A new initiative, Dublin by Dusk, is seeking to provide people in the capital with a range of alternative night-time activities.
Launching today, the plan will see selected cultural venues, visitor attractions and retail and hospitality businesses extend their opening hours on the last Thursday of every month.
Night-Time Economy Adviser with Dublin City Council Ray O'Donoghue said "it's a brand-new citywide initiative and we're encouraging people to rediscover Dublin city centre in the evening time".
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, he explained that "we've got more than 40 events for our first month happening right across the city. Twelve museums and galleries are opening late, most of them for the first time ever. And you've everything from painting in the dark, a pawn shop on Dame Street to Dublin Bay cruise, leaving The Point Dock at seven o'clock, to vinyl DJs playing and vintage stores.
"So, a little bit of everything.
"We've seen a lot of encouragement from businesses wanting to get involved. And as I said, we're 40 for the first month. We're anticipating more. We're going to run it for 10 months," he added.
"So, it's really everything from museums, galleries, cultural spaces, hospitality, retail, everything coming together under one co-ordinated programme."
In relation to mobility, transport and safety, Mr O’Donoghue said the initiative is more about late evening and early into the night, adding that there are 15 24-hour bus services and 12 Nightlinks in operation.
He said: "From a safety perspective as well, it's something that's encouraging. When we launched the strategy back in October '24, I think Dubliners felt - only 31% felt - safe in the city at night. And we've got that to over 40%, that's the first time in 15 years - we've been monitoring for 15 years - that we've got that over 40%.
"So small increase, but it's encouraging.
"We're going to run it for 10 months and we're hoping that more and more businesses get involved and more events happening as we move along," he added.
More information is available on www.dublinbydusk.ie.
