Last Chance To Ice Skate In The City

Ice-skating is one of those seasonal activities that I have never quite grasped. Clumsy as I am with two legs on solid ground, somehow strapping metal blades to my feet and attempting to navigate an icy terrain sends my whole body into a severe state of shock. Each time I agree to go ice-skating, I convince myself that this is my time to shine and that I will have miraculously become a graceful figure skater with poise, grace and rhythm. That quote that has been doing the rounds on Instagram floats into my head, "But what if I fall? Oh, but my darling, what if you fly?" Unfortunately this glorious expectation never matches the cold, harsh reality. Instead of running rings around my friends on the rink I can generally be found in the kids section of the ice rink, using the children's metal penguin aids as a miniature zimmer frame, re-emerging bruised and broken an hour later.

Only people who were unbelievable at rollerblading as a child can ice skate, I reassure myself, and you preferred your bike! Maybe If you had been lucky enough to go on ski holidays during your childhood, instead of waterlogged caravans in Wexford, you too would be able to ice skate. Unbeknownst to them, a subconscious divide manifests itself among groups of friends booting up, and leaving their belongings into the rink's cloakroom. Then as soon as the ice-rink opens, your skilled pals zoom off and can only be seen as graceful blurs pirouetting in the distance, as the rest of you cling for dear life to both the barriers and each other.

Still though, there's something so quintessentially Christmassy about wrapping up all toasty, heading out on the ice and (attempting to?) physically exert yourself, finishing up all rosy nosed, and twinkly eyed, fully deserving of a hot chocolate. Between the Point, Dundrum, Swords and the RDS there's plenty of ice-rink choices around Dublin close enough to the city centre to get your fix this festive season. Discotekken are even organising a roller disco on ice at the Point Village this weekend. There will be a strict music policy of only the finest 70s & 80s disco, with plenty of Chic and Pointer Sisters throughout the night. The promise of hearing some of my favourite tunes whilst dancing on ice, having some hot cider at the Christmas Village and then heading on to the after party in the Sugar Club somehow makes me think that maybe, just maybe this time I'll be able to master the art of ice skating. Christmas miracles still happen when you're a grown up, don't they? I feel this is the ideal opportunity to get back on the ice, sure you never know, I may surprise myself..