To kick off the festive season, the National Gallery of Ireland has announced that a third Thursday Lates evening event will take place on Thursday, December 1.

A tour highlighting the representation of music in the national collection will run from 4.30pm onwards, with visitors treated to the care of one of the Gallery’s highly trained guides in order to learn about a variety of musical instruments and genres.

Irish pianist Máire Carroll is set to perform a special concert in the Gallery’s much-loved Shaw Room, with her set featuring a range of compositions from the musician’s Hidden Pianos series, which was launched in 2018. Máire will also play a new and exclusive composition for the National Gallery of Ireland.

Tickets are currently sold out, but keep up to date with the NGI social media channels in the lead up to the event in case more tickets become available.

The Gallery Shop, where you can find a host of Irish design, a wonderful selection of books, and a variety of products inspired by the national collection, will be open until 8pm.

The Gallery café will also remain open late as well, serving tapas and a selection of drinks.

Thursday Lates are funded by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media in support of the Night-Time Economy.

Minister Catherine Martin spoke about this undertaking by the NGI, saying: “I welcome the National Gallery of Ireland opening up their doors to later night activity and using their space in interesting ways – this was a key recommendation in the Report of the Night-Time Economy Taskforce. Events like these really add to the diversity of our Night-Time Economy, offering opportunities for artists and the pubic to engage with our National Cultural Institutions in new ways and I am delighted my Department is supporting this initiative”.

As well as the series of Thursday Lates, every Thursday evening, visitors can avail of €5 tickets to see the Gallery’s unmissable Turner: The Sun is God exhibition – a magnificent display of almost 90 works from Tate’s impressive collection, on show in Ireland for the first time.

For more information about the National Gallery of Ireland and their Thursday Lates series visit their website - here.