UPCOMING Events
Tickets will be on sale soon.
For now mark your calendars! Pre-Sale begins on 23rd April, and General Sale begins on 25th April.

The David McWilliams Podcast Live
5 pm, Cuala
To understand economics, you must understand human nature! What better time to discuss economics, both national and global? A live recording of the hugely popular podcast that aims to make economics and finance accessible, digestible and fun.
David McWilliams and John Davis
Joseph O'Neill: An Exile Returns
6.30 pm, St Patrick's Church
Very few novelists can claim an American President as their biggest fan, but Joseph O'Neill’s 'Netherland' was Barack Obama’s stand out read during his early years in the White House. Back from New York, we are thrilled to welcome the author of the publishing sensation 'Netherland', Cork-born Joseph O'Neill, to talk about his new novel, Godwin. A New York Times 'Best Book of the Year', Godwin recounts a global story of globalisation, imperialism, exploitation and ultimately hope, through the prism of football. O'Neill also writes unmissable political essays for the New York Review of Books and cultural criticism for The Atlantic Monthly so expect a beautiful fusion of fact and fiction, precisely what we need to understand our complex world today.
Joseph O'Neill with Rick O'Shea
Think with Pinker
6.30 pm, Cuala
Steven Pinker, one of the world’s most influential intellectuals and Professor of Psychology at Harvard, returns to Dalkey. Pinker, an experimental psychologist who is interested in all aspects of language and mind, is the author of 12 books including The Blank Slate, How the Mind Works, The Language Instinct and Rationality. In conversation with Ireland's favourite scientist, Luke O'Neill. This will blow your mind.
Steven Pinker with Luke O'Neill
The World at War: From Pax Americana to Pox Americana
8 pm, Cuala
As Pax Americana morphs into Pox Americana, and Europe faces a war on two fronts, a trade war with America and a deadly war with Russia, peace seems like a distant memory. Who knows where this will end. Are we facing a return of the 1930s? A European army is on the cards, Germany is re-arming at a rate not seen for generations, while the Middle East remains in flames. Strong men with strong opinions are strong-arming the weak. Countries are going nuclear, Russia is likely to test NATO’s article 5 and we think Ireland can remain neutral, aloof because protected by the rest. What comes next for a world on the edge?
Joseph O’Neill, Avi Shlaim, Jana Bakunina, David McWilliams with Mark Blyth
Scarlet Pimpernel of the Vatican: The Ghosts of Rome
8 pm, St Patrick’s Church
Local hero Joseph O’Connor thrillingly retells the extraordinary true story of Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty and his mission to save thousands of Jews in Nazi-occupied Rome. With the help of his ‘Choir’ of associates, this man from Kerry, who spoke seven languages, risked his life to operate an escape route for Jews and Allied soldiers. A beautiful and nuanced thriller in which the Rome of 1944 is as much a character as the main protagonists.
Joseph O’Connor with Madeleine Keane
Nature Boy: Birdsong and Belonging
12pm, Seafront
On a mission to record the birdsong of every species in Ireland, ornithologist Seán Ronayne's journey around the island is a celebration of birds as well as the healing power of nature. He chats to Ruth Freeman about how he struggled to fit in at school but found that, in nature, surrounded by birdsong there was solace and great joy. While reminding us of environmental dangers, Seán, or “Nature Boy” as his family call him, has a passion for the natural world that cannot fail to uplift you.
Seán Ronayne with Ruth Freeman
Data Points: Telling Stories with Numbers
1.30pm, St Patrick's Church
Revealing the hidden secrets in the figures is one of the most graceful forms of communication and because numerical facts are so powerful, they can elucidate, allowing readers to understand what’s really going on. Yet few writers can do it. You are supposedly either good with words or numbers but not the two. What about being good at both? In our data-driven world, the numbers don’t lie but how do you tell memorable stories with numbers? Join masters of the game to see how you can make data dance.
