City Hall, Dame St, Dublin Fri-Sun Adm free to all events 01-4151210 dublinbookfestival.comSome of Ireland's most celebrated women writers will take centre-stage this weekend at the second annual Dublin Book Festival. Edna O'Brien, Jennifer Johnston, Alice Taylor, Medbh McGuckian and Leland Bardwell will be among the 100 authors, poets, children's writers, social commentators and media types gathering at Dublin's historic City Hall for three days of free readings, debates, workshops and book launches.
The festival will also host a series of lively public debates: Michael D Higgins, Gerry Adams, Conor Kostick and Risteárd Mulchahy will debate the past and future of Dáil Éireann, while former RTÉ Washington correspondents Carole Coleman and Mark Little will join journalist and author Niall Stanage for a debate on the ascent of Barack Obama and the "New America". Senator Dan Boyle, Feidhlim Harty, Michael Kelly and Conor Pope will explore how we can live green on a budget, and Irish Timesfinancial journalists Caroline Madden and Laura Slattery will provide welcome advice on personal finance.
Children are invited to join some of their favourite authors and storytellers, including Kate Newmann, Joe O’Brien, Gabriel Rosenstock, Linda Moller, Celine Kiernan, Tadhg Mac Dhonnagáin, and Ceardlann Scríbhneoireachta and Gabriel Fitzmaurice for a series of free readings, workshops and storytelling sessions.
There will be lots of poetry events, with established names such as Dermot Bolger, Medbh McGuckian, Pat Doran, Gerard Smyth, Gerry Murphy and Vincent Woods sharing the podium with some of our most promising emerging poets.
A specially constructed bookshop will showcase the best of Irish publishing, and you can grab a coffee or a bite to eat between 10am and 6pm in the festival café. Entry is free and events are unticketed so all you have to do is show up.
