14 Henrietta Street and Culture Connects: open call for submissions for a panel of preferred suppliers of Tour Guide services

Published 05 June 2026

Deadline for submissions is Friday 17 July 2026.

14 Henrietta Street and Culture Connects are seeking tour guides who provide tours in English, Irish and/or Irish Sign Language (ISL) for appointment to a panel of preferred suppliers.

About this open call

We are seeking submissions in order to appoint a panel of preferred suppliers that we can call upon for the provision of Tour Guide services at our award-winning social history museum, 14 Henrietta Street, and other cultural heritage buildings and projects, including Culture Connects at Richmond Barracks, Dublin 8. The contracting authority for this panel is Dublin City Council Culture Company. 14 Henrietta Street and Culture Connects are both operated by Dublin City Council Culture Company.

14 Henrietta Street is a social history museum of Dublin life, from one building’s Georgian beginnings to its tenement times. We connect the history of urban life over 300 years to the stories of the people who called this place home. We bring to life the stories of the humans who passed through the house, their changing circumstances, their experience of family life, politics, and the impact of world affairs.

Culture Connects is our year-round programme at Richmond Barracks that invites people in Dublin to try out new things. We offer a range of tours and programmes which aim to amplify the building as a neighbourhood hub that celebrates the rich stories and experiences of the local community, past and present.

Our award-winning Tour Guides are warm and natural storytellers who bring to life the stories of the people who passed through our buildings. Our Guides are passionate about history and heritage, with a wide range of expertise and interests, such as social history, conservation, heritage, community development, and culture.

Tour types

For this open call we are seeking tour guides with the potential to deliver any of our tour types.

Currently our tours include:

Guided tour of 14 Henrietta Street, offered in English, Irish and ISL
Guided school tour of 14 Henrietta Street, for primary and post-primary schools. Offered in English, Irish and ISL.
Musical Memories guided tour of 14 Henrietta Street, offered in English.
Georgian Dublin Walking Tour: 14 Henrietta Street and Beyond, offered in English.
Richmond Barracks to Kilmainham Walking Tour, offered in English (seasonally) and Irish (on request).
Goldenbridge Cemetery Walking Tour, offered in English (seasonally) and Irish (on request).
Guided school tour of Goldenbridge Cemetery, for primary and post-primary schools. Offered in English and Irish, on request.

We would be interested to hear from anyone who can demonstrate the necessary interest, skills and experience as per the requirements detailed below. We encourage submissions from individuals from varied and diverse backgrounds and experience.

About the work of our Tour Guides

Through our sites and programmes, our Tour Guides:

Share and tell stories by retelling the story of the lives of the people who passed through our buildings, and of the local community, past and present.
Engage and make connections by listening and talking with visitors, citizens, historians, local residents and where relevant, former residents.
Discover and uncover history by continuing to learn from the memories and knowledge of others.

All Tour Guides working with Dublin City Council Culture Company will typically be asked to:

Conduct guided tours, using scripts provided, and ensure that all timings are strictly adhered to. Training will be provided for all guides to become familiar with the tour content and the timings involved, as well as health and safety procedures.
Operate audio-visual or other appropriate equipment to support tours or events.
Support the front-of-house teams, welcome visitors to our buildings, assist them with queries and make them aware of related programmes and merchandise.
Engage with our Your Tenement Memories oral history recordings and transcripts to ensure ongoing learning from the memories and knowledge of others. This work is key to deepening our understanding of the city’s heritage and ensures our work remains responsive and relevant.
Advocate for and supervise the protection of our buildings and the safety of visitors throughout their tours including the walking tours. For health and safety purposes, the tour guides must stay with their group at all times and use radios while on tour.
Attend team meetings and training as requested.

Tour Guides delivering the Musical Memories guided tour of 14 Henrietta Street will also be asked to:

Select songs from an approved curated list of songs which are relevant to each time period of the house.
Learn and perform these songs as part of the Musical Memories tour. This may be vocals only, or where the guide has a preference they can play an accompanying acoustic instrument.

