Programme 2023

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

17:00-18:00

Cuala

John Davis

David McWilliams

The David McWilliams Podcast Live

The aim of David’s podcast is to make economics easy, uncomplicated and accessible. With the world at a political, technological and financial tipping point, economics has never been so important to all of us and yet, it’s made inaccessible and complicated by so many. The podcast now has more than 200,000 downloads per week and has become essential listening for anyone interested in economics, politics and the world in which we live, with plenty of entertaining levity to help the...

John Davis

David McWilliams

18:30-19:30

Cuala

Dan Ariely

Dan Ariely: Hidden Forces That Play Tricks On Us

Dan Ariely, one of the world’s leading behavioural economists, applies scientific analysis of the human condition to a variety of dilemmas. The New York Times bestselling author of Predictably Irrational delves into the truly illogical world of the human brain and considers how social science can be used to create behavioural change. Expect to laugh, learn, and gain new perspectives. €25

Dan Ariely

19:00-20:00

The Vico

Paddy Cullivan

The Murder of Michael Collins with Paddy Cullivan

An audio-visual spectacular featuring shocking new research and incredible songs, unravelling the secrets and lies around who really shot Michael Collins. Why no autopsy, inquest or even a death certificate? Did he have a secret son in London? Was he planning to resume the war? Why such reticence- to this day- to find out the truth? This rollercoaster show will change your perceptions of Irish history forever. €15

Paddy Cullivan

19:15-20:15

Saint Patrick's Church

David McWilliams

Peter Frankopan

SOLD OUT: Peter Frankopan: The Earth Transformed

Taking us from the Big Bang to the present day and beyond, The Earth Transformed forces us to reckon with humankind’s continuing efforts to make sense of the natural world. One of the world’s leading historians, Peter Frankopan, returns to Dalkey with his outstanding latest masterpiece . Come and hear the author of The Silk Roads explain our relationship with the natural world through the Ages, how the planet and the climate has shaped and will change our world. ...

David McWilliams

Peter Frankopan

21:00-22:00

The Vico

SOLD OUT: The World at a Tipping Point

On the opening night of the festival we bring you an eclectic international panel, to assess the world at a tipping point. How will the war in Ukraine affect us, will Putin survive, what does history tell us, how will AI affect us all and, psychologically, are we equipped to deal with this complex and volatile globe? €25

Jana Bakunina

David McWilliams

Jennifer O’Connell

Dan Ariely

Peter Frankopan

21:00-22:00

Cuala

Dylan Moran

SOLD OUT: Dylan Moran: We Got This

We Got This is the brand new show from BAFTA and Perrier award winning comedian Dylan Moran. At the Irish premier, enjoy Dylan musing on the fruits of hurtling cognitive decline and the neighbours’ sprawling ghastliness, absence of humanity and so, so much more. These times have not been easy… A joyously furious romp through the frustration and folly of modern day life. €30

Dylan Moran

12:00-13:00

Seafront Marquee

Manchán Magan

Jennifer O’Connell

Listen to the Land: Manchán Magan

See the world in a new light in this magical exploration of the life-sustaining wisdom of what lies beneath our feet as Manchán Magan traces our ancestor’s footsteps, on a journey through bogs, across rivers and over mountains, uncovering the ancient myths that have shaped our national identity and are embedded in the strata of lands that have endured through millennia – from ice ages through to famines and floods. €20

Manchán Magan

Jennifer O’Connell

14:00-15:00

Seafront Marquee

SOLD OUT: Why History Matters

Are we condemned to repeat it? History is our compass, yet sometimes we don’t consider it. As Putin has shown, selective, valedictory history can be used to legitimise almost anything. If history is your thing, let’s explore why it matters , and why it seems to matter so much today. €20

Roy Foster

Ryan Tubridy

Naoíse Mac Sweeney

Peter Frankopan

15:30-16:30

The Vico

Katie Holten

Paul McMahon

Manchán Magan

Love Letter to Irish Trees

Katie Holten considers literature and landscape, fusing storytelling and art in a deeply beautiful celebration of trees through the ages. Holten unearths a new way to see the natural beauty all around us and provides an urgent reminder of what could happen if we allow it to slip away. Paul McMahon explains how Ireland lost its forests and explores how we can get them back. This event is for anyone who cares about the Irish landscape and environment €15

Katie Holten

Paul McMahon

Manchán Magan

15:30-16:30

Saint Patrick's Church

Terence Ward

Ramita Navai

Dylan Moran

Revolution in Iran?

