As restrictions lift, this week sees a return to normal indoor concerts in Ireland for the first time since early March 2020. The mood is distinctly understated, knowing it could stop all over again – but it is good to note the following events that we know of (and this is not a complete list):

National Concert Hall – marking the 40th anniversary of its opening in 1981, the Concert Hall will host a special concert by the Irish Chamber Orchestra with the Libra Ensemble and pianist Finghín Collins on Thursday 9 September (tickets €20 or free online) – for further details: see nch.ie

Mermaid Arts, Bray – celebrating the return to live concerts, 10 September sees a special concert of music and poetry, ‘Thy Harp Strung with Apollo’s Golden Hair’, featuring musicians Siobhán Armstrong, Cormac Breatnach, Jane Clarke, Steve Cooney, Malachy Robinson and Eamon Sweeney – for details see: mermaidartscentre.ie

Music in Monkstown – a combination of free outdoor events and indoor concerts, running 10-12 September in the spacious acoustic of Monkstown Church of Ireland, with the Vox Amicum brass quintet, Harp Ireland, the ConTempo Quartet, clarinettist John Finucane, pianist Finghín Collins, and mezzo soprano Sharon Carty, further details at musicinmonkstown.ie

Dun Laoghaire Organ Concerts – the longstanding summer series at St Michael’s Dún Laoghaire, soon approaching its 50th anniversary, has been online this season (with concerts still accessible at: DLOC YouTube channel). The last concert in the series takes place at 8pm on Sunday 12 September, featuring David Adams, and this will be open to a live audience, with programme details at dunlaoghaireorganconcerts.ie

Further away from Dublin, the Esposito String Quartet tours Tinahely, Newbridge, Cork (Triskel) and Kilkenny over 9-11 September (organised by the National String Quartet Foundation – more details at nsqf.ie), and the Westport Festival of Chamber Music also returns to live audiences at its usual time of 10-12 September, with concerts in Westport’s Town Hall Theatre and Holy Trinity Church (for details see westportchambermusic.ie).