Dublin books festival November 6th – 10th to feature 80 events

The Dublin Book Festival, established in 2006, is a prominent celebration of Irish literature, highlighting the work of both established and emerging writers across various genres in a festive, accessible environment.

Scheduled for November 6th – 10th, the festival features over 80 events throughout Dublin, including author discussions, book launches, literary walking tours, and family-friendly activities, with its main venue at Dublin Castle.

The festival emphasizes inclusivity and community, aiming to engage literature enthusiasts of all ages and backgrounds while fostering a love for reading through professional development and creative workshops.

Supported by partners like the Arts Council and Publishing Ireland, the festival has welcomed notable authors such as Michael D. Higgins, Anne Enright, and Graham Norton, showcasing Ireland’s rich literary talent and contributions to the publishing industry.

• The Artist and the City Aingeala Flannery, Stephen James Smith, Luke McManus, Roisin Kiberd, Ferdia Mac Anna, Darren Murphy, Louise Nealon, Muireann Ní Chíobháin and Declan Toohey Wednesday 06th November @ 10:30 amDCU St Patrick’s Campus; This one-day symposium, programmed by DCU Arts Council Writer in Residence 2024, Aingeala Flannery, explores the artist’s relationship with the city, with a focus on North Dublin. Featuring a workshop, writing clinics with artists, readings, panel discussion, and a film screening, guests include: Stephen James Smith, Luke McManus, Roisin Kiberd, Ferdia Mac Anna, Darren Murphy,   
• Winter Papers: Kevin Barry in conversation with Seán Rocks Wednesday 06th November @ 7:00 pm; Townhall, 1WML, Windmill Quarter; Winter Papers, Ireland’s annual arts anthology, is celebrating the publication of its 10th volume this year. Join us for a special evening of conversation and culture as RTÉ Radio 1 Arena’s Seán Rocks is joined by the anthology’s co-editor, Kevin Barry, and some of the anthology’s contributors. With a special musical performance on the night.   
• A Literary Walking Tour Pat Liddy’s Walking Tours Thursday 07th November @ 11:30am; The Printworks, Dublin Castle;  Walking Tour Starting off in the historic surrounds of Dublin Castle, join Pat Liddy or one of his expert guides, on a tour of the old city to learn about some of the most famous writers associated with Dublin, from at least the 18th century to modern times. 
• Step into Nature Walking tour with Rachel McKenna Thursday 07th November @ 1:00 pm; Iveagh Gardens;  Nature Walking Tour; Step into Nature (Mercier Press) is a captivating seasonal Irish nature diary, an account of direct encounters with the everyday flora and fauna that surround us, inspiring readers to discover the wonders of nature and preserve it for future generations. Join author and citizen scientist, Rachel McKenna, on an engaging walk through the gardens,   
• Wild-Looking But Fine Ciara O’Dowd and Jane Brennan in conversation with Dr Tanya Dean Thursday 07th November @ 2:00 pm; The Abbey Theatre; History; Non-fiction;  Illuminating two very different women united by their love of theatre, Wild-Looking But Fine: Abbey Theatre Actresses of the 1930s (UCD Press) traces the lives of Aideen O’Connor and Ria Mooney; from their debuts on the Abbey stage to performing in New York in 1937, and the lives they made for themselves after that tour.   
• Strange Types & Odd Sorts Thursday 07th November @ 2:00 pm; National Print Museum;  Non-fiction;  Strange Types & Odd Sorts: A peek into the world of print in Ireland, a collaboration between the National Print Museum and Fighting Words, documents the stories of retired printers and compositors and their experiences in a world of printing now far removed from today’s world.
• A Literary Walking Tour Pat Liddy’s Walking Tours Thursday 07th November @ 2:30 pm; The Printworks, Dublin Castle;  Walking Tour Starting off in the historic surrounds of Dublin Castle, join Pat Liddy or one of his expert guides, on a tour of the old city to learn about some of the most famous writers associated with Dublin, from at least the 18th century to modern times. 
• Make Art Make A Difference Workshop with Colm Keegan Thursday 07th November @ 3:00 pm; Museum of Literature Ireland; Professional Developm; entWorkshop Join acclaimed poet Colm Keegan for a 2-hour workshop and unlock the power of creativity to support your community. Colm has worked on numerous social and educational creative projects with national organisations, and within communities, and will bring his insights and experience to this dynamic workshop aimed at creatives looking to have an impact in their community. In this workshop,   
• You spin me round Wendy Erskine, Aingeala Flannery and Declan Long in conversation with Tony Clayton-Lea DJ Set by Gavin Corbett Thursday 07th November @ 6:00 pm; Dublin Liberties Distillery DBF After Dark; MusicNon-fiction;  You spin me round (PVA) is an illuminating collection of essays, a mixtape that takes elements of music – songs, performances, albums, gigs – as points of departure. Some of today’s finest writers reflect on what music has meant to them at different moments in their lives. 
