Culture Night

The Courts Service is pleased to welcome the Mummers of Fingal for a unique performance in the historic Four Courts. Mumming is a masking or masquerade tradition found in several parts of Ireland. In addition to masquerade, it involves the enactment of a traditional play with stock characters. Many of these characters are found in European carnival tradition.

Watch out for such rogues and heroes as Rim Rhyme, Prince George, Slick Slack; the Wren; the Devil; Mrs Funny; Joe the Butcher; Beelzebub, and Tom Fool.  Each character in the play has his/her own particular traditional rhyme.

North County Dublin (Fingall) has a long and continuous tradition of Mumming. It is seasonal and traditionally occurs during the Christmas holiday period. This is a rare opportunity to experience the masks and straw costumes that form a vital part of Ireland’s National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage. All ages are welcome. The event is free. No booking is required.

The Mummers of Fingal will perform at the Four Courts Round Hall from 6pm on September 20

We are offering tours of the Four Courts on Friday evening 20 September 2024. The tours will last for approximately 45 minutes and will take place at 17.15 and 18.45. Our tours are limited in numbers and are hugely oversubscribed. We kindly ask that you refrain from booking a tour unless you are certain of attendance. As we cannot guarantee a place on a guided tour on the night but we do encourage people to come along on the night to enjoy the performance by the Mummers of Fingal and to get a chance to see a courtroom. Attendees will also get a chance to try our new Virtual Reality experience of a courtroom.

To Book a Tour follow this link: Culture Night 2024 Tour Booking

The Four Courts has stood for over 220 years as a bastion of law in Ireland. During that time it has witnessed a great deal of social and political upheaval.  Indeed, during the Civil War, it has been at the heart of it.

At the hub is the Round Hall, 64ft in diameter, with inner and outer domes and a surround of Corinthian columns. It was once described as ‘both the physical and spiritual centre of the building’.

Please send an email to communications@courts.ie for more information.