

Trad Session in Seomra Spraoi - Friday 9pm

Zine workshop - Thursday evening

Saturday from 1 - 5pm

Moore Street Development - Public Meeting Thursday 6.30pm

Burma - film and information evening on Wednesday

Gluaiseacht Skillshare Weekend - Nov 16th to 18th

Screening this Wednesday, November 14th - Fast Food Nation

Launch Party for The Rag no.2 - Saturday Nov 10th

Route Irish - film screening Wednesday November 7th

'Route Irish', a feature length verité/essay film on the campaign(s) against Irish facilitation of the US/UK Invasion of Iraq will be screened for the first time publicly on Wedensday 7th November in Seomra Spraoi.The event will begin at 8pm.

Sunday 4th November - 5pm Break the World Bank and 7pm Reproductive Rights in Ireland

Seomra Spraoi first training day - Sunday 21st October, 5pm

Film and Info Night on the G8 2001 Trials on Wednesday

All ages gig at 2.30pm and Force 10 gig tonight

Spraoi for all - All ages gig October 13th

Premiere of new documentary about Seomra Spraoi - Wednesday

Eyewitness account from Oaxaca - Sunday 7th October

Dublin Shell to Sea benefit

Anti-authoritarian kids / parents group

LAUNCH WEEKEND Sep 21st - 23rd

All ages gig - Saturday 15th

Last of the Summer Wine Party - Saturday 25th August

Story telling on Friday 8.30pm

Film screening every Wednesday - Belleville rendezvous

Screening of Independent Short Films - Wednesday 7.30pm

Childrens group - this Sunday

Film screening tonight and every Wednesday

Porco Dio seomra spraoi fundraiser - Thursday July 12th

Film screening every Wednesday

Party this Friday

Tabless Quizz

NEW HOME FOR SEOMRA SPRAOI

Totally Seomra Spraoi

Weekend events kick off with RAG gig

Saturday May 19th - A day of Wonder

Call out for help, get involved!!

Revolutionary Love Gig - Thursday April 26th

Make and Do this Saturday morning

Make and Do Workshop

RAG Gig, Monday 26th March

Photos From The Brazilian Night

'Route Irish', a feature length verité/essay film on the campaign(s) against Irish facilitation of the US/UK Invasion of Iraq will be screened for the first time publicly on Wedensday 7th November in Seomra Spraoi.

The event will begin at 8pm.