Is forty years of Islamic revolution coming to an end? The last 12 months have seen protests, punishment, expectations and executions. It is clear this huge country of 82 million people is at boiling point. What happens next? €20

Terence Ward

Ramita Navai

Dylan Moran

16:00-17:00

Seafront Marquee

Ian Robertson

Ruby Wax

SOLD OUT: Ruby Wax: I’m Not As Well as I thought I was

Nobody can make the serious funny and the funny serious quite like Ruby Wax. These days trying to stay sane in a completely chaotic world makes life incredibly difficult. If you are feeling like this, you are not alone. Join Ruby as she shares her thoughts on her own experiences, including her ‘mental car crash’, and still sees the funny side. €25

Ian Robertson

Ruby Wax

16:45-17:45

Town Hall

Kathy Rose O’Brien

Mariella Frostrup

Mariella Frostrup: Keeping Yourself Together

Cracking the menopause with wisdom and humour, Mariella will bust some of the myths about what has for too long been a taboo but will be experienced by half the population! Broadcaster, journalist, campaigner, arts critic, agony aunt and host of the books programme on BBC Radio 4, Open book, Mariella turns her wit and intelligence to this important subject. €20

Kathy Rose O’Brien

Mariella Frostrup

18:00-19:00

The Vico

Roy Foster

Olivia O’Leary

Merve Emre

SOLD OUT: Ireland’s Artistic Golden Decade

One hundred years ago, Irish literature dominated the world. An artistic triumvirate of Joyce, Yeats, and Shaw pushed boundaries, paving the way for later greats such as Beckett. What was going on in the twenties and why did the decade produce such masterful works and what can we learn from it? Join us on Bloomsday. €18

Roy Foster

Olivia O’Leary

Merve Emre

18:15-19:15

Dalkey Church, Castle St.

Andrea Catherwood

Tom Hanks

SOLD OUT: Tom Hanks: The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece

Hollywood legend, Tom Hanks’s debut novel, The Making of Another Motion Picture Masterpiece is an insider’s view of what it really takes to make a movie. But, more than that, it is a reflection on America’s past and present, on the world of show business and the real world we all live in. To find out more about his novel and explore his path from film to fiction, join Andrea Catherwood in conversation with Tom Hanks. €59 (Ticket includes a copy of The Making of...

Andrea Catherwood

Tom Hanks

18:30-19:30

St Patrick's Church

Adam Kelly

Paul Murray

Paul Murray in Conversation

Paul Murray attained stardom with 2010’s Skippy Dies, a boarding school tragedy, whose decidedly eclectic fanbase included everyone from Bret Easton Ellis to (reportedly) David Cameron. His first novel in eight years, The Bee Sting, published this month concerns the disintegrating Barnes family – financially strapped parents Dickie and Imelda, and their two tearaway kids – who struggle to keep things together while the world around them takes on an increasingly apocalyptic hue. €18

Adam Kelly

Paul Murray

18:30-19:30

Town Hall

Jason McCue

Paying for War Crimes

Human rights lawyer, Jason McCue, is prosecuting the Russian invaders for their pillage of Ukraine. Listen to this passionate human rights lawyer, the only person to have successfully sued the IRA, as well as Al-Qaeda and Hamas. Now he has Putin and gang in his sights. Don’t miss this fascinating, awe-inspiring legal evangelist. €18

Jason McCue

19:15-20:15

Cuala

Ireland’s Coming Housing Rebellion: Generation War

The next election will be won and lost on the issue of housing. Not just in Ireland but all over the world, housing has split society – between rich and poor, young and old, native and immigrant. Housing is the revolutionary issue of our times, radicalising the electorate . How do we fix it? €20

Ciaran Mulqueen

Pat Leahy

Adrian Duncan

Jennifer O’Connell

Robert Shrimsley

19:30-20:30

The Heritage Centre

Frederick Studemann

Audrey Magee

SOLD OUT: The Colony

Imperialism, colonisation, language and art are carefully explored by Audrey Magee in her latest novel The Colony, shortlisted for the Orwell prize and longlisted for the Booker prize. Audrey Magee in conversation with the Literary Editor of the Financial Times, Fred Studemann. €15

Frederick Studemann

Audrey Magee

19:30-20:30

The Vico

Colm O’Regan

SOLD OUT: Climate Worrier: A Hypocrite’s Guide to Saving the Planet

Are you worried about All The Bad News On The Environment and laugh grimly at it all? Avoid despair and instead join Colm in an hour of stand-up comedy, memoir and even hope as he tries to grapple with Everything Being Broken and where he might start to help. Along the way, find out what Greta has in common with Irish aul lads, how to harness the power of Liveline and a simple trick for the first step in Doing...

