Hi all,

First Ballroom of the year and its a benefit for the Seomra Spraoi collective who've been impressive work in Dublin in creating a free space/performance venue. The Spraoi need to raise much needed funds to reopen/relocate so please join us in supporting this important cause.

Ballroom #72: Seomra Spraoi Benefit
Featuring

Estel http://www.myspace.com/estelrocks
Large Mound http://www.myspace.com/largemound
Party Wierdo http://www.myspace.com/partyweirdomusic
Hounds http://www.myspace.com/houndslikejumpers


The Lower Deck, Portobello
Friday 11th January
€10, doors 9pm


Some info about Seomra Spraoi:



The Seomra Spraoi collective was started three years ago with the
explicit intention of setting up an autonomous social centre. It was
agreed from the start that we would be strictly
non-commercial/non-profit and would organise
non-hierarchically. Everyone involved in the collective and in running
the social centre has an equal say. Those who work and organise in the
space make a voluntary contribution of time and energy. Rent and other
running costs are funded entirely from voluntary contributions made by
individuals and groups who use the space or support the project.

The project was a reaction to a city more and more dominated by
commerce, capitalism and cars; a city with less and less community
space, fewer places for young people to go, fewer non-commercial
spaces; a city with a growing number of expensive cafes and bars and
vast shopping centres in which the favoured activity is spending
money. Ultimately, we hope to rebuild some of the things that have
been lost to us in the age of neoliberalism: a sense of community, an
atmosphere of tolerance and respect, a positive environment.

Since our humble beginnings, hosting activities at the St. Nicolas of
Myra community hall on Francis St, we have occupied three different
spaces of our own, each bigger than the previous one. Our move to 4
Mary's Abbey in July 2007 saw a huge surge in activity and an
expansion of the collective. The two-storey rented space boasted eight
rooms, which were used for meetings, workshops, gigs, benefit evenings
and meals, a library, internet access, craft activities, bicycle
workshops, self-defence training, table tennis and pool: the list goes
on.

On December 1st the Gardai & Fire Brigade shut down the building at 4
Mary's Abbey on fire safety grounds. We are currently viewing
alternative buildings and hope to reopen as soon as possible.
For more information on Seomra Spraoi, please check out our blog at

http://seomraspraoi.blogspot.com