We asked Layla Luan O'Doherty (aged 9) to read and review Danger is Everywhere, a book written by David O'Doherty and Illustrated by Chris Judge.......

"Danger is Everywhere.

There's this guy who hates danger and his name is docter Noel Zone. He used to be a swimming pool life guard until he found out that water made pools dangerous so he got rid of it! He has code words for everything like TITFADIES. top ten tips for danger in every day situations. I'd give this book 4 stars. There is a quiz at the end of this book. He loves cabbage." 

Some of Layla's illustrations inspired by the book......

Danger is Everywhere costs €9, and is available to buy in our shop on Drury Street.

Chicken a là King, curry chips and sausage rolls, the canteen staples we all remember fondly in NCAD. To say a transformation has taken place in the heart of the college is an understatement. Past pupil & visual artist Jennie Moran considered her toughest challenge to be altering students tastes when establishing her newly opened Luncheonette, but, “it turns out there is no love lost for sausage rolls OR chicken curry”.

Luncheonette offers customers colourful, seasonal and comforting food at affordable prices which changes daily. Expect such delights as: Flatbread and thyme braised mushrooms, sumac barley, lemon ricotta for €3, lemon and almond cake for €2, and tea or coffee for one and two euro. Captivated by the food and atmosphere of Luncheonette, we asked Jennie to tell us a little about her project:

“Last year I got wind that NCAD had lost its canteen. This was a bad scene – like taking a kitchen out of a house. I know how tough days can be in those studios and how vital it is to be able to wander over, covered in plaster and be fed or handed tea. So - irate, I decided to operate a Wednesday soup stand in the college. One such lunchtime, I was handing soup to the director of the college and heard the words "I should reopen that canteen" come out of my mouth. And, remarkably, here I am.”

A homely atmosphere is achieved in Luncheonette’s basement space with communal wooden tables, quirky lampshades which incorporate recycled plastic containers and china tea cups. Fresh vegetables are visible from the counter where tempting baked goods are on display along with the days specials.                          

Questioned on the most popular dishes, Jennie explains: “The most popular additions to the menu are those that come from students. Today we served Inam from textiles Iraqi Biryani with lamb and peas.” 

Hungry members of the public are welcome in Luncheonette, it is not just an eatery for NCAD staff and students. Hours of trading are 8.30am-3.45pm, Monday to Friday. Plans are afoot for some special weekend hospitality around the NCAD Degree exhibition in June. But don't leave it till then to sample the culinary delights Luncheonette has to offer. We’re looking forward to a second visit and checking out their new drinking glasses made from beer bottles, cut and finished by Andy in glass. 

Follow Luncheonette on facebook or twitter.

Finally, thanks so much to Kaethe Burt-O'Dea for allowing us to use her beautiful photos of Luncheonette. Check out Kaethe's website for information on the many collaborative projects she is involved in.

To celebrate our national holiday, a beautiful video made up of shots of Dublin taken over one full year........

The Christmas pudding recipe, held in the highest regard in every Irish household, is passed down through generations with a sense of pride and respect. 

This year, my mother passed on my Granny's cherished recipe to me. On a crisp Autumnal Sunday, we made two puddings, the one we will serve on Christmas Day and a small pudding which we will have in early December referred to as 'The Kitten'. 

Once all the ingredients are added, the mix is left to rest overnight in the mixing bowl, under a tea towel allowing the dried fruits to absorb the alcohol. Whereas my Great Gran would have boiled the pudding in a cloth bag, nowadays, we cook the pudding in a bowl immersed in a tray of water for approx 6 hours. Following a second cooking on Christmas day, the pudding is topped out and served as the finale to the Christmas meal

Each family's recipe is generally inherited with individual customs and traditions, so instead of divulging my family's recipe, I thought I would focus instead on a brief history of this yummy festive dessert. 

Originating in medieval England, the Christmas pudding is also known as plum pudding, referring to the Victorian use of the word 'plum' as a term for raisins. Traditionally made up of 13 ingredients (representing Christ and the 12 Apostles) including dried fruit, breadcrumbs, whiskey, stout, suet and spices. This sweet pudding recipe replaced the original savoury recipe containing poultry, pheasant, rabbit and partridge in the 17th century. 

Common customs associated with this pudding include each member of the household stirring the mix while making a wish. It is also common to include tokens such as coins (to bring wealth in the coming year). 

Due to its high alcohol content, the pudding does not spoil and can keep for up to a year. Some households produce a second pudding to be consumed at Easter.

In my family, the pudding does not see St.Stephens day, let alone Easter. Each year we will declare how successful or unsuccessful the pudding is. Needless to say the successful years have outweighed the unsuccessful ones. No doubt my time will come to prepare the Christmas pudding to the family recipe, but for the moment, I'm happy to let my Mum take full responsibility, allowing me to enjoy my favourite festive dessert. 

I like mine served with custard, to my Granny's recipe of course. 

Blog post by: Clare Grennan

With Christmas fast approaching the team at Irish Design Shop, in conjunction with the Merrion Square Network are busy organising another year of Christmas on the Square. The event now in its second year will showcase some Ireland's top designers, makers and artisan food producers along with a variety of other treats in three of the Merrion Square most prestigious buildings. As myself and Katie are new to the IDS team so we set off to investigate these beautiful buildings in the heart of Georgian Dublin for ourselves. Here's a taster of some of the delights we found.

Our first stop was 45 Merrion Square, the headquarters of The Architectural Archive of Ireland. Built in 1795 and the largest terraced house on the square it makes quite an impression. The Archive collect and preserve material of every kind relating to the architecture of the entire island of Ireland, and make it available to the public. Through the massive front door and into a impressive foyer displaying architectural models . Beyond the foyer and onto the Archive Reading Rooms and Architecture Gallery, which will host cocktail making by our sponsors at Hennessy. Up the stairs to the piana nobile, a trio of connecting rooms with high ceilings, panelled walls, cornicing and grand fireplaces. These rooms will house our 22 craft stalls for the day and will be festively decorated by our neighbours, Appassionata.

Next stop was 22 Merrion Square, The College of Anaesthetists Ireland. Today the building is regraded as a leading training body in the field of anaesthesia, intensive care and pain medicine, but we have something else in mind for the day. Denise Johnston, guided us to the first floor Gilamartin Room, a room of old-school grandeur and where the ICA will perform cake decorating demonstrations on the day. Down the stylish wooden staircase, lit with florescent lights, lies a stylish marble floored basement room in stark juxtaposition to the grandeur of above. This airy contemporary space will be home to our 10 artisan food producers. Tasty treats will be available for the likes of Cocoa Atelier, Hansel and Gretel bakery and The Scullery.

Our last stop was across the park to 63 Merrion Square, The Royal Society of Antiquaries and I really felt we left the best for last. This building hasn't been restored to the level of the others and this added to it's charm. Mounted in the entrance hall is a massive stags head. From the intricate moulding ceiling hangs a simple Georgian lantern. The meeting rooms situated on the first floor, overlook Merrion Square to the front and a restored Georgian garden to the rear. Their marble fireplaces, elaborate ceiling decorations and tall, shuttered windows all reflect their former status as the main reception spaces of the house. We plan to house a pop-up café from our friends and neighbours Coppa, from the R.H.A Gallery, in these rooms lined with books and journals on Irish history, antiquities and archaeological published in Ireland, Great Britain and beyond.

Join us on November 30th for a day of festive fun. Whether you are looking to get all those Christmas gifts out of the way early or a chance to explore Georgian Dublin's hidden gems, Christmas on the Square has it all.

Blog post by: Anne-Marie Nelligan and Katie Gilligan