John Burn-Murdoch, Mark Blyth, with Colm O'Regan
Memoirs of an Arab Jew
1.30 pm, Seafront
You can be a Russian Jew, an Irish Jew and an American Jew, but can you also be an Arab Jew? This is the point that Avi Shlaim, an Arab Jew, makes in his fascinating memoir. From the streets of Baghdad where he was born, to the flight of Jews from Iraq, the birth of the new state of Israel and the subsequent wars and occupations that have blighted the region, Avi Shlaim takes us on a fascinating, complicated and unresolved journey. Avi’s amazing book is almost impossible to put down. If you want to really understand the Middle East, don’t miss this show.
Avi Shlaim with David McWilliams
Eat to Beat Disease
3pm, St Patrick’s Church
We are what we eat, that much we know, but do you realise that you can beat the chance of developing disease with food? Is your diet feeding or defeating disease? We are at a turning point in our understanding of how to prevent and fight disease. Pioneering physician, scientist and New York Times bestselling author, Dr. William Li has spent 20 years exploring food as medicine. The food industry doesn’t care about health and the health industry does not care about food but Will bridges the scientific and the culinary to reveal the medical science behind your diet and how you can improve your health, your quality of life and your chances of developing disease. Come to learn about the 'foods that could save your life' and 'let food be thy medicine”.
William Li with Ruth Freeman
The Psychology of Money
3pm, Seafront
A psychologist and an economist talk money and why it is impossible to understand humanity without understanding our 20,000 year relationship with money. In his latest book, David argues that money is the key technology that explains the success of modern humanity. 'Money: A Story of Humanity' - nominated as economics book of the year by the Financial Times, The Economist, and The Guardian - traces the history of money from the Stone Age to Bitcoin. Steven Pinker, cognitive and evolutionary psychologist and one of the world's most prominent intellectuals, also argues in his forthcoming book, 'When Everyone Knows That Everyone Knows…' that understanding money is fundamental to understanding humanity. Join an economist and a psychologist, who come from different angles but arrive at similar conclusions, as they trace the story of humanity through the lens of money - something we use every day yet so few of us truly understand. Let's talk about money like you've never talked about it before.
David McWilliams with Steven Pinker
We Need To Talk About Hitler
3pm, Cuala
Some names echo through history like a warning bell, and none louder than Hitler. But nearly a century on, have we really reckoned with his legacy, or merely flattened it into cliché? Acclaimed historian Katja Hoyer digs beneath the mythology to explore how one man, and the conditions that enabled him, still shape our politics, fears, and collective memory. From far-right resurgence to historical amnesia, this is a vital interrogation of power, propaganda, and the terrifying ease with which democracies can unravel. Just for a bit of extra spice Katja will be chatting to Fred Studemann whose great uncle was one of the officers involved in the plot to assassinate Hitler in 1944.
Katja Hoyer and Fred Studemann
Michael Lewis in Conversation
4.30pm, Cuala
The best-selling author of The Big Short, Liar’s Poker, Flash Boys, Moneyball, and The Blind Side sits down for the first time at Dalkey with Patrick Freyne. In the time of Musk, Trump and DOGE, America’s favourite chronicler comes to Dalkey to explain who really runs America. With his trademark incisiveness and gift of taking complex issues of business, economics and finance and turning them into compelling page-turners, Michael Lewis is unmissable. If you want to understand America 2025, don’t miss this conversation.
Michael Lewis with Patrick Freyne
Ukraine at War; The Death of a Soldier Told by His Sister
4.30pm, St Patrick’s Church
Historian, writer and the Director of the Ukrainian Institute London, Olesya Khromeychuk tells the story of her brother who was killed in action while serving on the frontline in Eastern Ukraine. In The Death of a Soldier Told by His Sister, Olesya uses her own testimony to explain Russia’s attack on Ukraine in 2014 and the full-scale invasion of 2022, the resistance of her compatriots, and what is at stake for the rest of the democratic world.