Colm O’Regan

20:00-21:00

Town Hall

World on the Move

The world is knocking at the door. The Irish story is one of migration. Where do we stand? Immigration makes the world spin. Immigration makes the economy grow but while the economy gets workers, the society gets people. Will immigration become the biggest political issue in the future. And, if so, what does that future look like ? €17

Suad Aldarra

Razan Ibraheem

Olivia O’Leary

Ramita Navai

Sally Hayden

20:00-21:00

St Patrick's Church

Reimagining the City

The story of the city is the story of civilization. Most of our political, social, commercial, scientific and artistic revolutions have occurred in cities. The city is humankind’s greatest invention. In praise of cities, our panel explores what makes a good city, and what challenges the city faces in the 21st century. €20

Orla O’Kane

David McWilliams

Simon Kuper

Carolina Alves

Merve Emre

21:00-22:00

The Seafront

Deirdre O’Kane

Deirdre O’Kane: Demented

There’s a point beyond burnout where all you can do is laugh, and funny woman Deirdre O’Kane has well and truly reached it. Catch her brilliant new stand-up show, Demented in Dalkey . “Unique star quality.” – The Guardian €20

Deirdre O’Kane

21:00-22:00

Cuala

Paul Howard

SOLD OUT: The Dalkey Open Forum and my part in its downfall: Ross O’Carroll-Kelly

Ross O’Carroll-Kelly returns home to discuss the great events shaping the world – the end of Killiney’s Zero Zoning planning status, the new Lidl for Dalkey village and the proposed Government Levy on parents giving their children Protestant names. €30

Paul Howard

9:30-10:00

Coliemore Harbour

Easkey Britton

Wild Swim at Coliemore Harbour

Bring your togs and towel and join us for a swim led by Easkey Britton, author and champion surfer, in the picturesque Coliemore Harbour, a short walk from Dalkey along Coliemore Road on the way to the Seafront Marquee, where Easkey is speaking in A Sense of the Sea at 11am. FREE

Easkey Britton

10:00-12:30

The Vico

Jan Carson

SOLD OUT: Why Your Writing is Broken And How to Fix It: A Workshop

Join Belfast-based writer Jan Carson for this interactive and informative workshop focusing on the mistakes almost every writer makes and how to avoid making them in your own writing. There’ll be space to look at how you approach the act of writing and identify areas where you could significantly improve upon your creative process, as well as time set aside to explore where your writing’s going wrong on a sentence by sentence basis. This workshop will be incredibly practical, easy...

Jan Carson

10:00-14:00

Dalkey Library

Children’s Books Ireland

The Book Doctors

Are you a young reader? Looking for a new series to delve into? Children (with their parent/guardian) are invited to drop by for a consultation with one of Children’s Books Ireland’s friendly Book Doctors, who are ready to offer advice.When the Book Doctor is ready to see a patient, the consultation begins with some questions about books, activities, movies, tv shows and video games they have enjoyed. The Book Doctor will write a book prescription, a personalised list of books...

Children’s Books Ireland

10:30-11:30

Dalkey Library

Sarah Webb

SOLD OUT: Creative Bursts: A Workshop for Young Writers with Sarah Webb (Age 9+)

Join Sarah Webb for a fun hour of writing prompts based around all kinds of things, from nature and animals, to food, summer holidays and Dalkey itself. Sarah runs writing clubs for young writers every week and loves encouraging and supporting emerging writers. (Children aged 9+ can attend this workshop unaccompanied but must be ‘signed in’ and ‘signed out’ by an adult. Due to limited space and capacity, any adults wishing to stay must purchase a separate ticket). €10

Sarah Webb

11:00-12:00

Seafront Marquee

Ruth Freeman

Easkey Britton

A Sense of the Sea

The power of the sea, taste of the sea, smell of the sea, the mystery of the sea: the sea is all around us . As an island people, our environment has been formed by the ocean. We are so lucky to live beside it, but do we appreciate it? Sea, surf, salt, suimhneas; champion surfer, scientist and author of Saltwater in the Blood and Ebb and Flow, Easkey Britton on the joy of the water. €15

Ruth Freeman

Easkey Britton

11:00-12:00

Town Hall

Colm O’Regan

Ian Robertson

Inside the Brain of a Dictator

Absolute power distorts the human brain. Delusional certainty in the rightness of one’s own views and blindness to risk make absolute power so dangerous in a world leader. We go inside the mind of a dictator with neuroscientist, Prof Ian Robertson. €15

Colm O’Regan

Ian Robertson

11:30-12:30

Masonic Lodge

Madeleine Keane

Alice Ryan

There’s Been a Little Incident

There’s Been a Little Incident is a warm and very funny debut novel from Alice Ryan, Newcomer of The Year at The Irish Book Awards 2022. She tells Madeline Keane about her novel, a story of family, grief, and the ways we come together when all seems lost. €15

Madeleine Keane

Alice Ryan

12:00-12:45

Dalkey Library

Peter Donnelly

SOLD OUT: The Dead Zoo workshop with Peter Donnelly (Age 6+)

Join award winning children’s author and illustrator Peter Donnelly for the wonderful ‘Dead Zoo Workshop’. Peter will read from his bestselling book ‘TheDead Zoo’ followed by an illustration workshop where everyone will learn to draw some of the animals from The National History Museum. Suitable for 6+ and their adults. Due to limited space and capacity, all attendees must purchase a ticket. €10