• Writing from the Margins Chiamaka Enyi-Amadi and Páraic Kerrigan in conversation with Aoife Martin Thursday 07th November @ 6:00 pm; New Theatre, Temple Bar DBF After Dark; Non-fiction; Professional Development Chiamaka Enyi-Amadi and Páraic Kerrigan join writer Aoife Martin in conversation about their own writing, and the challenges and obstacles faced by writers from minority groups when writing and publishing with mainstream press. Enyi-Amadi, a commissioned poet on the Poetry as Commemoration project, has also been published in The Art of the Glimpse, 
• Dear Orson Welles & Other Essays Mark Cousins in conversation with Grainne Humphreys Thursday 07th November @ 6:30 pm; Irish Film Institute DBF After DarkFeatured; Non-fiction;  In Dear Orson Welles & Other Essays (The Irish Pages Press), acclaimed director and writer Mark Cousins reflects on his prolific career in filmmaking, meditating on the philosophers, writers, actors and films that have influenced him. The essays are in conversation with iconic artistic figures including Orson Welles and Pier Paolo Pasolini. 
• Ceoltóirí Chualann: The Band that Changed the Course of Irish Music Peadar Ó Riada in conversation with Peter Browne Thursday 07th November @ 6:30 pm; Royal Irish Academy DBF After Dark; MusicNon-fiction;  Seán Ó Riada (1931-’71), amongst his achievements, is credited as having revived Irish music, both drawing from tradition and through great innovation, along with his band Ceoltóirí Chualann. In Ceoltóirí Chualann: The Band that Changed the Course of Irish Music (Mercier Press), composer, musician, choir director and broadcaster Peadar Ó Riada charts the band’s history,   
• Women in History – Last few tickets remaining! Martina Devlin and Nuala O’Connor in conversation with Emily Hourican Thursday 07th November @ 6:30 pm; National Library of Ireland DBF After Dark; Historical Fiction; History;  Two ; Historical Fiction; s shining a light on two captivating women. Martina Devlin’s Charlotte (The Lilliput Press) is a story of Charlotte Brontë’s short but pivotal time in Ireland as never before told, bound by passion and obsession, friendship and loss, loyalty and deception. 
• Poetry Ireland Introductions | Céadlínte Thursday 07th November @ 7:30 pm; New Theatre, Temple Bar DBF After Dark; Music Poetry; Presented in association with Dublin Book Festival, Introductions | Céadlínte is a Poetry Ireland/Éigse Éireann  showcase of 16 of the most exciting new poets writing in English and Irish on the island of Ireland today. The poets were selected by Stephen Sexton and Aifric MacAodha. We’ll have a musical guest along on the night.   
• DBF After Dark Festival Club: Greatest Story Ever Told Thursday 07th November @ 8:30 pm; Bartley’s Lounge Grafton Hotel DBF After Dark;  What story would you tell people if asked to deliver your best? What yarn or anecdote from your own life are you certain would captivate an audience? Join Holy Show’s Brendan MacEvilly and Peter McNamara as they invite three writers to tell their greatest true story in roughly 5 minutes 
• “Future, Now” Annual Irish Publishers Conference 2024 Friday 08th November @ 8:30am; The Printworks, Dublin Castle ; Festival Hub;; Professional Development Join us for this pinnacle event for publishers in Ireland, featuring keynote speakers and industry professionals, offering valuable networking opportunities and insights into the world of publishing in Ireland. Topics covered will include sustainability, accessibility, market trends, equality, diversity, and inclusion, and the potential of adapting books for movies. 
• Murmurations Exhibition James Crombie Friday 08th November @ 11:00am; The Printworks, Dublin Castle ; Art Exhibition; Nature Murmurations (The Lilliput Press) by James Crombie is a stunning new book about one man’s quest to capture the beauty of an Irish natural phenomenon. Combining narrative and photography, Crombie brings us on a mesmerising journey from the shore of Lough Ennell, Co. Westmeath, where he spent over 400 days capturing murmurations of starlings 
• Literary Producer Event Facilitated by Julianne Mooney Siron Friday 08th November @ 11:00am; The Printworks, Dublin Castle ; Festival Hub;; Professional Development This engaging event, which encourages participation and discussion, is for professionals creating literature events at festivals, venues, libraries, or any organisations, to share experiences, gather information and try to explore how we can work together. The event will be facilitated by Julianne Mooney Siron, Director of Dublin Book Festival, with contributions from others 
• A Literary Walking Tour Pat Liddy’s Walking Tours Friday 08th November @ 11:30am; The Printworks, Dublin Castle;  Walking Tour Starting off in the historic surrounds of Dublin Castle, join Pat Liddy or one of his expert guides, on a tour of the old city to learn about some of the most famous writers associated with Dublin, from at least the 18th century to modern times. 
• Writing Fiction Workshop with Wendy Erskine – BOOKED OUT Exploring short story possibilities through pop videos and Chekhov. Friday 08th November @ 12:00 pm; Museum of Literature Ireland Fiction; Professional Developm; entWorkshop This event is now booked out with a waitlist in place. In this session, join acclaimed short story writer Wendy Erskine, where you’ll be looking at how pop videos on YouTube – and the ways people respond to them – generate so many possibilities relating to how short stories can be constructed. 
