I”m joining in with the decade-ending celebrationary reviews to post by Top 5′s of the decade. This is impossibly difficult of course, so it’s not in any way exhaustive, just a reminder of some great moments, and the realisation that I’ve been working in the arts for over a decade. Eek.

None of these are in any particular order, and given that i could only pick 5 under each category I’m sure the list would change all the time- particularly around music, but instead of choosing the “most important” or “best” albums I tried to choose albums based on what I’ve listened to most over the decade.  Disclaimer: yes, I do work for The Model, but I also love the programme and am clearly there a lot, so I feel allowed.

Top 5 gigs of the decade*

  • Electric Picnic 2005- ALL of IT but especially Arcade Fire and Goldfrapp
  • Patti Smith, Model Sligo, 2006
  • Feist, Tripod, 2008
  • Presets, Village, Dublin, 2007
  • Anthony & the Johnsons, mainstage, Electric Picnic 2006

Most listened to / Top 5 Albums of the Decade*


  • Radiohead – In Rainbows
  • Presets - Beams
  • Burial – Untrue
  • Arcade Fire - Funeral
  • Iron and Wine - The Shepherd’s Dog

* This is ludicrous and far too difficult.

Top 5 Theatre

  • Bedbound, Enda Walsh, 2000
  • Terminus, Mark O’Rowe, Project, 2008
  • Titus Andronicus, Project, 2005 (dir. Selina Cartmell)
  • Festen, Gate for Dublin Theatre Festival 2006 (dir: Selena Cartmel)
  • Genesi: from the Museum of Sleep, Romeo Castellucci for Dublin Theatre Festival, 2000

Top 5 Live Comedy gigs

  • Reggie Watts, Edinburgh Festival 2006 and Sydney Festival 2008
  • Dylan Moran, Kilkenny Comedy Festival, 2005
  • Jason Byrne, Kilkenny Comedy Festival, 2005
  • Colin Murphy, Sligo, 2004
  • Stewart Lee, Edinburgh, 2008

Top 5 Art Exhibitions


  • Thomas Demand’s L’esprit D’escalier @ IMMA, Dublin
  • Monet’s lillies (Les Nymphéas) @ L’Orangerie in Paris
  • Gerard Byrne, Model, Sligo
  • Warhol & The Factory, Model, Sligo
  • Rosalie Gascoigne, NGV, Melbourne, Australia