Olesya Khromeychuk with Andrea Catherwood
Our Longing to Matter
6pm, Seafront
Rebecca Goldstein, one of America’s most prominent public intellectuals, winner of the MacArthur ‘genius’ award, dazzled us in Dalkey in 2018 talking about why philosophy matters. Her latest work grapples with the most fundamental human desire: to matter. Mattering is lodged deep in the core of humanity – it is our most profound longing, and our most opaque. It is a force essential to motivation and human flourishing, the source of endless frustration, division, and tribalism (if this matters, how can this matter too; if we matter, how can you matter too?). And yet, this desire to matter can also save us. In a world where many of us are experiencing what Goldstein calls a crisis of mattering, perhaps we are finally poised to accept that this insatiable longing that drives humans to such different ends may also be the key to truly understanding each other. Her new book, The Mattering Instinct, isn’t out yet but you can be among the first to hear about it in this very special event.
Rebecca Goldstein and Ian Robertson
Our London Lives
6pm, Heritage Centre
In this sprawling epic novel tracing the lives of two Irish outsiders spanning four decades, Christine Dwyer Hickey examines isolation, loneliness, connection, ambition, disappointment, loss and the nature of love. Against the backdrop of the ever-changing city of London, this is a rich and moving novel that Claire Kilroy describes as “huge of heart and soaring of soul”. Winner of the Dalkey Literary Award for her previous novel,'The Narrow Land', we are delighted to welcome Christine to Dalkey.
Christine Dwyer Hickey with Andrea Catherwood
Inside the Slavic Mind
6pm, Saint Patrick’s Church
Europe feels increasingly threatened from the East by a Slavic leader who references “The Slavic Nation”. But who are these people Putin speaks about? Where did they come from? Are Slavs a coherent group and, if so, what forms their worldview? The Kremlin speaks of one pan-Slavic world, but how can a culture that has produced everyone from Tolstoy to Tito, Chopin to Boban, Pushkin to Pussy Riot ever be one entity? The Slavs live beside us, yet we know so little about them. Is there such a thing as a Slavic world view? If not, what is Putin on about?
Danijela Crljen, Jana Bakunina, Zhanna O’Clery with Gerry MacCarthy
Longley’s Legacy
6pm, Cuala
Michael Longley, one of our most celebrated poets, died in January 2025, leaving a remarkable legacy that spanned over 50 years. Described by our own poet President as ‘a peerless poet’, he formed part of the Belfast triumvirate with Seamus Heaney and Derek Mahon. Like Heaney, Michael was a classicist, his work infused with references to ancient mythology, perhaps most famously in his Homeric poem Ceasefire. We are delighted to celebrate the legacy of Longley with some of Ireland's most important writers: John Banville, Wendy Erskine and Paul Muldoon, Pulitzer Prize winner, for whom Michael was a spiritual guide. In conversation with Merve Emre, author, literary critic and professor.
Paul Muldoon, John Banville, Wendy Erskine with Merve Emre
Roger Casement, Irish Hero
7.30pm, Seafront
Described by his hangman at Pentonville prison as 'the bravest man I have ever had the displeasure to walk up the scaffold’, Roger Casement, a fierce international fighter for justice, was a tolerant liberal and explosive force driven by righteous anger. A global superstar, he became a one-man walking NGO and standard-bearer for the anti-colonialist movement. From Congo to Peru and back home to Ireland, Casement fought for the rights of dispossessed peoples wherever he saw them. A gay, Protestant, Irish revolutionary, a man of contradictions and complexity, he was only recently rehabilitated in Ireland. Is there a more heroic Irish figure than Roger Casement? Come listen to a Booker Prize winner and an Oscar winner talk about Casement, his life and his legacy.
John Banville and Neil Jordan with Caroline Erskine
Gen Z: Betrayed?
7.30pm, Cuala
Locked out of the housing market, living precariously online, working in badly paid jobs, suffering poor mental health, Gen Z - the most populous generation in Ireland - appear lost. Have they been betrayed by the neurotic Millennials, slacker Gen Xers and hoover-it-all up Baby Boomers? And why are Gen Z -men lurching to the right, while Gen Z -women are steadfast Left? Let’s attempt to understand the generation that will underpin us all.
John Burn-Murdoch, Finn McRedmond, Robert Shrimsley, Frida Isberg with Naoise Nunn
Charlotte Brontë
7.30pm, Heritage Centre
Devlin’s latest book, Charlotte, explores the life of Charlotte Brontë through the eyes of Mary Nicholls, the second wife of Brontë’s widower, Arthur Bell Nicholls. Set against the backdrop of 19th century Ireland, the narrative intertwines themes of love, loss and legacy, shedding new light on the iconic author’s brief yet impactful marriage, and her enduring connection to Ireland. This discussion will captivate Brontë fans.