• Let’s Talk Children’s Books A Meet up for Professional Children’s Authors and Illustrators. Hosted by Sarah Webb and Members of Cruthú/Create. Friday 08th November @ 12:00 pm; The Printworks, Dublin Castle ; Festival Hub;; Professional Development Sarah Webb and a team of professional authors and illustrators are currently setting up a guild for Irish or Irish based professional children’s authors, illustrators and creatives (children’s script writers etc are included) called Cruthú/Create. One of the aims of Cruthú/Create: The Irish Children’s Writers’ Guild is to host regular meet ups 
• PROSE & POSE: Poetry Yoga: Landscape of the Body Lani O’Hanlon and Paul Donnelly Friday 08th November @ 12:30 pm; Green Room 1WML Windmill Quarter; PoetryWellbeingYoga Deepen your relationship with the wild, sensual landscape of your body through breath, word, sound, poetry and restorative yoga. Through a series of restorative yoga poses, Paul Donnelly will guide participants into resting intervals of the shapes accompanied by Lani O’Hanlon reading from her poetry collection Landscape of the Body (Dedalus Press). 
• Creative Pathways to Participation ATD Ireland Friday 08th November @ 1:00 pm; The Printworks, Dublin Castle ; Festival Hub;; Poetry Join us for poetry and short story readings from diverse contributors of Creative Pathways to Participation, alongside a film showing. This publication written by ATD Ireland Community Activists and guests showcases the importance of creative outlets; for finding voice, self expression, self recognition and sharing insights on issues of social justice, equality and inclusion.  
• Mindful Meditations Walking tour with Fiann Ó Nualláin Friday 08th November @ 1:00 pm; Iveagh Gardens; Walking TourWellbeing Combining the ancient wisdom of Irish proverbs with modern approaches to wellbeing, including mindfulness, positive psychology, and cognitive behavioural therapy, 52 Proverbs to Fight Depression and Trauma (Mercier Press) is the ideal resource to help you face life’s challenges and stresses. Join author Fiann Ó Nualláin for this mindful and inspiring walk through the gardens
• Irish Food History Dorothy Cashman, Elaine Mahon and Fionnán O’Connor in conversation with Máirtín Mac Con Iomaire Friday 08th November @ 1:00 pm; Royal Irish Academy Food; Non-fiction;  Enlightening, entertaining and often surprising, Irish Food History: A Companion (Royal Irish Academy) brings the reader on a gastronomic odyssey, from earliest times and the start of the hunter-gatherer community, all the way to the abundant world of modern Irish cooking, safe in the hands of some of the world’s most highly regarded food historians.   
• Artist Book Introductions at NIVAL Friday 08th November @ 1:00 pm; NCAD Dublin 8 Art;  The National Irish Visual Arts Library (NIVAL), an initiative of NCAD In Partnership with the Arts Council, collects materials that document the development of art practice in Ireland from 1900 to the present day. NIVAL holds arguably the largest collection of unique and handmade artist books in the country with 1,300 catalogued on their website.   
• So Once Was I: Forgotten Tales from Glasnevin Cemetery Walking tour with Warren Farrell Friday 08th November @ 1:30 pm; Glasnevin Cemetery History; Walking Tour So Once Was I: Forgotten Tales from Glasnevin Cemetery (Merrion Press) sets out to celebrate the quirky, strange and sometimes unbelievable tales of lesser-known figures in Ireland’s famous cemetery, which has become the final resting place to a microcosm of Irish society since its gates opened in 1832. 
• Aisteoir faoi Sholas Clive Geraghty ag caint le Tristan Rosenstock Friday 08th November @ 2:00 pm; The Abbey Theatre Irish Language; Non-fiction;  Bí linn agus Tristan Rosenstock i mbun comhrá leis an aisteoir agus scríbhneoir Clive Geraghty faoin chuimhní cinn, Aisteoir faoi Sholas (Cló Iar-Chonnacht). Labhróidh Clive faoina shaol ón Aerchór go hAmharclann na Mainistreach áit ar chaith sé breis agus dhá scór bliain agus a d’oibrigh ar os cionn dhá chéad dráma. 
• A Literary Walking Tour Pat Liddy’s Walking Tours Friday 08th November @ 2:30 pm; The Printworks, Dublin Castle;  Walking Tour Starting off in the historic surrounds of Dublin Castle, join Pat Liddy or one of his expert guides, on a tour of the old city to learn about some of the most famous writers associated with Dublin, from at least the 18th century to modern times. 
• Creative Transformation Through Adversity Friday 08th November @ 4:00 pm; The Printworks, Dublin Castle ; Festival Hub;; Non-fiction;  In the face of adversity, people have discovered the transformative power of creativity. Join us for an empowering afternoon of readings and discussion. Things Went T*ts Up (Orla Kelly Publishing) by Dearbhaile O’Hare is a powerful collection of refreshingly honest, raw and humorous poetry, illustrations and reflections that speak to the courage and strength of those affected by adversity.
