Category: Open evening

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TouchDesigner Meetup Dublin – January

Date: 28th January 2026

Time: 7:00PM – 10:00PM

Tickets are free, but registration via Eventbrite is required to secure your place: 
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/touchdesigner-meetup-dublin-tickets-1980805845606?aff=oddtdtcreator

We are delighted to announce that TouchDesigner Monthly Meetup series in collaboration with TOG Hackerspace will continue heading into 2026. Thanks to the support of Derivative, we will be able to sustain the series for the next six months. In addition to this, we have decided to create a name for our small collective of organisers and practitioners called NóidLab. Please give us a follow, as we aim to promote details about upcoming events and plan on sharing some of the BTS behind the meetups.

We plan on re-using the same structure as last year, as we want to keep the project sustainable and accessible for everyone involved. Each session runs for around three hours in a relaxed, hands-on setting. With multiple rooms available at TOG Hackerspace, we can host beginner and advanced activities simultaneously, ensuring everyone gets the most out of the evening. The first two hours 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 TouchDesigner community in Ireland.

We’ve also set up a Discord server for ongoing discussion and planning. Join us there, or contact us @ noidlab.collective@gmail.com to share ideas for future sessions or to express interest in presenting your work: https://discord.gg/6s3WMdH2

A special thanks to TOG for allowing us to use 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:

Workshops:

For the first set of demonstrations will be run by two of our orgainsers—Ciaran & Serdar.

Ciaran will focus on utilising POPs to manipulate 3D models created with 2D images. Following this, Serdar will be demonstrating how to build a digital instrument using TouchDesigner and MediaPipe.

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TOG Turns 17: Birthday Open Social, Pizza, Cake, and a Bit of Craic

TOG is turning 17, and we’re marking it the best way we know how: by rolling our regular Open Social Night into a proper birthday session with pizza, cake, and plenty of chatting, tinkering, and general messing.

If you’ve been meaning to drop in for ages, this is a lovely one to start with. If you’re a regular, you already know the vibe: good people, interesting projects on benches, and the sort of conversations that start with “what’s that board?” and end up with someone soldering at 1am.

When and where

  • Date: Saturday 24th January
  • Time: 7:00pm until late
  • Location: TOG Hackerspace

The space stays open until the last member calls it a night, which often means we drift happily into the small hours of Sunday morning. Pop in for 10 minutes or stay for the whole stretch, you’re very welcome.

What to expect

  • Homemade pizza from the TOG pizza oven, rolling out through the evening
  • Birthday cake (because we’re not animals)
  • A relaxed open evening: tours, chats, and a look at whatever weird and wonderful builds are on the go
  • Community craic: talk, tunes, and the usual “oh go on, I’ll show you how that works” energy

Our Open Social Nights are an easy, no-pressure way to see the space and meet the people. There’s no agenda and no expectation that you’re “good at” anything. Curiosity is the only requirement.

Make a full day of it: Finish-a-thon earlier that day

This birthday party is happening the same day as our Finish-a-thon, running 11:00am to 7:00pm. So if you’ve got a project half-done, a box of parts staring at you, or a nagging “I really should finish that”, you can spend the day getting it wrapped up, then roll straight into the birthday celebrations at 7pm.

Have a look here for the Finish-a-thon details:
https://www.tog.ie/2026/01/a-day-to-finish-what-you-started-finish-a-thon-2/

What to bring

We’ll have food covered between pizza and cake, but feel free to bring along:

  • A drink (or your beverage of choice)
  • Snacks to share
  • A project to show off, or something you want advice on
  • A friend who’s curious about makerspaces

We’ve also got plenty of free parking, so it’s handy to swing by with gear, gadgets, or something for show-and-tell.

Come celebrate 17 years of TOG

Seventeen years of TOG is a bit mad, in the best way. What started as a small group of people who wanted a place to build and learn has grown into a proper community workshop full of skills, tools, and good humour.

So come in, grab a slice of pizza, have a wander, meet the crew, and help us celebrate.

See you Saturday 24th January from 7pm.

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A Day to Finish What You Started – Finish-a-thon

At TOG, we love hacking, tinkering, and making things… but we’re also very good at accumulating half-finished projects. You know the ones: the “nearly working” circuit, the “just needs a weekend” code refactor, the 3D print that needs sanding, the costume that needs one final stitch, the repair you definitely meant to do months ago.

So we’re doing something about it.

We’re hosting a Finish-a-thon, a one-day, community-powered mini hackathon dedicated to making real progress on the projects that have been sitting in a box, on a shelf, or in a Git branch called final_final_v3.

Whether it’s coding, crafting, designing, writing, fixing, soldering, sewing, or sorting, this is your day to get it done (or at least get it properly moving again).

Event Details

  • Date: Saturday 24th of January
  • Time: 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM
  • Location: TOG Hackerspace, Unit 1B Motor City, Kylemore Road, Dublin 12, D12 CF6V

And afterwards

After the Finish-a-thon we’ll roll straight into our monthly social night, but this one will be a bit special, because it’s also TOG’s birthday. 🎂
So: progress during the day, then a proper catch-up in the evening with the gang.

What’s the plan?

Nothing too formal. The whole point is momentum and community:

  • 11:00 AM: Arrive, grab a bench, tea/coffee, and settle in
  • Share what you’re working on (or keep it quiet and just crack on, no pressure)
  • Work through the day, ask questions, borrow a hand, offer a hand
  • No prizes, just the satisfaction of progress, plus the usual TOG encouragement and problem-solving

What can you work on?

Anything goes. If it’s a thing you started and you want to push it forward, it belongs here:

  • Squash that annoying bug in your project or open-source code
  • Finish an electronics kit gathering dust
  • Finally wire up the enclosure, label the panel, tidy the loom
  • Repair something that’s been sitting in the “I must fix that” pile
  • Wrap up a design, write-up, or documentation you’ve been meaning to publish
  • Revive a project you love but stalled on

No project? Also grand. There’s always someone who’d love a second pair of hands.

