- The Dublin Festival of History has announced over 300 free events from 26 September to 11 October 2026
- The Big Weekend on 26 and 27 September features talks across multiple Dublin library and community venues
- Events include sports history, political history, literary figures and centenary commemorations
- European History Day on 11 October marks Ireland’s EU Presidency with international historians
- The festival has partnered with over 90 cultural and community organisations across Dublin
The Dublin Festival of History has revelaed more detauils of its 2026 programme with over 300 free events taking place from 26 September to 11 October across Dublin’s neighbourhoods, marking the festival’s fourteenth year.
The festiva opens with The Big Weekend featuring a two-day programme of talks, debates and panel discussions across Central Library, Coolock Library, Cabra Library, Pearse Street Library and Richmond Barracks on 26 September. Events will include a panel of historians from Bohemians, Shelbourne, Shamrock Rovers and St Patrick’s Athletic exploring Dublin football clubs, Sonja Tiernan discussing poet Eva Gore-Booth, and Aoife McCloughlin examining the Anna Livia Fountain and Molly Malone statue unveiled during the Dublin Millennium in 1988. Other Saturday events feature Gerard Shannon on IRA leader Rory O’Connor, Connal Parr on the Irish Anti-Apartheid Movement and Kevin Rafter on Magill magazine and Vincent Browne.
The Sunday programme at the Mansion House’s Round Room will include James Hawes discussing The Shortest History of Ireland, Antonia Senior on the Cambridge Five espionage ring, Kevin Moran reflecting on his football career, Katja Hoyer examining the Weimar Republic, and panels marking the centenary of Fianna Fáil and the 1926 census.
The festival closes on 11 October with European History Day at the Royal Irish Academy of Music, featuring Catharine Edwards on Cicero, Rory Carroll on Roger Casement and Helen Graham on the Spanish Civil War. The festival has worked with over 90 cultural and community partners to deliver content in English and Irish, including children’s workshops and tours.