Peter Donnelly

12:30-13:30

Town Hall

Fiach MacConghail

Corinna Salvadori Lonergan

Maylis Besserie

Barry McGovern

Merve Emre

SOLD OUT: Happy Days

Anyone who died with a copy of Dante’s Inferno by his bedside had to have a sense of humour.Laughter and doom, light and darkness, let’s talk Sam Beckett with our enthusiastic panelists ‘infected’ with Beckett and you might just get infected yourself. Beckett is dark, perplexing, existential, but there is also humour, humour that helps us endure, offering a way out, a means to dignify and redeem what might otherwise be insufferable anguish. €15

Fiach MacConghail

Corinna Salvadori Lonergan

Maylis Besserie

Barry McGovern

Merve Emre

12:30-13:30

St Patrick's Church

Naoise Nunn

Naoíse Mac Sweeney

The West: A New History of an Old Idea

The concept of “the West” is present in every daily interaction you have, from entertainment and politics to world markets and world history but the modern idea of the West was invented. “Western Civilization”, the concept of a single cultural inheritance extending from ancient Greece to modern times, is a powerful figment of our collective imagination. Let’s explode some of the myths that underpin the history we thought we knew – from the character of the ancient world, to the...

Naoise Nunn

Naoíse Mac Sweeney

12:30-13:30

Seafront Marquee

Donal Fallon

Roddy Doyle

Three Castles Burning Podcast with Donal Fallon & Roddy Doyle

Donal Fallon’s enormously popular social history podcast, dedicated to the story of Dublin, comes to Dalkey. Donal’s passion for history and interest in the lesser-known stories shine through in all his podcasts and expect no less in this special live event. €18

Donal Fallon

Roddy Doyle

13:00-14:00

Masonic Lodge

Idanna Pucci

Martina Devlin

World Odyssey of a Balinese Prince

The true story of Prince Djelantik who set sail for Europe on the eve of WWII to study medicine at the University of Amsterdam. He witnessed pivotal historical events, from Nazi-occupied Holland to Indonesia’s battle for independence after 400 years of Dutch colonial rule, and finally, the great changes provoked in Bali by unbridled development. His calling took him to far-flung corners of the planet, where he encountered everything from a pirate ambush in the South China Sea to his...

Idanna Pucci

Martina Devlin

14:00-15:00

Town Hall

SOLD OUT: China’s Path to Global Domination

China has never been more powerful. What does Beijing want and how will it get it? Will it invade Taiwan? Will it bankroll Russia? Or, will the limitations of a one party state cause it to grind to a halt? Since 1980 China has been the major global economic story. What about the hundreds of millions of Chinese people, what’s their story? What about China’s idea of its own history and the ideological significance of this, as well as ‘soft...

Jerusha McCormack

Bill Emmott

Simon Carswell

Naoíse Mac Sweeney

Jeffrey Goldberg

14:00-15:00

Seafront Marquee

Dylan Moran

Masha Gessen

Masha Gessen in conversation

Journalist in exile, persecuted in Moscow as one of the few openly queer public figures, Masha had to flee Russia or lose their children. Staff writer for The New Yorker and author of 12 books, including the National Book Award-winning The Future is History: How Totalitarianism Reclaimed Russia, Masha Gessen joins Dylan Moran for a wide-ranging discussion, which could go anywhere from Donbas to Dostoyevsky, why autocrats fear LGBT rights and what the West gets wrong about Putin. €25

Dylan Moran

Masha Gessen

14:15-15:15

Dalkey Church, Castle St.

Ruth Freeman

Brian Cox

The Good Ancestor with Brian Cox

Professor Brian Cox, particle physicist and celebrated scientist, explores and explains the wonders of our world , the fundamental scientific principles that explain not only the stories of the universe but answer mankind’s greatest questions. Do you ever stop to think how precious is the world we have inherited? Do we appreciate how fragile it is and how every one of us is a custodian of something wondrous? We share a common ancestor with all life on Earth. We’ve evolved in...

Ruth Freeman

Brian Cox

14:30-15:30

St Patrick's Church

Rick O’Shea

Helen Lewis

Online Gurus, Shams and Charlatans

Never have so many been bullshitted by so few. Every day produces another fraud , another scam, and yet our appetite for grifters appears insatiable. Whether it’s wellness influencers, Bitcoin evangelists or anti-woke crusaders, today’s charismatic internet gurus wield enormous power to shape our shared culture. If you’ve gone down a rabbit hole, this event is for you. €15

Rick O’Shea

Helen Lewis

14:30-15:30

Cuala

Ireland’s Next Government

All the polls and conventional wisdom suggest Sinn Féin will form the next government in Ireland but not “themselves alone”. Who will form the inevitable coalition and what economic policies must they pursue to deliver the change the electorate demands? How will it deliver on housing, energy, climate change and a United Ireland? Ireland at a Crossroads: who will win the next election and govern? €20

