Posts

Posted on

Back to the Pixels: Retro Computing & Gaming Day 2026

Dust off your joystick skills, prepare for the glow of a proper CRT, and join us for an afternoon of old computers, consoles and games at TOG Hackerspace.

Our Retro Computing & Gaming Day is back on Saturday 11 July, bringing together a collection of machines that have survived several decades in exhibitors’ houses, attics, sheds and increasingly full spare rooms.

Expect a mix of computers and consoles from the 1970s through to the 2000s. There will be classic home computers, old consoles, games, controllers, demos, and plenty of odd bits of technology that have been kept alive long after their manufacturers expected.

We are hoping to have everything from ZX Spectrums and early home computers to consoles, Windows XP-era machines and, most importantly, plenty of CRTs.

What to expect

  • Retro computers and consoles from the 1970s to the 2000s
  • Games, demos and hands-on play
  • A chance to chat with fellow retro computing and gaming fans
  • Proper CRT screens, complete with their unmistakable glow and occasional hum
  • A relaxed random game tournament on the day

Many of the machines will be available to try out. Please ask the exhibitor before touching anything, as some of these machines are older than many of the people attending and can be a little temperamental.

Want to exhibit?

We would love to have more people showing off their retro computers, consoles, games, peripherals and strange old technology.

If you have something you would like to bring along, get in touch through our contact form. Let us know what you would like to show, roughly how much table space you need, and whether you have any particular power or display requirements.

Event details

Date: Saturday 11 July 2026
Time: 2:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Location: TOG Hackerspace
Cost: Free, with optional donations welcome

Book your free place on Eventbrite

Pizza, chats and LAN gaming afterwards

Once Retro Computing & Gaming Day wraps up, we will head straight into our TOG open social night.

We will fire up the wood-fired pizza oven, have a chat, and set up a Quake III Arena or Unreal Tournament ’99 LAN party. Bring your own laptop if you would like to join in, as we do not have enough machines to lend out.

Come along for old hardware, strange peripherals, games from another era, pizza and some late-1990s multiplayer chaos.

Posted on

Touchdesigner Dublin Meetup – June Event

image created in touchdesigner software depicting a statue of Oscar Wilde in Dublin's Merrion Square
Touchdesigner Dublin Meetup -June event

We are hosting an open TouchDesigner meetup with demos, hands-on learning, and space to share work with others using the software.

The meetup is part of a series of monthly events in collaboration with @noid_lab typically on the last Wednesday each month in the space, so this month it’s 1st July 7-10pm.

This will be our last meetup for the summer! We are taking a small break for the holiday season, and hope to resume in the Autumn.

Workshop

This month’s event will focus on MIDI integration in TouchDesigner, exploring how MIDI data can be used to control visuals, trigger events, manipulate parameters, and connect external hardware to interactive and audiovisual systems. Through demonstrations, we’ll look at practical workflows for working with MIDI devices.

Format

The session will run for around three hours in a relaxed, hands-on setting.

The event will focus on learning, with a combination of scheduled short and long presentations/demonstrations. The last hour will take a more flattened and open approach, allowing the space for people to chat, share, learn, and explore TouchDesigner.

Expect an informal, community-driven environment where the format adapts to participants. So if you would like to bring your laptop and learn the basics, share your projects, or connect with other using the software, this meetup offers a welcoming and supportive space to do so.

The event is also a great opportunity to meet other creative technologists and artists, and to continue building the growing the digital art community in Ireland.

Contact us at noidlab.collective@gmail.com to share ideas for future sessions or to express interest in presenting your work.

@noid_lab offer thanks to @toghackerspace for use of the space for these events, and Derivative for supporting the project. The meetups are hosted each month by a group of artists and creative technologists.

https://www.tog.ie

Posted on

Tog at IRTS Hamfest 2026

Tog Hackerspace will be heading to Mullingar Showgrounds on Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th August for the return of the IRTS Hamfest.

After a great first year in 2025, the Irish Radio Transmitters Society is bringing the event back for another weekend of amateur radio, practical activities, camping and plenty of chances to meet people from across the hobby.

As a proud IRTS-affiliated club, Tog is delighted to be taking part again. Last year we brought soldering workshops and radio demonstrations along to the Hamfest, and spent the weekend chatting with fellow operators, makers and people who were simply curious to find out what amateur radio is all about.

It was a lovely mix of radio, electronics, projects and the social side of the hobby. There was plenty to see, plenty to talk about and, of course, plenty of opportunities to get hands-on.

This year should be no different. Whether you are already licensed, interested in getting started, enjoy building things, or just fancy a weekend surrounded by antennas and interesting projects, Hamfest is well worth a visit.

Entry is free, and free camping is available too, so you can bring a tent, camper van or caravan and make a weekend of it.

You can have a look back at our photos from IRTS Hamfest 2025, including the soldering workshops and demos, or read about Jeffrey’s cycle to Hamfest last year.

For more information about the weekend, visit the IRTS Hamfest page. Anyone interested in getting involved can also contact hamfest@irts.ie.

We hope to see plenty of Tog members, friends and fellow makers in Mullingar.