• Play It Forward Sara Chudzik, Helen Hutchinson, Emer Lyons, Roxana Manouchehri, Aoife Martin, Sadhbh Moriarty, Chandrika Narayanan-Mohan and Nellie Warren Friday 08th November @ 5:15 pm; The Printworks, Dublin Castle; Festival Hub;; Professional Development Play It Forward Fellowships, delivered by Skein Press and supported by The Rowan Trust, nurture and amplify the talents of writers whose voices and stories have traditionally been underrepresented in Irish literature and publishing. Join us as this year’s fellows – Sara Chudzik, Helen Hutchinson, Emer Lyons, Roxana Manouchehri, Aoife Martin, Sadhbh Moriarty, Chandrika Narayanan-Mohan 
• Debut Novels Anna Fitzgerald, Orla Mackey and Alan Murrin in conversation with Pat Carty Friday 08th November @ 6:00 pm; New Theatre, Temple Bar DBF After DarkFiction;  Arts journalist Pat Carty is joined by some of Ireland’s most exciting emerging authors. Anna Fitzgerald’s Girl in the Making (Sandycove) is a deeply moving story capturing the dreams and terrors of girlhood in a difficult world. Alan Murrin’s The Coast Road (Bloomsbury) is a brilliantly observed novel about a closed rural community 
• Irish Writers Centre Foundation Showcase Aoife Horan, Declan Jones, Clíona Malin, Catriona Murphy, Ifunanya Ogochukwu and Khaled Sultan Friday 08th November @ 6:00 pm; Dublin Liberties Distillery DBF After Dark; Professional Development Join us for a series of readings from the Festival’s Foundation writers, a programme led by the Irish Writers Centre. Come along and discover some incredible new voices in Ireland’s literary scene! The six emerging writers who will take to the stage are Aoife Horan, Declan Jones, Clíona Malin, Catriona Murphy, Ifunanya Ogochukwu 
• The Last Disco Sean Murray, Christine Bohan and Nicky Ryan in conversation with Sinéad O’Carroll Friday 08th November @ 6:30 pm; Townhall, 1WML, Windmill Quarter DBF After Dark; Non-fiction;  The Last Disco (Eriu) by Sean Murray, Christine Bohan, and Nicky Ryan is the harrowing story of the 1981 Stardust nightclub fire that claimed the lives of 48 young people. Meticulously researched and citing startling evidence brought forward at the recent inquests, this poignant book honours the memories of those who were lost, 
• Book Launch: Your Own Dark Shadow Jack Fennell Friday 08th November @ 6:30 pm; Gutter Bookshop DBF After DarkFictionLaunch;  Your Own Dark Shadow: A Selection of Lost Irish Horror Stories (Tramp Press) is the latest in the press’s popular and influential Recovered Voices series. Monsters, killers and unquiet spirits stalk these stories, drawn from the places where folklore, the Gothic and modern fiction intertwine. Join writer, and the book’s editor, Jack Fennell
• Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of The O’Brien Press Friday 08th November @ 6:30 pm; The Printworks, Dublin Castle ; Festival Hub;;  The O’Brien Press evolved out of a family-run printing and type house to become one of the country’s leading publishers. Join us for a celebration of fifty years of independent publishing with the joint launch of a new edition of O’Brien Press’s first book, the classic Me Jewel and Darlin’ Dublin by Eamonn MacThomáis,   
• Day of the Imprisoned Writer – İlhan Sami Çomak Friday 08th November @ 6:30 pm; The Printworks, Dublin Castle DBF After Dark; Festival Hub;; Poetry This year, to mark the Day of the Imprisoned Writer, Irish PEN/PEN na hÉireann is proud to dedicate our Dublin Book Festival event to our first Honorary Member, Kurdish poet İlhan Sami Çomak, one of Turkey’s longest-serving political prisoners. Joining us will be: Paula Meehan, poet; Caroline Stockford, PEN Norway, İlhan’s friend and translator; 
• Irish Writers Centre Bilingual Takin’ the Mic M.C. Zainab Boladale and special guest author Soula Emmanuel Friday 08th November @ 7:00 pm; Dublin Liberties Distillery DBF After DarkIrish Language; PoetryProfessional Development Tá Takin’ the Mic ag Féile Leabhar Bhaile Átha Cliath le hghaidh sár-oíche filíochta, focal labhartha agus grinn i mBéarla agus i nGaeilge. Arna óstáil ag M.C. Zainab Boladale le léamha ó aoi speisialta Soula Emmanuel chomh maith le ‘mic oscailte’ do scríbhneoirí, filí agus ceoltóirí. Fáilte roimh chách! Takin’ the Mic returns to Dublin   
• Poetry Ireland Introductions | Céadlínte Friday 08th November @ 7:30 pm; New Theatre, Temple Bar DBF After DarkIrish Language; Music Poetry; Presented in association with Dublin Book Festival, Introductions | Céadlínte is a Poetry Ireland/Éigse Éireann showcase of 16 of the most exciting new poets writing in English and Irish on the island of Ireland today. The poets were selected by Stephen Sexton and Aifric MacAodha.  We’ll have a musical guest along on the night. 
