The Learning Centre

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Alliance Française

The Alliance Française is the French cultural institute. It is located at 1 Kildare Street, Dublin 2.

The aim of the Alliance Française is to promote the language and culture of France. It offers a wide range of French language courses, some general and some specialised. Potential students are offered a free assessment and advice on the course best suited to their needs. Many of the courses lead to certificates and diplomas. The Alliance also provides services and facilities such as a translation service, a private tuition service, a good library and a wonderful bright coffee shop, the Café des Amis.

The Alliance organises many cultural events such as film screenings, book launches, poetry readings, concerts and art exhibitions. In most cases these events are free of charge.

Further information on the Alliance Française can be found at www.alliance-francaise.ie.

Goethe-Institut

The Goethe-Institut Inter Nationes is the German cultural institute. It is located at 62 Fitzwilliam Square, Dublin 2.

The Institut offers language courses for beginners, intermediate and advanced students. It aims at providing a friendly and comfortable environment for language learning. Its teachers are native speakers, trained in teaching German as a foreign language. Courses focus on both communication skills and German culture. Details of the courses currently available can be found on the Institut's website. Those following courses at the Institut may avail of the Institut's excellent library service.

The Institut organises many cultural events including lectures and seminars, readings and discussions. A full listing of cultural events can be found on the website.

Art exhibitions are held in the Institut's exhibition space - The Return - which is open Tuesday - Thursday: 10am - 8pm and Friday and Saturday: 10am - 1.30pm.

Further details can be found at www.goethe.de/gr/dub

Istituto Italiano di Cultura

The Istituto Italiano di Cultura - Italian Cultural Institute - is located at 11 Fitzwilliam Square, Dublin 2.

Its aim is to foster and strenghten already existing cultural links between Ireland and Italy. It fulfils its role in a number of different ways, including the awarding of Italian government scholarships to Irish scholars, university students, researchers and artists.

The Istituto offers Italian language courses at basic, intermediate and advanced levels. Students who have completed the relevant courses and passed the appropriate examinations are awarded a diploma. A number of language schools in Italy offer study grants to students of the IIC who have made particularly good progress during the year.

The cultural activities organized by the IIC include seminars, conferences, book launches, exhibitions, concerts, theatre and cinema events and lectures on topics relating to Italian culture. The facilities of the Istituto include a library.

Cultural events at the IIC, along with the prospectus of Italian courses, are publicized on the website at www.italcult.ie

Instituto Cervantes

The Instituto Cervantes is located at 58 Northumberland Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4.

The aim of the Instituto is to promote the culture of Spain and Latin America and the learning of the Spanish language. The Instituto offers a broad range of general, special and diploma courses. Its website also provides information on the learning of Spanish in Spain.

The IC has a good library, which is open both to members and the general public. Its collection is available for reference and research purposes. The library can be joined for a small fee and a lending service is available to members.

Language courses and forthcoming cultural events are advertised on the IC website at http://dublin.cervantes.es

Foras na Gaeilge

Foras na Gaeilge is located at 7 Merrion Square, Dublin 2.

Foras na Gaeilge is the new body responsible for the promotion of the Irish language. Its website includes a useful annotated listing of Irish language course providers, with links to the relevant sites. It also offers information for those who are looking for social opportunities to use their Irish. The website gives a list of Irish language cafés, restaurants, cultural centres and clubs.

Apart from promoting the speaking and writing of the Irish language and funding Irish language organisations and activities, Foras na Gaeilge is also responsible for the sponsorship of bilingual events. Other activities of the organization include the production, distribution and promotion of Irish language and Irish interest books. It also arranges book launches and exhibitions.

The Foras na Gaeilge website can be found at www.bnag.ie

Conradh na Gaeilge

Conradh na Gaeilge is located at 6 Harcourt Street, Dublin 2.

It offers Irish language courses at six different levels for adults. It also has an excellent bookshop.

The Conradh na Gaeilge (mainly Irish language) website at www.cnag.ie/gives

information on its full range of services and activities.

National Library of Ireland

The National Library of Ireland is located at Kildare Street, Dublin 2. The Library's National Photographic Archive is located in Meeting House Square, Temple Bar, Dublin 2.

As well as its extensive collection of books, manuscripts, photographs and drawings, the National Library organizes a range of events including lectures and exhibitions. Those interested in Irish culture should explore the bilingual website of the National Library of Ireland at www.nli.ie