Munster Literature Centre
Ionad Litríochta an Deisceart

Literary Festivals

Belfast Book Festival

A unique, diverse and highly creative mix of events celebrating bestselling authors, award-winning poetry and spoken word artists, well-known personalities and journalists, and showcasing the wealth of local talent that defines our thriving literary community. 

Borris House Festival of Writing & Ideas

A weekend of stimulating dialogue and discourse, gathering together intriguing international minds from all over the world and inviting them to Borris Village for a few days. Prize-winning novelists, poet laureates, genre-changing musicians, mind-expanding academics, and journalists from far reaches of the globe.

Cork International Poetry Festival

In 1993 The Munster Literature Centre started presenting spring literary festivals. Until 2009, this festival was called ‘Éigse’ (an Irish word meaning a gathering of poets and writers) and in 2012 the festival became purely about poetry and was named the Cork Spring Poetry Festival. In 2016 the festival rebranded as the Cork International Poetry festival to acknowledge the reach of our programme, which stretches around the globe.

Cork International Short Story Festival

In 2000, the Munster Literature Centre organised the first Frank O’Connor International Short Story Festival, an event dedicated to the celebration of the short story and named for one of Cork’s most beloved authors. The festival showcases readings, literary forums and workshops. In 2011, the festival took the new name of the Cork International Short Story Festival

Cúirt International Festival of Literature

Cúirt International Festival of Literature is one of Europe’s oldest book festivals, and a leading voice for literature both internationally and across Ireland. Cúirt brings readers and writers together to tell stories, share new perspectives, and to celebrate writing, books and reading in all forms.

Cork World Book Fest

Cork World Book Fest combines readings by world class writers in a variety of settings with a cultural street fair: book stalls, music, street entertainment, the spoken word, and more.

Dalkey Book Festival

The Dalkey Book Festival, now in its 13th year, showcases the best of Irish and international talent. Founded in 2010 by Sian Smyth and David McWilliams, Dalkey Book Festival celebrates and fosters literary talent in Ireland as well as hosting some of the world’s leading writers and thinkers.

Dingle Literary Festival

The Dingle Literary Festival was established in 2019 to create an annual book festival to bring readers and authors together in West Kerry. It’s a literary festival that celebrates living writers as well as honouring the literary heritage of the area. Festival events happen in both Irish and English and range across all genres and age groups.

Dromineer Nenagh Literary Festival

Founded in 2004 as Dromineer Literary Festival, incorporating Nenagh into its name in 2019.

Dublin Book Festival

The Dublin Book Festival is one of Ireland’s most successful and vibrant book festivals, running since June 2006.  The annual public festival showcases, supports and develops Irish publishing by programming, publicising and selling Irish published books, their authors, editors and contributors – all in an entertaining, festive, friendly and accessible environment that reflects the creativity and personality of the Irish publishing sector and its authors.

Éigse Michael Hartnett

An annual Literary and Arts Festival to honour poet Michael Hartnett.

Ennis Book Club Festival

In 2007 a small group of local volunteers, in association with Clare County Library, launched this yearly festival after identifying the need for a new literary and social event to replace the Ennis October Arts Festival.

Franco-Irish Literary Festival

The Franco-Irish Literary Festival is the result of the successful collaboration between Alliance Française Dublin, the French Embassy and a Franco-Irish committee composed of significant figures from the worlds of literature, publishing and academics. 

IMRAM Féile Litríochta Gaeilge

Aidhm IMRAM saibhreas na litríochta Gaeilge comhaimseartha a roinnt le cách agus an pobal a thabhairt linn ar aistear mistéireach. IMRAM brings its audiences on a ‘voyage of discovery’ that reveals the rich diversity of modern Irish language literature.

International Dublin Writers’ Festival

Our mission is to help writers excel and to provide opportunities for writers to learn from key industry professionals.

International Literature Festival Dublin

On an island of storytellers and in a city where books are treasured, International Literature Festival Dublin is Ireland’s leading literary event. Since 1998, we have brought the world’s finest writers together to enthral, engage and excite audiences.

Leaves Festival of Writing and Music

The Leaves Festival of Writing and Music 2021 celebrates that what can happen on the edges, remotely, away from the so-called given centre of things, keenly matters. Its contributors alert us to notice the richness and complexity of a detail, of the consequences of the disruption to ordinary routine, and what is not perhaps typically celebrated.

Limerick Literary Festival

The festival, formerly known as The Kate O’Brien Weekend, began in 1984 to mark the tenth anniversary of the death of Limerick-born Kate O’Brien. The event continues to celebrate the life and works of the author, while attracting prominent participants from all over the world.

Listowel Writers’ Week

Listowel Writers’ Week, Ireland’s oldest Literary and Arts Festival, where writers, artists and poets gather in the beautiful heritage town Listowel, County Kerry. We promote writing of all genres and create an environment in which literature can be appreciated by the widest possible audience.

Lit Young Writers Festival

The Lit Festival of Reading and Writing is a festival for young people by young people. Brought together through Waterford Youth Arts’ creative writing group, the festival began in 2017.

Look North! The North Belfast Festival

North Belfast’s rich culture and built heritage is to be recognised in a new Festival whose aim is to celebrate the story of North Belfast with its vibrant and diverse community.

noirland

NOIRELAND celebrates an island’s love of crime fiction, showcasing the amazing talent emerging from Ireland currently. We explore crime writing from across the world, and look at the impact Ireland has had on the genre: from the Irish cops of New York, to the sons and daughters of immigrants who have transformed crime fiction.

Ó Bhéal Winter Warmer Festival

A multilingual poetry festival held in Cork City each November since 2013, Ó Bhéal is proud to present its annual Winter Warmer weekend. One of the highlights of Cork’s literary calendar, this unique event hosts 23+ renowned poets and performers from Ireland and 7-8 other countries.

SPike ISland Literary Festival

The inaugural Spike Island Literary Festival takes place in September 2022. Dedicated to the popular theme of crime writing, visit an island location perfect for inspiring writers, with a dark history of 4 prisons over 400 years that has inspired many books.

Strokestown International Poetry Festival

The Strokestown International Poetry Festival was founded in 1999. It takes place annually on the first weekend of May, in Strokestown, Co. Roscommon. The weekend provides a world-renowned forum for excellence in poetry. 

Towers and Tales

Towers and Tales is a celebration of contemporary children’s literature and illustration, designed to give young audiences unforgettable, creative and transformational experiences with books.

West Cork Literary Festival

The West Cork Literary Festival in Bantry is one of Ireland’s foremost literary events.  Famous international and Irish writers, as well as established and emerging writers, gather in Bantry every year. There are master classes in various genre, readings and workshops, as well as interviews with authors, book launches and a myriad of other events.

Wild Atlantic Words

Founded in 2016, the Wild Atlantic Words literary festival aims to celebrate the literary heritage of our rugged coastline over several days of readings, recitals, debates and reflection, while also acknowledging our new and emerging writers.

Write Time Festival

Fingal Libraries fourth annual Write Time Festival takes place this September to celebrate the art and craft of creative writing. Throughout the month, Libraries will host free workshops and author talks to spark the imagination and inspire creativity.