Naoise Nunn

Pat Leahy

David McWilliams

Jennifer O’Connell

14:30-15:30

Masonic Lodge

Patrick Freyne

Aifric Campbell

SOLD OUT: Love in the time of AI

Artificial intelligence and robotics are transforming the future of love and desire. What’s at stake in our human-machine relationships? What’s our future as parents, friends, lovers? The ethical quandaries of sex robots and the meaning of love in a world of AI are considered by Aifric Campbell, author of The Love Makers. €15

Patrick Freyne

Aifric Campbell

15:00-16:00

The Vico

Literature in the TikTok Age

In a world of TikTok time, attention spans are dwindling. What hope for immersive literature, slowly digested and appreciated? Is the novel over? And if so, will we miss it? E-books, audio books, moving images, and digital media are all demanding our attention, impacting our ability to focus. Do we have any space left for close reading? And how will technology shape the stories we read, hear, tell and dream? €15

Mark Little

Frederick Studemann

Roisin Kiberd

Merve Emre

15:30-16:30

Seafront Marquee

Is Putin Winning?

The war, according to Russia, is not about Ukraine, it is about the new world order. Is Russia a complex enigma, a brutal bully or a strategic geopolitical player? What does Russia really want? Is the new world order changing in the Kremlin’s favour? If so, what does it mean for all of us? €20

Bill Emmott

Jana Bakunina

Andrea Catherwood

Masha Gessen

16:00-17:00

St Patrick's Church

Jennifer O’Connell

Razan Ibraheem

Lea Ypi

Growing up in a Dictatorship

Lea Ypi grew up in totalitarian Albania, and Razan Ibraheem lived under Syria’s authoritarian regime and Isis terror . What was it like to grow up in the shadow of Big Brother? How did it shape them? And now that they have freedom, is there anything that they miss? €20

Jennifer O’Connell

Razan Ibraheem

Lea Ypi

16:00-17:00

Masonic Lodge

Karl Geary

Nicole Flattery

Jan Carson

SOLD OUT: Juvenile Not Delinquent

This is a very special event about urban life, poverty, class and, ultimately, the enduring joy of deep friendship. For anyone who remembers their teenage years – their coming of age, the friendships, the loves, the losses that make us who we are – this is the core of a fascinating discussion with two of Ireland’s most brilliant emerging talents. Drawing from two exceptional novels, authors of Nothing Special and Juno Loves Legs, Nicole Flattery and Karl Geary explore what...

Karl Geary

Nicole Flattery

Jan Carson

16:00-17:00

Dalkey Church, Castle St.

David McWilliams

David Brooks

SOLD OUT: Searching for America: David Brooks in conversation

Most read columnist in The New York Times, regarded as the most influential commentator in the United States, David Brooks explains America in turmoil. What drives this country? Why do Americans think the way they do and where is this likely to lead the globe in this tumultuous era? This wide-ranging interview will cover religion, politics, morality, ethics, and culture. In a society that is riven by fragmentation, hostility, and misperception, Brooks observes that all around us are people who...

David McWilliams

David Brooks

16:15-17:15

Cuala

Roddy Collins

Paul Howard

The Rodfather : Paul Howard and Roddy Collins

Inside the Beautiful (Ugly, Ridiculous, Hilarious) Game with the funniest man in football, Roddy Collins – a player (at 16 clubs), manager (at 12 clubs) and raconteur with a sharp eye for the absurdities of the game. He makes friends wherever he goes, along with some high-quality enemies. When John Delaney said he could get Roddy a job if he’d just stop criticising him, Roddy replied that he’d ‘rather dig holes in the road’. Roddy shares his adventures- the rows...

Roddy Collins

Paul Howard

16:30-17:30

Town Hall

Merve Emre

John Banville

SOLD OUT: John Banville in conversation

From the revered Booker Prize-winning author comesThe Singularities a playful, multi-layered novel of nostalgia, life and death, and quantum theory, which opens with the return of one of his most celebrated characters as he is released from prison. With sparkling intelligence and rapier wit, John Banville revisits some of his career’s most memorable figures, in an exhilarating and elegant novel as mischievous as it is brilliantly conceived. €18

Merve Emre

John Banville

17:00-18:00

Seafront Marquee

Colm O’Regan

Simon Kuper

Robert Shrimsley

SOLD OUT: Chums: the elite who run the UK

Westminster and Whitehall are swarming with old Oxonians who’ve attended the same balls and black tie dinners. Of the 17 post-war British prime ministers, 13 went to Oxford, including the latest one. In his book, Chums, Simon Kuper traces how the rarefied and privileged atmosphere of this narrowest of talent pools – and the friendships and world views it created – shaped modern Britain. From public school to Oxbridge, it’s a very small world at the top and has been...

Colm O’Regan

Simon Kuper

Robert Shrimsley

17:30-18:30

Heritage Centre

Corinna Salvadori Lonergan

Madeleine Keane

Victoria Kennefick

Nithy Kasa

SOLD OUT: Poetry Matters!