Posted on

Pride Over the Waves: Amateur Radio Night

Tog Hackerspace is teaming up with Queer Shed Dublin Central for a special evening of amateur radio, Morse code, hands-on demos, and community connection.

Pride Over the Waves: Amateur Radio Night will take place in Tog Hackerspace on Monday, 22 June 2026, from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm.

The event is free, but places are limited, so please book a ticket on Eventbrite:
https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/pride-over-the-waves-amateur-radio-night-tickets-1991936225873

Queer Shed Dublin Central is a grassroots queer skill-sharing community connecting through DIY, repair, and regeneration. We are delighted to welcome them to Tog for this joint event.

The night is linked to Pride Over the Waves, a grassroots amateur radio initiative created by LGBTQI+ amateur radio operators and allies to help make LGBTQI+, queer, and diverse radio amateurs more visible in the wider amateur radio community.

For the evening, we will be activating the special event callsign EI0LGBT.

What will happen on the night?

From 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm, we will have an informal introduction to amateur radio, with live demos and hands-on activities. There will be a chance to see radio equipment in action, learn what callsigns are, hear how radio contacts are made, and try out some Morse code.

The Morse code part will be very beginner-friendly. You do not need to know anything before coming along. It is just a chance to have a go, send a few letters, and discover why this old form of communication is still loved by radio amateurs today.

From 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm, we will call into the South Dublin Radio Club net using the EI0LGBT callsign. A radio net is a regular on-air gathering where radio operators check in, say hello, and share updates.

There may be a chance for visitors to say hello over the radio with support from licensed operators, subject to the usual radio rules on the night.

Who is it for?

This event is open to everyone.

You do not need a radio licence to attend. You do not need to be technical. You do not need to know Morse code. You just need to be curious.

Whether you are part of Queer Shed Dublin Central, a Tog member, a radio amateur, a maker, a friend, an ally, or someone who has never touched a radio before, you are very welcome.

Event details

Date: Monday, 22 June 2026
Time: 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Venue: Tog Hackerspace
Tickets: Free via Eventbrite
Special event callsign: EI0LGBT

Book your free ticket here:
https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/pride-over-the-waves-amateur-radio-night-tickets-1991936225873

You can find Queer Shed Dublin Central on Instagram at:
https://www.instagram.com/queersheddublincentral/

Come along, tune in, and help us put EI0LGBT on the air.

Posted on

Monthly Makerfur Meet

Tog hackerspace is kicking off with a new monthly event that welcomes all furries into the space.

The event will kick off on the 4th of July and run on the first Saturday of every month from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM.

Are you a beginner fursuit maker who wants to learn the craft? Are you into electronics and want to figure out how to make your LED strips emit custom patterns? Or maybe you want to talk on the radio with your fluffy friends? No matter how big or small, fluffy or simple the project is, bring it in to us for a social, fluffy event for all cats, dogs, wolves, foxes, and even protogens or any other species known.

All you need to take part is an idea that you want to bring to life.

The furry maker night will run every first week of the month.

This is not a taught class, more like an informal working group of self-directed makers.

While you can bring your fursuit in, either to work on it as a project or for repairs, it is heavily discouraged to wear them inside the space. Accessories such as tails are also discouraged for safety reasons.

We are looking forward to seeing every fur in our space.

Posted on

Repair Café at Stoneybatter Festival

We are delighted to be bringing our Repair Café back to Stoneybatter Festival this June.

Tog Hackerspace will be joining the 10th Stoneybatter Festival with a community Repair Café, giving people a chance to bring along broken household items and work with our volunteers to see if they can be fixed.

Do you have broken items at home, small appliances, toys, electronics, household bits and pieces, or something that just needs a bit of care?

No need to throw them away just yet. Bring them along, and our volunteer fixers will do their best to help. We will have tools, materials, and a team of people who enjoy opening things up, figuring out what went wrong, and sharing repair skills along the way.

Key Info

What: Repair Café at Stoneybatter Festival
When: Saturday, 20 June 2026, 2 pm – 6 pm
Where: Aughrim Street Scout Group, Dublin 7
Tickets: Free, booking via Eventbrite
Book here: https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/repair-cafe-stoneybatter-festival-by-tog-hackerspace-tickets-1989820913918

What can you bring?

You can bring along small broken items such as:

  • Small electrical appliances
  • Electronics
  • Toys
  • Lamps
  • Household items
  • Other bits and pieces that might be repairable

Safety testing for electrical items will be available.

Please note that we may not be able to fix everything on the day, but we will do our best to diagnose the issue, suggest next steps, or point you towards parts or recycling options where needed.

What is a Repair Café?

A Repair Café is a community event where people bring broken items and work with skilled volunteers to try to repair them. It is about keeping useful things out of landfill, saving money, learning practical skills, and having a bit of fun along the way.

At a Repair Café, you can:

  • Learn how things work
  • Pick up practical repair tips
  • Meet people interested in sustainability and making
  • Give your broken items a second chance

Stoneybatter Festival is a brilliant celebration of local community, culture, creativity, food, music, and sustainability. We are very happy to be part of it again and to bring some repair energy to the weekend.

So dig out those broken treasures and join us in Stoneybatter on Saturday, 20 June. Let’s see what we can fix together.