Romance is in the air this weekend with St Valentine's Day on Sunday but there's plenty more to celebrate than just love over the coming days with gigs, games and the Chinese New Year Festival all taking place.
Restaurants will be the likely venue for most couples this weekend but for romantics on the lookout for something slightly different, there are plenty of options.
Tomorrow evening actor Samuel L Jackson will be in Dublin to host A Night for Love at the O'Reilly Hall, UCD with some very special guests including Dionne Warwick. The event is in aid of the Samuel L Jackson Foundation and Irish Autism Action.
The Cupid's Dash, a 10k Valentine's day charity fun run, which takes place at the Phoenix Park from 10am onwards on Sunday and is specifically designed to get lovers' pulses running. Elsewhere, there's a special screening of Breakfast at Tiffany's for lovers of all ages while the Unitarian Church at Stephen's Green in Dublin will be hosting an afternoon of readings and music run by the Young Hearts Run Free collective.
When Only Words Can Describe Love includes readings from Skippy Dies author Paul Murray and fellow writers Kevin Barry and Gerry Hunt. There will also be music from Matthew Nolan of 3epKano and tea and cakes. The event begins at 2pm and costs €10 with proceeds going to The Simon Community.
For those intent on escaping the fuss, there's a number of music events on over the weekend including the hotly-tipped Beach House at Whelans in Dublin tomorrow and Midlake, who will be on at Vicar Street the following evening. Also on Sunday there is a fundraiser for Haiti at Whelans with performers including former Planty member Andy Irvine.
On the sporting front all eyes will be on the Six Nations clash between Ireland and France in Paris tomorrow but there's also plenty of action on the GAA front too.
Elsewhere, Dubliners can join in the Chinese new year celebrations this weekend with a large number of activities taking place across the capital. As part of the festival, the Chester Beatty Library will be showing a major exhibition of Chinese paintings while visitors to Dublin Zoo will be able to enjoy the start of the Year of the Tiger by meeting the zoo's two new cubs, Wyneta and Emas. A full list of events is available at www.dublin.ie/cny.
On the weather front Met Éireann is forecasting a dry but very cold weekend with temperatures falling to as much as -5 degrees Celsius in some areas.