• DBF After Dark: Music and Poetry Jackie Lynam, Molly Twomey and James Mahon Friday 08th November @ 8:00 pm; Bartley’s Lounge Grafton Hotel DBF After Dark; Music Poetry; Join us at our DBF After Dark Festival Club to unwind after a busy day of festival events. Enjoy readings by poets Jackie Lynam and Molly Twomey, with music by Kíla’s James Mahon. Then stick around after the event to meet and mingle over a drink in the bar.   This is an 18+ event.   
• Fiction on the Rails Madeleine D’Arcy, Laura McKenna and Danielle McLaughlin Saturday 09th November @ 10:25 amCork Dublin Train; Fiction;  All aboard the Dublin Book Festival book train from Cork to Dublin! Cork Stories (Doire Press), edited by Madeleine D’Arcy and Laura McKenna, is a collection of short fiction set throughout Cork by writers who live or have lived there. Join the editors, and contributor Danielle McLaughlin, for this unique reading and writing train journey.   
• Buried Secrets Rachael English and Carmel Harrington in conversation with Muireann O’Connell Saturday 09th November @ 11:00am; The Printworks, Dublin Castle; Festival Hub;; Fiction;  Join us for a special morning with two bestselling authors in conversation about their gripping new novels. Whatever Happened to Birdy Troy (Hachette Ireland) by Rachael English is a rollercoaster journey exploring the rise and mysterious fall of Ireland’s trailblazing 1980s all-woman rock band, The Diamonds, who were on the brink of success before vanishing.   
• The Irish Writers Handbook Ruth Hegarty, Deirdre Nolan and Patrick O’Donoghue in conversation with Ronan Colgan Saturday 09th November @ 11:00am; The Printworks, Dublin Castle ; Festival Hub;; Professional Development The Irish Writers Handbook 2025 is your essential guide to writing and getting published, with contributions from acclaimed authors and book industry professionals. To mark the launch of this year’s expanded and updated edition join the handbook’s publisher Ronan Colgan (Wordwell), Deirdre Nolan (Eriu), Ruth Hegarty (Royal Irish Academy), and Patrick O’Donoghue (Gill Books), 
• Sinéad Gleeson in conversation with Paula Shields Saturday 09th November @ 11:00 amdlr LexIcon Studio Fiction;  Artist Nell lives on a wild and rugged island, between the reclusive commune of Inions up on the cliff and the strange murmurings that seem to emanate from within the depths of the island. When the Inions invite Nell into the commune, Nell will discover things about the community and about herself that will challenge   
• A Literary Walking Tour Pat Liddy’s Walking Tours Saturday 09th November @ 11:30am; The Printworks, Dublin Castle;  Walking Tour Starting off in the historic surrounds of Dublin Castle, join Pat Liddy or one of his expert guides, on a tour of the old city to learn about some of the most famous writers associated with Dublin, from at least the 18th century to modern times. 
• Jabber-walk Walking tour with Dara Kavanagh (David Butler) Saturday 09th November @ 12:00 pm; The Printworks, Dublin Castle ; Festival Hub;; Walking Tour Described ‘as if Flann O’Brien had written Alice Through the Looking-glass’ and set in 1930’s Dublin and London, Jabberwock (Dedalus) tells of a dastardly republican plot to bring down the United Kingdom by the spreading of a counterfeit language. In a story in which language runs riot and fonts and footnotes proliferate alarmingly, 
• The Culture File Debate: Wingéd Muses John Banville, Orit Gat, Sara Baume and Paddy Woodworth in conversation with Luke Clancy Saturday 09th November @ 12:00 pm; National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin;  Nature Join broadcaster Luke Clancy for a live recording of RTÉ lyric fm’s The Culture File Debate, as our writers’ panel champions the birds that set their quills aflutter. For the program, writers John Banville, Orit Gat, Sara Baume, and Paddy Woodworth will help us discover how birds—from the resilient pigeon to the enchanted crane
• The Art of the Short Story Jan Carson and Mary Costello in conversation with Evelyn O’Rourke Saturday 09th November @ 12:15 pm; The Printworks, Dublin Castle; Festival Hub;; Fiction;  The short story, by its nature, captures and explores brief but significant moments or events in its characters’ lives, and so continues to captivate readers far and wide. Jan Carson’s Quickly, While They Still Have Horses (Doubleday) is a sparkling collection of stories encompassing all of life, with suggestions of the other world that will   
