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ROADMAP SPACE JAM SESSIONS An exciting new kind o
f event has been popping up across the city, inviting musicians and attendees to enjoy open collaboration with instruments. With previous Bring Your Own Instrument events taking place in Pawn Shop, Dame Lane and Bar Eile, the latest iteration has sprung up in the yard of the incredible Palestinian-owned Shaku Maku restaurant in Rathmines, which serves the finest authentic Middle Eastern cuisine in Dublin. With a full backline provided, all musicians need to do is bring an instrument or sticks, and attendees can be assured of exploratory sounds and great discussion around these improvised sessions. @space_jam_sessions RATHFARNHAM TO WELCOME FIRST LOCAL CINEMA IN 70 YEARS The first quarter of 2025 will see the first movie theatre in Rathfarnham since The Landscape Cinema on Landscape Road closed in 1955, nearly seventy years ago. The new Omniplex five screen cinema will open on the first floor of the Nutgrove Shopping Centre, and will boast Pullman style sofa seating across its auditoriums, Dolby Surround Sound and a beer and wine lounge, offering an intimate alternative to the nearby Dundrum mega theatre. mindfulness.ie SUNBURN BY CHLOE MICHELLE SHORTLISTED FOR POLARI PRIZE West Cork author Chloe Michelle has been shortlisted for the The Polari First Book Prize for her debut novel, Sunburn. In addition, the UK and Ireland’s only dedicated prize for LGBTQ+ literature, sees the Polari Children’s & YA Prize the Polari Prize returns this year for discussion, alongside the Polari Book Prize and Polari First Book Prize. By the time of publication, the entire shortlist will have been made available, largely populated by independent publishing houses. Polari Prizes founder Paul Burston noted MILOS DRUMCONDRA CLOSES IN THE WAKE OF BUDGET 2025 Think what you will about the recent Budget. There’s no obscuring the fact that for the hospitality sector, and specifically the independent hospitality sector, the news was disastrous. The casualties will be numerous, but I didn’t expect the first to sting quite so much. Milos, in Drumcondra, was the sister cafe to Two Boys Brew, one of the finest coffee establishments in Ireland (and in this writer’s opinion, the best eatery in the country). Since Milo’s opened their dog friendly doors in 2021, they have won the sort of acclaim and devotion only really seen when a community and a neighbourhood cafe achieve a rare symbiosis. In a heartbreaking open letter, Two Boys Brew founders Kevin Roche and Taurean Coughlan announced their decision to close Milos, pointing the finger at the very real disconnect between the people making the decisions that govern our favourite places, and the needs of the sector as a whole. There will be many closures to come in coming months, but few will hurt quite the same way this one will. the importance of these books in how they “remind us of the power of queer storytelling at a time when some would see our books and stories banned. Read them with pride.” Chair of judges Jodie Lancet-Grant said: “The shortlist this year doesn’t only show the best in LGBTQ+ writing for children and young adults - it really does include some of the best writing of any kind in the genre. We have been extremely impressed with the level of entries.” ‘We Are’ is the new single from Elaine Mai, MayKay and Faye O’ Rourke, collaborating with a number of young Palestinian refugees. With all proceeds benefiting the Lajee Center, in the Aida refugee camp in Bethlehem where they reside. Despite the horrific attempts of the occupation to silence them, we still hear the joy, resilience and power of these children’s voices, sharing their message of hope with the world. 8