Tour Guides delivering school tours at 14 Henrietta Street or Goldenbridge Cemetery will also be asked to:

Learn the relevant script(s) and understand how best to deliver engaging tours for primary and post-primary school children.
Become familiar with our Teacher Resources which are shared with all schools coming to visit 14 Henrietta Street.

This list is indicative only. If contracted for work, panel members will receive Project Work Outlines with detailed specifications and expectations.

Submission process timeline

The proposed timetable in relation to this process is as follows:

Open call issued: Thursday 4 June 2026
Deadline for submissions: Friday 17 July 2026
Interviews for shortlisted suppliers: week beginning Monday 7 September 2026

Applicants will be informed of the outcome of their submission by: Monday 21 September 2026

How the panel will operate

Appointment to the Panel will be confirmed by a letter of invitation to the successful applicants. This appointment letter does not constitute an offer or commitment to enter into a contract for service. No contractual rights shall exist until a formal written contract for service has been executed by the Culture Company and the panellist.
Appointment to the panel is for a period of three years, from October 2026 to October 2029. Contracts will be awarded for varying periods during the three years of the panel lifetime, subject to seasonal needs and tour guide availability.
When an opportunity arises over the duration of the panel, project work outlines may be offered directly to the most appropriate panel members by their expressed criteria including:
- Nature of the tour type(s) which we require tour guide services for
- Experience and/or qualifications, knowledge and interests of panel member(s)
- Availability of panel member(s)
Prior to a contract being awarded, a Project Work Offer will be issued to the selected panel member(s) as set out above. Project Work Offers include a written brief and details of shift schedules, time commitment, hourly rates on offer and proposed contract duration.
Panellists have the right to accept or decline Project Work Offers as they arise.
If a panellist accepts a Project Work Offer they will then be contracted via a Contract for Service. A full Project Work Outline will be issued at this time, to further detail specifications and expectations.
Contracted panellists will be offered seasonal shifts during the contract duration. Shifts will be offered monthly in advance via an online roster system. These shifts may be declined or accepted based on availability. Tour guiding shifts can range between 4 and 6 hours long. Other shift durations may be offered for other activities such as meetings, training and research. Shifts may extend beyond standard office opening hours for events or evening programming.
Contracted panellists must complete all necessary training provided by the company. All training time is paid.
No contract will be issued without proof of tax clearance, and/or VAT registration number where applicable.
Contracted panellists will not be expected to work exclusively for the Culture Company.
Garda vetting may be required by Dublin City Council Culture Company and Contractors will be advised of this as required.

Required documentation for submission

Submissions are now open, and must include the following requirements to be considered:

A cover letter (two A4 pages maximum) outlining why you want to be on this panel, and how your specific skills, knowledge and experience meet the evaluation criteria listed below. Please state which of our current tour types (as listed above) you are interested in delivering.
An up-to-date CV outlining relevant experience (two A4 pages maximum)
Contact details of two people who would be willing to supply a reference for you in a professional capacity. References will only be checked following shortlisting and interview stage.
Confirmation of a high level of proficiency in English, Irish or ISL (the language you are interested in delivering tours in). Please indicate, for example, if you are a native speaker, have conducted State Examinations through this language, have professional experience working through this language, or hold a recognised qualification in this language. Applicants for Irish-language or ISL tours may be asked to complete part of the interview or assessment in that language.
If you have indicated an interest in delivering Musical Memories tour of 14 Henrietta Street you should provide a brief written description of your vocal ability and style. Please do not send us video or audio links, or attachments of audio/ video files.

Criteria used for the evaluation of submissions

All submissions will be evaluated against the following award criteria

At least one year’s previous tour guiding experience OR a relevant qualification.
Demonstrates a strong interest, knowledge, or expertise in relevant subjects of social history, storytelling, conservation, heritage, community development, customer engagement, or arts and culture.
Basic level of computer literacy, e.g. can use Microsoft Word (or similar) and email.

