📢 ILFD 2026 Programme Just Announced! 📢

[International Literature Festival Dublin]

One Park. Ten Days. A World of Stories.

#ILFD2026 @ILFDublin A world of stories awaits! One park, ten days, a world of stories and more – we are delighted to announce the programme for our 29th edition, bringing together some of the most exciting international and Irish writers of our time in Merrion Square Dublin from 15-24 May.   This year’s programme celebrates the power of storytelling in all its forms, offering bold discussions, unforgettable readings and unique experiences for all ages. Book now for exciting events featuring Tayari Jones, Robin Stevens, Sally Hayden, Steve McCarthy, Helen Oyeyemi, Jay McInerney, Maria Stepanova, Oyinkan Braithwaite, Elif Shafak, Aoife Dooley and many more.    From talks to walks; poetry to yoga; queer literary tours, sound baths, songwriting, art and film screenings there is something for everyone! Explore the programme below – and read on to discover some highlights! Explore the Programme Programme highlights Conversations Tidy Towns, Messy Murders Ardal O’Hanlon 📅 Saturday, 16 May What really goes on inside the cut-throat world of the Tidy Towns competition? One of Ireland’s best-loved actors and stand-up comedians discusses A Plot to Die For, the first in his new mystery series.  Find Out More Love, Loss, Longing Emanuela Anechoum 📅 Wednesday 20 May Tangerinn is the novel for a displaced generation. Emanuela Anechoum talks to Naoise Dolan about her remarkable and brilliantly observant debut, and why she wanted to dig deep into questions of home, identity and belonging.   Find Out More Tales Of This City Dave Tynan & Djamel White 📅 Friday 22 May Two wildly exciting debuts on writing a dark and edgy Dublin, toxic masculinity, and why you have to blast through language in order to make it your own.  Find Out More Stripping Off Funmi Fetto 📅 Saturday 16 May Journalist and editor Funmi Fetto talks to Emma Dabiri about deconstructing the traditional Nigerian woman’s place and stripping stereotypes of women down to their most heart-wrenching core in her fiction debut, Hail Mary.    Find Out More Fringe & Skills  Queer Literary Dublin Tour James Murray 📅 15, 20, 24 May Explore Dublin’s intimate relationship with the written word, and discover the people, places and texts of the city’s queer past on James Murray’s unique tour. Find Out More The 2025 Insiders’ Guide to Publishing 📅 Saturday 23 May Featuring top literary agents, leading Irish editors, debut authors, and the mastermind behind Europe’s biggest writing resource website Writing.ie, this seminar is designed to help you make sense of the publishing industry and get your work out there.    Find Out More Spotlight Session Laurie Shaw 📅 Saturday 23 May Laurie Shaw’s latest album, Felted Fruit (vi), his sixth exploration of his own alternative 1960s world, is focused on the introduction of psychedelics to post-war English suburbia. Find Out More Slamovision 2026 📅 Wednesday 20 May An exciting night of Ireland’s best spoken word as Gaeilge to choose Dublin’s 2026 entry for Slamovision, the international slam poetry competition for UNESCO cities of literature across the world!   Find Out More Kids, Families & Young Adults Gnoming me, Gnoming you Loes Riphagen 📅 Saturday 16 May Did you know that most gnomes live in towns and cities, just like us? A friendly gnome called Kick shows you around his world at this fun, interactive event! Find Out More Pablo and Splash…and You! Sheena Dempsey 📅 Saturday 16 May Create your very own comic characters at this interactive drawalong event with award-winning illustrator and author Sheena Dempsey! Find Out More Close Encounters of the Fantastical Kind Catherine Doyle & Sarah Rees Brennan 📅 Saturday 16 May Two best-selling authors discuss the art of fantasy fiction and how they go about creating series-worthy characters. Find Out More Shrimply the Best! Aoife Dooley 📅 Sunday 17 May Festival favourite Aoife Dooley is back with the Squid Squad! This interactive event features stories, pictures and the chance to draw along! Find Out More Book tickets now Share Forward International Literature Festival Dublin is a Dublin City Council initiative, kindly supported by The Arts Council and Dublin UNESCO City of Literature. Copyright © 2026 International Literature Festival Dublin, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in via our website. Our mailing address is: International Literature Festival Dublin 13 Adelaide Road Dublin, Co. Dublin D02 P950 Ireland Add us to your address book Update your preferences | Unsubscribe from this list.