Dubliners can go behind the scenes at the Met Éireann with free guided tours

As part of this year’s Dublin Open House programme, guided tours of some of the capital’s most unusual and interesting buildings are available.

The free festival of architecture takes place from 7-15 October, with events across Dublin City and County.

One of the buildings on display this year is the Met Éireann’s house in Glasnevin.

Designed by the famous Irish architect Liam McCormick, the building is an unusual pyramidal shape with lots of windows to give the best possible view of the sky.

For the first time, all four Dublin Local Authorities are now part of Open House Dublin, with events taking place in Dublin City, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, Fingal and, new for this year, South Dublin.

The 2023 program features more than 150 buildings and spaces for everyone to visit for free in October, with walking tours, boat tours, exhibitions, films, podcasts, lectures, workshops, and more.

Emmett Scanlon, Director of the Irish Architecture Foundation, said: “Architecture festivals are exceptional moments of focus and joy, where shared life experiences are told through stories that connect people and place.

“The flagship festival of Irish architecture organisation, Open House Dublin is dedicated to telling the stories of the more than 1.5 million people who live in company with buildings and the built environment.

“This festival is a way to get to the heart of Dublin, the heart of what matters.

He added: “I hope more people will participate in Open House Dublin than ever before because a beautiful, sustainable and inclusive city invites us all to be in it together.”

This year, for the first time, the festival will start with a weekend dedicated to children and families on October 7 and 8, with a broader program of tours and events from October 13 to 15.

Speaking at the launch, Minister Malcolm Noonan said: “I would like to congratulate the Irish Architecture Foundation for the exciting new elements that have been introduced to this year’s Open House Dublin programme.

“The Festival is a fantastic opportunity for people to engage and engage with a wide range of important aspects and inspiring ideas related to the built environment in Dublin City and County.”

Among the most prominent events this year are:

• A unique look inside the former Odlums Flour Mills in Dublin Port. The site is under development as a campus and workspace for artists.
• Kilmainham Mills complex, which has just undergone maintenance by Dublin City Council, with the aim of eventually opening it to the public as a community and cultural centre.
• Dún Laoghaire Baths, new art workspaces, coastal cycle tours and tours of Loughlinstown House and Ballyogan Court.
• The Castle of Swords and the Carnegie Library, plus tours of Malahide Castle and the restored glasshouses of Ardgillan Castle, near Balbriggan in Fingal.
• Reimagining the children’s gallery Iveagh Markets at the Tivoli event space at Liberties, Dublin 8.
• Guided family tours of Farmleigh House, Museum of Irish Literature, Rathfarnham Castle, National Library of Ireland, National Museum of Ireland, Marino Casino and the Old Library at Trinity College Dublin.

All Open House Dublin events are free, but advance reservations are required for some. Reservations will open at 9 a.m. on September 14. Full details can be found on OpenHouseDublin.com