• Shaping History Tyler Anbinder and Tomás Finn in conversation with Mary McAuliffe Saturday 09th November @ 12:15 pm; The Printworks, Dublin Castle ; Festival Hub;; History;  Join Tyler Anbinder and Tomás Finn in conversation with fellow historian Mary McAuliffe about their richly researched historical works. Anbinder’s Plentiful Country (Eriu), is a gripping narrative of Irish immigrants who transformed America after the Great Hunger, defying hardship to redefine the American dream. Inside Rural Ireland (UCD Press), edited by Tomás Finn
• Dangerous Ambition: The Making of Éamon de Valera Colum Kenny in conversation with Tommy Graham Saturday 09th November @ 1:00 pm; RDS Library & Archives, Ballsbridge History;  Dangerous Ambition: The Making of Éamon de Valera (Eastwood) charts Eddie, later to be known as Éamon, de Valera’s rise from an early life of stark rearing and thwarted ambitions to becoming the founder of the most powerful political party in Ireland for much of the past century. Join author Colum Kenny in conversation with   
• Rough Beast Máiría Cahill in conversation with Olivia O’Leary Saturday 09th November @ 1:00 pm; dlr LexIcon Studio;  Non-fiction;  Rough Beast (Apollo) is Máiría Cahill‘s harrowing story, told here for the first time in full detail and with unsparing honesty. It is a story of unimaginable trauma and political corruption, but above all it is the story of one young woman’s defiance of those wielding power to inspire fear and silence, and their influence   
• Don’t Look Back in Ongar Paul Howard in conversation with Róisín Ingle Saturday 09th November @ 1:15 pm; The Printworks, Dublin Castle ; Festival Hub;; Fiction;  Critically acclaimed as satirical masterpieces, the best-selling Ross O’Carroll-Kelly series of books is drawing to a close with Don’t Look Back in Ongar (Sandycove). In this final instalment, the nation’s favourite upper class yob returns home from bonding with goys on the Camino to pandemonium. His father is causing havoc in Áras an Uachtaráin, Sorcha   
• Dublin Review Conversations: The Essay Clinic Sam Bungey, Brenda Romero and Jessica Traynor in conversation with Brendan Barrington Saturday 09th November @ 1:30 pm; The Printworks, Dublin Castle; Festival Hub;; Professional Development The Dublin Review asked three brilliant contributors – Sam Bungey, Brenda Romero and Jessica Traynor – to choose an essay they especially love from the journal’s nearly twenty-four years of publishing. In this year’s Dublin Review Conversations event, the three will talk about what they love about these essays, how they relate to their own   
• Hidden Histories Juliana Adelman and Leeanne O’Donnell in conversation with Andrew Hughes Saturday 09th November @ 1:30 pm; The Printworks, Dublin Castle ; Festival Hub;; Fiction; Historical Fiction;  Taking us back to a hot Dublin summer in 1866, Juliana Adelman’s The Grateful Water (New Island) is a gripping detective story of secrets and guilt, steeped in the city’s history. Leeanne O’Donnell’s Sparks of Bright Matter (Eriu) is an equally gripping game of cat and mouse through Georgian London’s underworld, in pursuit of an   
• The Culture File Debate: Seeing Natures Jane Carkill, Melissa Culhane, Killian Mullarney and Yanny Petters in conversation with Paddy Woodworth Saturday 09th November @ 2:00 pm; National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin Art; Nature How do artists capture nature’s limitless beauty for the printed (or electronic) page? What creative tensions arise between accuracy and aesthetics? In this live recording of RTE lyric fm’s Culture File Debate, our panel of nature illustrators and artists reveal the art and science of bringing the natural world to page, screen, and gallery wall.    
• Dublin City Libraries Readers’ Day Colin Barrett and Estelle Birdy in conversation with Kevin Power. Catherine Dunne in conversation with Neil Hegarty. Tana French and Lucy Foley in conversation with Declan Burke Saturday 09th November @ 2:30 pm; The Printworks, Dublin Castle; Festival Hub;; Fiction;  Join us for a lively and engaging afternoon of book chat with some of Ireland’s most exciting contemporary authors. Kevin Power will be in conversation with Colin Barrett about his darkly funny and thrilling debut novel Wild Houses (Jonathan Cape), and with Estelle Birdy about her explosively original debut novel Ravelling (The Lilliput Press). Neil   
• A Literary Walking Tour Pat Liddy’s Walking Tours Saturday 09th November @ 2:30 pm; The Printworks, Dublin Castle;  Walking Tour Starting off in the historic surrounds of Dublin Castle, join Pat Liddy or one of his expert guides, on a tour of the old city to learn about some of the most famous writers associated with Dublin, from at least the 18th century to modern times. 