Within your cover letter you should:

Demonstrate an understanding of the work and ambitions of Dublin City Council Culture Company.
Show an understanding of how to engage audiences and share stories in accessible, inclusive and inspiring ways.
Referring to the list of Tour Types in this document (numbered 1 - 7 above) please specify which ones you are interested in delivering and clarify the ability or experience to do so. We are seeking Tour Guides with the interest and ability to deliver at least two of these Tour Types.
Indicate your general availability. In order to sustain our tour offers year-round and ensure we can deliver tours across daytime, evenings and weekends, and meet seasonal demand, we are seeking suppliers with a wide variety of seasonal availability.

Submission details

Completed submissions should be sent by email only to opencall@dublincitycouncilculturecompany.ie with “Tour Guide Panel” in the subject line. Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted.

The deadline for submissions is end of day on Friday 17 July 2026.

The information supplied in your application will be reviewed against the criteria set out in this notice. Dublin City Council Culture Company reserves the right to shortlist applicants and/or invite them in for interviews, scheduled for the week starting Monday 7 September 2026. All applicants will be notified of the status of their application at this time. It will not be possible to provide individual feedback to unsuccessful applicants. Successful applicants will be notified no later than 21 September 2026.

The Tour Guide panel will be appointed in October 2026 and will run until October 2029.

Other notes

Dublin City Council Culture Company is committed to equality, inclusion, accessibility, Universal Design and reasonable accommodation in its open calls, selection processes and contracted work. Please see our Equal Opportunities Statement for Contractors here.

Please note that both the museum at 14 Henrietta Street and Richmond Barracks are Part M access compliant. All of our Tour Types are fully accessible and therefore can accommodate both visitors and tour guides with accessibility needs.

In the interests of promoting accessibility all applicants who are invited for an interview will receive the interview questions and/or tasks in advance to allow everyone to prepare fully for the interview.

Interviews will take place in an accessible location. We are committed to respecting and protecting your privacy. For more information about how we collect, store and handle your personal data, please see our Privacy Notice.

The offices of Dublin City Council Culture Company in both buildings have limited physical access. Reasonable accommodation of access requirements will be made for successful panel members.

About Dublin City Council Culture Company

Established in March 2018, Dublin City Council Culture Company runs cultural initiatives and buildings across the city for, and with, the people of Dublin.

Collaborating with citizens, communities, cultural organisations, businesses, and Dublin City Council itself, the company’s work is focused on embedding cultural experiences and increasing cultural participation throughout Dublin’s neighbourhoods. We connect people and communities through culture and conversation. When people feel connected to their local area they feel safer and stronger, and are healthier.

For more information see www.dublincitycouncilculturecompany.ie

14 Henrietta Street
We protect, share and add to the cultural life of the city. We tell stories, make connections and uncover history. 14 Henrietta Street is a social history museum of Dublin life, from one building’s Georgian beginnings to its tenement times. We connect the history of urban life over 300 years to the stories of the people who called this place home.

We bring to life the stories of the humans who passed through the house, their changing circumstances, their experience of family life, politics, and the impact of world affairs.

By listening and talking with visitors, historians, local residents and their families and through the knowledge of others, the museum continues to discover new stories, gathering memories and adding to the museum’s collection and visitor experience.

You can read more about 14 Henrietta Street here.

Richmond Barracks
At Richmond Barracks, we offer a range of tours and programmes which aim to amplify it as a neighbourhood hub that celebrates the rich stories and experiences of the local community, past and present.

A venue of historical importance located within a vibrant community, the building is home to a library, workshops and cultural activities, along with a programme of historical tours and talks.

Culture Connects is our year-round programme at Richmond Barracks that invites people in Dublin to try out new things. We offer ways for people to make and create together, to share ideas, and connect through culture and conversation.

You can read more about Richmond Barracks at www.richmondbarracks.ie