Poetry takes us to a different place, allowing us to see the world through a different lens. When we read poetry we think in a different way; it has never been more important to slow down, contemplate, feel and connect. Our contributors explain what poetry means to them and how it enriches their lives. To give us some more insights into their thought process, the contributors will read aloud one or two of their favourite poems, or poems that have...

Corinna Salvadori Lonergan

Madeleine Keane

Victoria Kennefick

Nithy Kasa

17:30-18:30

Masonic Lodge

Naoise Nunn

Alice Sherwood

The Fight against Fakery

Our world is full of fraud, fakery and forgery, people and products that are not what they seem. We no longer know whether we are talking to a person or a machine. Alice Sherwood argues that, although our counterfeit culture is shaped by powerful forces of evolution, economics, and technology, we can still come together to reclaim reality. €15

Naoise Nunn

Alice Sherwood

17:45-18:45

St Patrick's Church

Harry Barry

Stefanie Preissner

The Power of Connection

Dr Harry Barry shares advice and techniques for improving our skills of emotional connection. From the neuroscience behind communication to the role of verbal language, the importance of setting to the power of humour, there are tools you need to thrive in any networking or social situation. Learn how to improve social confidence, workplace communication and enhance emotional connection. €15

Harry Barry

Stefanie Preissner

18:00-19:00

Cuala

Aideen Howard

Roddy Doyle

Imagining Dublin with Roddy Doyle

Dublinese, Dubliners and Dublin, Roddy Doyle, the bard of the northside, has been invoking Dublin for four decades. Whether it’s two auld lads at a bar, single mothers in Barrytown, battered wives walking into Dublin doors, Roddy locates his characters, his drama, his words in our city. No one does Dublin quite like Doyle. €18

Aideen Howard

Roddy Doyle

18:00-19:00

Town Hall

Rick O’Shea

Liz Nugent

SOLD OUT: Liz Nugent in conversation

Sally Diamond cannot understand why what she did was so strange. She was only doing what her father told her to do, to put him out with the rubbish when he died. Twisted, shocking, and very, very, dark, Liz Nugent has created a character for the ages in Strange Sally Diamond, her fifth novel and fifth Number One bestseller. €15

Rick O’Shea

Liz Nugent

18:30-19:30

Seafront Marquee

Our World Unhinged?

The world is at war. Is the war in Ukraine akin to the Spanish Civil War? On one side are global forces of autocracy and on the other the forces of liberalism. Russia and China are lined up against the EU and the US. The rest of the world is up for grabs. Who is going to win? What does victory look like? What are the implications for all our lives? €20

Pat Leahy

Jana Bakunina

Carolina Alves

Jeffrey Goldberg

Masha Gessen

19:00-20:00

Heritage Centre

SOLD OUT: Peak Progressive?

Are the liberal left running out of things to liberate? As progressives colonise yet more areas of society, identifying things that can and cannot be said, ‘cancelling’ arguments and counter arguments , replacing discussion with indignation, many people who were on the side of liberalism now find themselves targets of radical progressives. How does this end? The Left keeps discovering, to its surprise, that the electorate is not Twitter. The “ordinary Joes’ have their own views and more importantly their...

Roisin Kiberd

Jennifer O’Connell

Robert Shrimsley

Janine Gibson

Helen Lewis

19:30-20:30

St Patrick's Church

Joseph O’Connor

Madeleine Keane

SOLD OUT: Joseph O’Connor in conversation

From the bestselling author of The Star of the Sea, comes the magnificent number one bestseller, as heard on BBC Radio 4, My Father’s House.‘Beautifully crafted’ and ‘sublime’, The Guardian describes it as ‘a literary thriller of the highest order’. Based on an extraordinary true story, My Father’s House is about an Irish priest in Rome who dedicates himself to helping those escaping from the Nazis. A powerful literary thriller, it is an unforgettable novel of love, faith and sacrifice. Join Joseph O’Connor in conversation with Madeleine...

Joseph O’Connor

Madeleine Keane

20:00-21:00

Town Hall

SOLD OUT: Europe at War

The war in Ukraine shatters many of our illusions about Europe. Peace, prosperity, democracy, are all in the balance. Europe will never be the same again. Eastern Europe is now a fortress, Ukraine a garrison and Western Europe needs to reimagine what Europe means, how Europe fights, and who will pay for this. Our panel from Germany, Britain, Netherlands, France, Russia and Albania will plot the next decade. €20

Frederick Studemann

Jana Bakunina

Colm O’Regan

Simon Kuper

Lea Ypi

20:15-21:15

Cuala

Friends with Benefits: Ireland and Britain

After the break up, where are the boundaries? We all know that Ireland and Britain are locked in a profoundly dysfunctional relationship, a 100-year divorce complicated by a problematic foster child, Northern Ireland. We can’t live with each other; we can’t live without each other. Ireland is in a new relationship with the EU, while Britain is resolutely single. As we eye each other up, can things ever be the same after Brexit? With or without you? €18