• The Irish Art of Calligraphy – BOOKED OUT Workshop with Tim O’Neill Saturday 09th November @ 3:00 pm; The Printworks, Dublin Castle Art; Festival Hub;; Workshop The Irish Art of Calligraphy (Royal Irish Academy), by historian and calligrapher Tim O’Neill, is a beautiful workbook that provides an introduction to modern calligraphy and creative ways to develop your own unique style of lettering. Join Tim for this unique workshop in the Chester Beatty and try your hand at some of the exercises   
• Tomorrow with Bayonets Derek Molyneux in conversation with Donal Fallon Saturday 09th November @ 3:00 pm; RDS Library & Archives, Ballsbridge; History;  Tomorrow with Bayonets: Dublin: July 1921 – July 1922 (Mercier) by Darren Kelly and Derek Molyneux brings the raw intensity of the Irish Civil War to life in this gripping, fast-paced journey through a year of change and conflict; offering a visceral portrayal of a nation grappling with its identity and sovereignty, seen through the   
• Ash Keys Michael Longley in conversation with Olivia O’Leary Saturday 09th November @ 3:00 pm;  Poetry Michael Longley’s Ash Keys: New Selected Poems (Jonathan Cape) looks back on his extraordinary career, showing how his themes, genres and forms have evolved and interlaced since the 1960s. Love, violence, the natural world, art, psychodrama, family, the Great War, the Homeric past and Northern Ireland’s troubled present cohabit in these pages
• Mórléamh/Gala Reading Réaltán Ní Leannáin, Seán Ó Cadhain & Colm Ó Ceallacháin Saturday 09th November @ 3:15 pm; The Printworks, Dublin Castle; Festival Hub;; Irish Language;  Ina cuid scéalta pléann Réaltán Ni Leannáin teamaí casta an ghrá, briseadh croí agus díoltas, soineantacht na hóige agus briseadh na soineantachta céanna. Scríbhneoir ina bhfuil féith an ghrinn go smior ann é Seán Ó Cadhain,  rud a léiríonn sé ina chéad chnuasach gearrscéalta Fanacht Fada. ‘Bíonn an t-aorachas, an greann agus an scigmhagadh measctha le chéile aige
• Ann Morgan: Reading the World Ann Morgan in conversation with Sinéad Mac Aodha Saturday 09th November @ 5:00 pm; The Printworks, Dublin Castle ; Festival Hub;; Non-fiction;  In 2012, Ann Morgan set herself the goal of reading a book from every country, recording her quest at ayearofreadingtheworld.com and in her first book Reading the World. Twelve years on, she continues to receive messages from readers around the world and reading internationally has become a lifelong endeavour. Among the many things this wide-reaching   
• The Lilliput Press’s 40th Anniversary at DBF24 Saturday 09th November @ 5:30 pm; The Printworks, Dublin Castle ; Festival Hub;;  Join us for an evening of lively discussion and readings as Lilliput Press celebrates turning 40. We’re launching Tidings, an anthology of Irish Christmas stories and essays, edited by Seán Farrell. It features fresh work by Lilliput’s most-celebrated writers and three new stories by debut writers. Marking four decades of publishing excellence, we want to   
• Short Stories in Focus Maggie Armstrong and Lucy Sweeney Byrne in conversation with Jan Carson Saturday 09th November @ 6:00 pm; Bewley’s Grafton Street DBF After DarkFiction;  Maggie Armstrong’s Old Romantics (Tramp Press) is an acutely observed and hideously entertaining collection of linked short stories where unreliable, deceptive and flawed narrators navigate a world of devious attraction and latent hostility from first love through to motherhood. Lucy Sweeney Byrne’s Let’s Dance (Banshee) is a hilarious and provocative collection of short stories
• Ó Ghleann go Gleann: litríocht na Gaeltachta Proinsias Mac a’ Bhaird, Jackie Mac Donncha & Catherine Foley. Ceol le Diane Ní Channain Saturday 09th November @ 6:30 pm; Dublin Liberties Distillery DBF After DarkIrish Language; Music Ba é an t-úrscéal Tairngreacht le Proinsias Mac a’ Bhaird is mó a thuil clú dó mar scríbhneoir. Bronnadh Gradam Leabhar na Bliana de chuid An Post ar an úrscéal sa bhliain 2019. Tugann Flaitheas, an t-úrscéal nua leis, radharc dúinn ar Cholm Cille an duine, agus tumtar sinn i saol éiginnte an séú haois. File agus úrscéalaí bisiúil as Cill Chiaráin   
• Leabharlann Beag – A Literary Journal Showcase Saturday 09th November @ 6:45 pm; The Printworks, Dublin Castle DBF After Dark; Festival Hub;;  Leabharlann Beag will be a vibrant celebration of Ireland’s literary journals, with readings selected by the editors of Channel, Howl, Pig’s Back, Profiles, Sans. PRESS, Sonder, The Four Faced Liar, Tolka, Ragaire and others. Join us for a night of readings with invited writers from different publications, each presenting a piece picked by the editors to represent their project. Featuring journals specialised in   
• Literary Cabaret Richy Craven, Dagogo Hart and Sarah Rees Brennan with Brendan MacEvilly Saturday 09th November @ 8:00 pm; Bewley’s Grafton Street DBF After Dark  Featured;  Step into the DBF Literary Cabaret and join us for a relaxed evening of readings and conversation, with plenty of breaks between for music, drinks and chat in the beautiful Joyce lounge in Bewley’s Grafton Street. Brendan MacEvilly will be joined throughout the evening by writers Richy Craven and Sarah Rees Brennan, and poet and   
• Calming the Storms – BOOKED OUT Walking tour with Brother Richard Sunday 10th November @ 11:00 amNational Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin;  NatureScience Week 2024 Walking Tour Wellbeing This event is now booked out with a waitlist in place. Limited availability remains on another mindfulness walk at DBF24 – Details here. In Calming the Storms (Hachette Ireland), Brother Richard draws on three decades of practising and teaching meditation to show you how to begin a transformative, nourishing meditative practice, amidst the busyness and   
• Regenerating Our Forests Donal Magner and Richard Nairn in conversation with Sylvia Thompson Sunday 10th November @ 11:00 am ; Festival Hub;; Nature Non-fiction; Science Week 2024 The crucial role our trees play in maintaining the health of our planet is well known. The decimation of our natural forests has become one of the most controversial issues of our time, preserving and restoring them one of our most pressing issues. Journalist and author Sylvia Thompson is joined by two authors whose latest   
• A Literary Walking Tour Pat Liddy’s Walking Tours Sunday 10th November @ 11:30am; The Printworks, Dublin Castle ; Festival Hub;; Walking Tour Starting off in the historic surrounds of Dublin Castle, join Pat Liddy or one of his expert guides, on a tour of the old city to learn about some of the most famous writers associated with Dublin, from at least the 18th century to modern times. 
