For a truly festive event this Christmas, pop along to the National Concert Hall in Dublin on Sunday 16th, Monday 17th and Tuesday 18th December 2007 for The Snowman Movie. This story is a real yuletide favourite and this latest production is a magical show that’ll live long in the memory! Check out our guide to The Snowman Movie with details on the show itself, how to get to the venue as well as Dublin hotels nearby.
The National Concert Hall is located in the city centre just south of Saint Stephen’s Green on Earlsfort Terrace. If you’re on foot and starting from the city centre on O’Connell Street, then you can head south across the river and walk past Trinity to Grafton Street. Walk the length of Grafton Street until you find Saint Stephens Green. Earlsfort terrace is located on the diagonally opposite side of the park. About half way down the street you should find the National Concert Hall.
There are a number of public transport options that are convenient to the National Concert Hall if you don’t fancy walking. There’s a Luas stop 5 minutes away on Harcourt Street and a DART Station on Pearce Street, though it’s a fair walk. A number of bus routes pass nearby, including 10, 11, 13, 14, 14A, 15, 15A, 15B, 15C, 27C, 44, 46A, 46B, 48A, 68.
If you’re travelling by car it should be noted that the National Concert Hall has no parking facilities of its own, although there are a number of car parks nearby that you might avail of, Dawson Street Car Park, Drury Street Car Park, The Royal College of Surgeons Car Park, Park Rite Car Park and Saint Stephen’s Green Car Park.
The Snowman was a children’s book written in 1978 by Raymond Briggs. It’s about a little boy who makes a snowman on Christmas Eve. This snowman comes to life and takes the boy on a magical adventure to see Santa Claus.
Later in 1982 Dianne Jackson, from the new TV company Channel 4, translated it into a movie. This was a hit the first time it was aired in 1982. Howard Blake composed the music for the movie including the signature “Walking in the Air” song, which was sung by a choirboy, Peter Auty, from Saint Paul’s Cathedral. He then conducted his own orchestra, The Sinfonia of London, for the movie.
This event features the Snowman Movie shown on a big screen. It’s accompanied by the National Concert Hall live orchestra and is narrated by Craig Doyle. The movie is only 26 minutes long, so in addition to the movie the orchestra will also perform several other seasonal favourites, so it makes for a great day or night out after a day of Christmas shopping. There are performances on Sunday 16th at 2pm, 5pm and 8pm, though the two early shows are sold out at the time of writing. The shows on Monday are on at 11am, 2pm, 5pm and 8pm and on the Tuesday 18th, the shows start at 5pm and 8pm.
Now that you’ve decided you want to head to Dublin for this great show then you may need to book a Dublin hotel. There are several Dublin hotels in the vicinity of the National Concert Hall such as the highly luxurious, 5-Star Conrad Dublin Hotel which is on the same street.
Located on nearby streets you’ll find the 5-star Westbury Hotel which is just off Grafton Street.
At Saint Stephens Green there’s the 4-star O’Callaghan Stephens Green Hotel while on Harcourt Street there’s the 3-Star Harcourt Hotel and the Russell Court Hotel. If you’re on a budget there are a number of 2-Star Dublin hotels nearby including the Jackson Court Hotel and the Kildare Street Hotel on Lower Leeson Street. The 3-Star Premier Suites Dublin Stephens Hall and The Leeson Court Hotel which is unclassified but is about a 2-Star level, can also be found on Leeson Street.
So there are plenty Dublin hotels with easy access to the National Concert Hall. And when you stay in one of these hotels you’ll also be within walking distance of Grafton Street, the pedestrianised shopping heart of Dublin, and be within shouting distance of the vibrant cobblestone streets of Temple Bar.
If you have any queries about hotels in Dublin, feel free to drop us a line in the comment box below and we’ll get back to you.