Naoise Nunn

Alice Sherwood

Andrea Catherwood

Robert Shrimsley

Dylan Moran

20:30-21:30

Seafront

Jennifer O’Connell

Helen Lewis

A History of Feminism in 11 Fights

Well-behaved women don’t make history: difficult women do. From strikers in saris to bomb throwing Suffragettes, feminist trailblazers have been airbrushed from history for being “difficult women”. Discover their stories in all their shocking, funny and unvarnished glory, and appreciate how they made a difference with Helen Lewis. €15

Jennifer O’Connell

Helen Lewis

11:00-12:00

Finnegan's

Martina Devlin

Donal Ryan

SOLD OUT: Donal Ryan does Finnegans

A favourite for Dalkey patrons is Finnegan’s on Sunday morning -whether with Maeve Binchy, Bono or Paul Muldoon. We are thrilled this year to welcome national treasure, Donal Ryan, author of The Spinning Heart and Booker longlisted Strange Flowers. His latest novel is The Queen of Dirt Island . Grab a ticket while you can to this special and intimate event. €15

Martina Devlin

Donal Ryan

12:00-13:00

Heritage Centre

SOLD OUT: France under President le Pen?

France is on fire. Macron is defiant about pension reform . Hundreds of thousands are taking to the streets. Is Le Pen set to be the next President as some polls suggest? To assess the mood in France, predict the coming year and whether the anger is peculiarly French or might spill into other nations, join our panel, chaired by Fiach MacConghail, with the FT’s Robert Shrimsley and three very different writers who live in France. €15

Fiach MacConghail

Maylis Besserie

Simon Kuper

Robert Shrimsley

Jan Carson

12:30-13:30

Town Hall

Merve Emre

Richard Ford

SOLD OUT: Richard Ford in Conversation

Regarded as one of the grand figures of contemporary American literature, Pulitzer Prize winner Richard Ford, talks to Merve Emre about his prolific career, his influences, his process , and his enduring relationship with Ireland. His latest novel, Be Mine, is the final instalment in the world of Frank Bascombe, one of the most indelible characters in American literature. €20

Merve Emre

Richard Ford

12:45-13:45

Seafront Marquee

Brian Cox

The Edge

SOLD OUT: Brian Cox and The Edge in Conversation

Meet the rockstar who wanted to be a scientist and the scientist who wanted to be a rockstar. Edge was an engineering student then a band got in the way; Brian was in a band , then science got in his way. Join this extraordinary pair as they explore the wonders of science, from how the earth looks from space to black holes, quantum mechanics and maybe a few riffs on music too. Their first demo. Don’t miss it! Brian...

Brian Cox

The Edge

13:00-14:00

The Vico

Kevin Gildea

Ian MacPherson

Very Smart and Funny Lunacy

Author and comedian Ian MacPherson talks to Kevin Gildea about his latest novel Hewbris (Dublinese for hubris), how his comedy career morphed into a writing one, the difference between the two forms and, no doubt a lot more, served up with a dose of laughter. €15

Kevin Gildea

Ian MacPherson

13:30-14:30

Heritage Centre

Adam Kelly

Mark O’Connell

SOLD OUT: Making a Murderer

In 1982 Malcolm MacArthur, a wealthy heir, found himself suddenly without money. The solution, he decided, was to rob a bank. He would need a gun and a car. In procuring them, he killed two people, and the circumstances of his eventual arrest in the apartment of the attorney general nearly brought down the government. In A Thread of Violence, O’Connell unravels the mysteries surrounding these horrific and inexplicable crimes. This story also concerns the endlessly complex relationship between a...

Adam Kelly

Mark O’Connell

14:15-15:15

Cuala

The World in 2025

The world is at a ‘Tipping Point’. It could go either way. Join us as we explore the emerging themes and threads that will define the coming year of geo-politics and economics across the globe? Our panel looks at the known knowns, the unknown knowns and even the unknown unknowns that are likely to shape our world in the coming year and just beyond. €20

Pamela Reeves

David McWilliams

Carolina Alves

Lea Ypi

Linda Yueh

14:30-15:30

Town Hall

Oliver Jeffers

The Edge

SOLD OUT: Meanwhile Back on Earth: Oliver Jeffers & The Edge (Age 12+)

Artist Oliver Jeffers (Here We Are) is the mind behind Our Place in Space, an epic sale model of the solar system that inspired his latest picture book, Meanwhile Back on Earth – a story that explores the universe. Go on a journey with Oliver, who will be joined by The Edge, someone who certainly knows a thing or two about science. (This event is not suitable for children) €25