• Time of the Child Niall Williams in conversation with Niamh Donnelly Sunday 10th November @ 12:30 pm; The Printworks, Dublin Castle; Festival Hub;; Fiction;  From internationally bestselling author Niall Williams comes this heartbreaking and life-affirming novel about small towns and second chances. Time of the Child (Bloomsbury) is the story of Doctor Jack Troy, who has always been set apart from his community, and his daughter Ronnie. As Christmas of 1962 approaches, a baby is left in their care,   
• In Spring We Turned to Water Walking Tour with Michael Dooley Sunday 10th November @ 2:00 pm; National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin; NaturePoetryWalking Tour In Spring We Turned to Water (Doire Press), by poet Michael Dooley, contains poems of intricate watchfulness and stunning revelation from the natural world. These visually striking and distinctly sounded poems emerge from a liminal terrain tightly charged with folklores and heritages, water bodies, outsiders, and wild creatures. Immerse yourself in an afternoon of poetry   
• Medieval Dublin – BOOKED OUT Walking Tour with Seán Duffy Sunday 10th November @ 2:00 pm; The Printworks, Dublin Castle ; Festival Hub;; History; Non-fiction; Walking Tour This event is now booked out with a waitlist in place. Professor of Medieval Irish History at Trinity College Dublin, Seán Duffy, has edited 20 volumes in the Medieval Dublin series for Four Courts Press; an astonishing treasure-trove of knowledge, enabling us to recreate Dublin’s story from the Vikings to the Tudors 
• Roddy Doyle and Donal Ryan in conversation with Alex Clark Sunday 10th November @ 2:00 pm; The Printworks, Dublin Castle; Festival Hub;; Fiction;  Join us for a special afternoon as two of Ireland’s master storytellers will be in conversation with critic, journalist and broadcaster Alex Clark about their new novels. Roddy Doyle’s The Women Behind the Door (Jonathan Cape) is a powerful, moving mother-daughter story of struggle, secrets, regrets, reparations and reconciliations. Donal Ryan’s Heart, Be at Peace   
• The Magic of an Irish Rainforest Eoghan Daltun in conversation with Pádraic Fogarty Sunday 10th November @ 2:00 pm; The Printworks, Dublin Castle ; Festival Hub;; Nature Non-fiction; Science Week 2024 The Magic of An Irish Rainforest: A Visual Journey (Hachette Ireland), by author, environmentalist and rewilder, Eoghan Daltun, is a collection of stunning images, combined with deeply illuminating nature writing. Taking readers through the four provinces, this latest book captures the beauty and immense ecological value of Ireland’s areas of temperate rainforest
• A Literary Walking Tour Pat Liddy’s Walking Tours Sunday 10th November @ 2:30 pm; The Printworks, Dublin Castle ; Festival Hub;; Walking Tour Starting off in the historic surrounds of Dublin Castle, join Pat Liddy or one of his expert guides, on a tour of the old city to learn about some of the most famous writers associated with Dublin, from at least the 18th century to modern times. 
• David Marcus: Editing Ireland The Stinging Fly Sunday 10th November @ 3:30 pm; The Printworks, Dublin Castle ; Festival Hub;;  David Marcus was Ireland’s most important and influential literary editor of the twentieth century. Born into Cork’s small Jewish community in 1924, his remarkable career spanned sixty years and saw him work with countless writers of note from Edith Somerville and Liam O’Flaherty to Claire Keegan and Kevin Barry. 
• Swimming Upstream Patsy Peril in conversation with Eoghan Daltun Sunday 10th November @ 3:30 pm; The Printworks, Dublin Castle; Festival Hub;; Nature Non-fiction; Science Week 2024 When the hydro-electric station opened in Ardnacrusha in 1929, concerns raised proved well-founded. Salmon numbers plummeted and have continued to do so ever since, exacerbated by fish farms. Swimming Upstream (The O’Brien Press), written by Patsy Peril with Deirdre Nuttall, charts Patsy’s mission to save the wild salmon in the Shannon and all over the Atlantic.