What should you bring?

  • Whatever parts, tools, and materials your project needs
  • A laptop is usually a good shout
  • TOG has plenty of tools and bits, but assume you’ll take home what you bring (and any half-finished bits you create)

No tickets this time

There are no tickets or registration for this event, just show up and join in.

If you’ve any questions (or you’re not sure if your project idea fits), give us a shout and we’ll point you in the right direction.

See you Saturday. Let’s finish some things. 🔧✨

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Irish Techie Table Quiz 2025

🎄 It’s beginning to look a lot like… quizmas!

We’re delighted to be joining in with the wider tech community for the Irish Techie Table Quiz. Being organised by long-time champions Declan McGrath, Michael Twomey and Vicky Twomey-Lee (Irish Geeks).

​Even better, this event will be in aid of the Dublin Simon Community, with all proceeds going directly to those who need it this winter season.

​What began as a grassroots gathering has become a festive favourite bringing together developers, designers, founders, and enthusiasts for an evening of light-hearted trivia, friendly rivalry, and charitable giving. We’re excited to keep the tradition thriving by joining us as Dogpatch Labs open up their Urban Garden for a special Christmas edition.

​Dust off your cheesiest Christmas jumper, gather your sharpest teammates, and get ready for a fun, festive night of community and connection.

🎁 Event Details

  • ​📅 Date: 16 December 2025
  • 📍 Location: Urban Garden, Dogpatch Labs, CHQ Building, Dublin
  • 💶 Cost: Free — voluntary charity donations encouraged via our gofundme page
  • 🔗 More info and registration: https://luma.com/puz1brmc
Continue reading “Irish Techie Table Quiz 2025”
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Tog Hackerspace at PyCon Ireland 2025

We’re delighted to share that Tog Hackerspace will have a community table at PyCon Ireland 2025, taking place in UCD O’Reilly Hall, Dublin, on November 15th–16th, 2025.

PyCon Ireland is sponsoring a number of Community Tables this year for local tech groups, and we’re chuffed to be one of them. You’ll find us alongside:

  1. Python Ireland
  2. Coding Grace / PyLadies Dublin / The Python Software Foundation
  3. Tog Hackerspace 🛠️
  4. The Celbridge team (Chris Gregan)

Drop by our table to:

  • Find out what actually happens in a hackerspace
  • Chat about electronics, hardware hacking, 3D printing, IoT, amateur radio, and Repair Cafés
  • Learn how to get involved with Tog, whether as a member or a casual visitor

Tog members on stage

As well as minding the table, some of our members will be speaking at the conference:

  • Jeffrey Roe – “Stopping Time with Python: Building an Interactive Art Installation”
  • Peter Nolan – “Flattening the Curve: How Ireland Modelled COVID”

Check out the full schedule and all the details on the PyCon Ireland 2025 website.

If you’re heading to PyCon, be sure to swing by the Tog table and say hello – we’d love to chat about your projects and how a hackerspace might fit into them. 🐍✨

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TouchDesigner Dublin back for a 2nd meetup in TOG

Wednesday, November 19th, 7-9pm

We are delighted to be hosting the 2nd Touchdesigner Dublin meetup at TOG on Wednesday, 19th of November 7-9 pm. Each session runs for around two hours in a relaxed, hands-on setting. With multiple rooms available at Tog Hackerspace, we can host beginner and advanced activities simultaneously, ensuring everyone gets the most out of the evening.

Join us in the space for the second in a series of monthly meetups for anyone interested in TouchDesigner, from complete beginners to experienced creators. Whether you’d like to learn the basics, share your projects, or connect with others using the software, this meetup offers a welcoming and supportive space to do so.

Expect an informal, community-driven environment where the format adapts to participants. You’re welcome to bring a laptop to follow along, showcase your work, or simply join the discussion. The event is a great opportunity to meet other creative technologists and artists, and to continue building the growing TouchDesigner community in Ireland.

We’ve also set up a Discord server for ongoing discussion and planning. Join us there to share ideas for future sessions or to express interest in presenting your work: https://discord.gg/UPCh4ywV9p

The meetups are hosted each month by a group of artists and creative technologists:

https://www.tog.ie

Read more: TouchDesigner Dublin back for a 2nd meetup in TOG

Ciaran Eaton

Ciaran Eaton is a Creative Technologist and Educator based in Dublin. With a background in audio and visual arts production, Ciaran integrates visual programming environments such as TouchDesigner with open-source software and aims to foster an active community around creative workflows.

Website

Serdar Buhan

Serdar is a software engineer based in Dublin with a curiosity for creative technology and building interactive experiences. In his spare time, he explores tools such as TouchDesigner, Processing, Blender, AR, photogrammetry, pen plotters, and generative AI.
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Cailean Finn

Cailean Finn is an Irish media artist, researcher, and creative technologist from Waterford, Ireland. His practice investigates the idiosyncratic nature of human–machine relationships, drawing from computational histories and engaging with technologies and practices such as creative coding, artificial intelligence/life, game development, and physical computing.

Website

Pauric Freeman

Pauric Freeman is a multidisciplinary artist based in Dublin, working across audiovisual performance, sound, and installation. His practice explores translation, using data collected from live instruments as the basis for real-time audiovisual compositions.

Website

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Louise Nolan

Louise Nolan is a multidisciplinary artist and designer working in glass, print and digital media. Her work is transmedia integrating digital techniques with physical installations to create an interactive multi-sensory experience for the viewer. She is a visiting lecturer at NCAD and TU Dublin in physical computing, creative coding and emerging media practice. 

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