Oliver Jeffers

The Edge

15:00-16:00

Seafront Marquee

Rick O’Shea

Sebastian Barry

SOLD OUT: Sebastian Barry: Old God’s Time

From the bestselling author of Days Without End and The Secret Scripture comes Old God’s Time. One of the most soulful living writers in the English language, Sebastian Barry returns to Dalkey, the setting for Old God’s Time. Come to hear the author that The Atlantic magazine rightly claims ‘ought to be widely read and revered’ and ‘ought to be a laureate for fiction everywhere’. €18

Rick O’Shea

Sebastian Barry

15:00-16:00

Heritage Centre

Declan Hughes

Elaine Feeney

How to Build a Boat with Elaine Feeney

Jamie loves the colour red. He also loves tall trees, patterns, rain that comes with wind, the curvature of many objects, books with dust jackets, cats, rivers and Edgar Allan Poe. There are two things he wants in life: to build a Perpetual Motion Machine, and to connect with his mother, who died when he was born. At his new school, where all else is disorientating and overwhelming, he finds two people who might just be able to help him....

Declan Hughes

Elaine Feeney

15:00-16:00

The Vico

Sarah Gilmartin

Jan Carson

Service: Sarah Gilmartin

The waitress. The chef. The chef’s wife. Three different stories, but which one contains the truth? When Hannah learns that famed chef Daniel Costello is facing accusations of sexual assault, she’s thrust back to the summer she spent as a waitress. Hannah remembers how the chef’s attention morphed from kindness into something darker. His lawyers breathing down his neck, the chef is in a state of disbelief: is it all to fall apart because of something he can barely remember?...

Sarah Gilmartin

Jan Carson

15:45-16:45

Cuala

David McWilliams

Linda Yueh

The Coming Economic Crash (and what to do about it)

As the world could possibly be facing yet another global financial meltdown, Linda Yueh traces ten earlier crises . Each serves as a cautionary tale with its own set of lessons to be learned. Financial crises are inevitable, Yueh warns where the next one might come from and shows how her novel thinking could contain it. €20

David McWilliams

Linda Yueh

16:00-17:00

Town Hall

SOLD OUT: The Return of America

Writing off the United States is a perennial pastime, but this year the US has re-emerged if not stronger than ever, certainly with more might on the international stage. Where would Ukraine be today without America? Who would defend Europe? And , culturally, and artistically the United States remains preeminent. Could its best days be ahead? €15

Terence Ward

Andrea Catherwood

Jeffrey Goldberg

Masha Gessen

16:30-17:30

The Vico

Paul Charles

John Connolly

Adventures in Wonderland with Paul Charles & John Connolly

When the best crime writer to come out of Ireland describes a memoir as the best of its kind to come out of Ireland, it’s time to sit up and listen. John Connolly talks to Paul Charles about his amazing life at the forefront of the music revolution. You don’t get to be the gatekeeper at Glastonbury without knowing your onions. Adventures In Wonderland is a unique insight into the world – and the business – of music. A must-read...

Paul Charles

John Connolly

16:30-17:30

Heritage Centre

Chris Morash

Declan Hughes

SOLD OUT: Dublin, A Writer’s City

The words of its writers are a part of the texture of Dublin, an invisible counterpart to the bricks and pavement we see around us. Beyond the ever-present footsteps of Leopold Bloom in the city centre and out to Seamus Heaney’s Sandymount overlooking Dublin Bay, nearby Yeats’ birthplace, on out to Samuel Beckett’s Dun Laoghaire pier from where we can see the Martello Tower linking us back to James Joyce and the opening of Ulysses. Chris Morash has written a...

Chris Morash

Declan Hughes

17:30-18:30

Town Hall

Mark Little

Andrea Catherwood

Ramita Navai

SOLD OUT: Dying to Tell a Story: War Correspondents

The job of the war correspondent is to take calculated risks to confront the uncomfortable, to witness on behalf of others, to tell the world what is going on and to do so without fear or favour. Andrea Catherwood covered wars in Kosovo and Iraq as well as Afghanistan where she was injured in a suicide bomb attack. Iranian-British journalist Ramita Navai was the first reporter to go undercover with ISIS and survive. This event is not for the faint-hearted....

Mark Little

Andrea Catherwood

Ramita Navai

18:00-19:00

The Vico

Paddy Cullivan

SOLD OUT: The Murder of Wolfe Tone

Historical entertainer, Paddy Cullivan, brings you the incredible story of the mysterious death of Theobald Wolfe Tone, the founding father of Irish Republicanism. An audio-visual spectacular featuring hundreds of images, shocking new research and incredible songs, Paddy dares to unravel the secrets and lies around what happened that fateful week in the Provost’s Prison in November 1798. €15

Paddy Cullivan

19:00-20:00

Dalkey Church

Fintan O’Toole

Bono

SOLD OUT: Bono and Fintan O’Toole in conversation

What can we say about this event? Two Dubliners, two lives, two books- Bono and Fintan O’Toole. Beg, borrow or steal to be at this one. Enough said. €40

Fintan O’Toole

Bono

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Programme 2023

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