Martina Devlin with Sinéad Moriarty
Tariffs, Trade, Trumpcession
7.30pm, St Patrick’s Church
Lenin said if you want to smash the international order, destroy trade - and that’s exactly what Donald Trump is trying to do. The 1930s was the last time the world entered a trade war and a real war wasn’t far behind. Ireland, the most open trading country in the world, has most to lose from tariffs. How do they work, can they succeed and what will the world economy look like if America retreats behind the oceans? What happens to China, Europe and to the price of everything? If we retaliate, what does that mean and can the world avoid a recession if the Americans leave the stage?
Ed Luce, Mehreen Khan, David McWilliams with Mark Blyth
Dirty Linen
9pm, Heritage Centre
Focusing on the small community of Tullylish during The Troubles, Martin Doyle’s deeply moving and sensitive memoir considers in careful detail the sectarianism, hatred, violence and trauma as well as cross community kindnesses experienced in this period. Doyle grew up in the 'murder triangle' where the UVF killed their Catholic neighbours and republicans targeted soldiers, police and innocent Protestants. Devastated by paramilitary violence, this tiny region saw twenty murders in only a few square miles. Wounds that are ignored do not heal. Martin Doyle bears witness.
Martin Doyle with Martina Devlin
Horace Panter: Ska’d for Life
9pm, Cuala
Sir Horace Gentleman founded The Specials with Jerry Dammers. The band revolutionised British music. Central to the ska, punk, and two-tone movements, Specials bassist Horace Panter, takes us inside the wild, political, and irresistible world of the ska years that defined a generation. In conversation with Tony Clayton-Lea, this is a night of rhythm, rebellion, and remarkable stories—from Top of the Pops to Thatcher’s Britain, from two-tone suits to timeless tunes. Expect wit, wisdom, and a few backstage secrets from one of music’s most iconic bands.
Horace Panter with Tony Clayton-Lea

Playing with Words: A Creative Writing Workshop with Sarah Webb (Age 9+)
10am, Library
If your child likes playing with words and writing, they will love this interactive workshop with Sarah Webb, Award-Winning Children’s Author, who runs weekly writing clubs for children and teenagers. From painting pictures with your words, to call and response poems, join Sarah for an hour of creative fun in Dalkey Library.
Sarah Webb
Flash Fiction Workshop (Age 18+)
10.30am, Northover Hall
This generative workshop, suitable for beginners as well as writers with some experience, will look at flash fiction - short stories typically under 500 words - and explore the challenges and the benefits of working within this compressed, intense form. For lovers of succinct storytelling, this flash fiction workshop invites you to hone your craft under the guidance of Claire Hennessy, writer, editor, and seasoned creative writing facilitator. Best known for her acclaimed young adult novels and award-winning short fiction, Claire brings nearly two decades of experience nurturing writers’ voices. Through lively exercises and insightful prompts, she will help you explore how to distill a world of meaning into a few powerful paragraphs. Join this engaging session to spark your creativity, refine your mastery of brevity, and celebrate the joy of storytelling in its most compact, poignant form.
(This writing workshop for up to a maximum of 15 adults will run from 10.30 am to 1pm.)
Claire Hennessy
How to Read A Poem with Paul Muldoon
11am, Town Hall
We are honoured to have Pulitzer prize winner Paul Muldoon - widely regarded as the best poet of his generation - in Dalkey at this very special event. Muldoon will select a poem (or poems) published in a literary journal in the preceding week and, along with the help of you, the audience, will deconstruct the poem. “Poetry is the Rhythmical Creation of Beauty” so said Edgar Allan Poe, but it is a beauty that requires skill to unveil. This show will highlight strategies to help you make sense of the contemporary poem. All are welcome. The only prerequisite? An open mind.
Paul Muldoon
A True Story of Madness
11am, Masonic Lodge
In a raw and riveting conversation, Mary Ann Kenny joins broadcaster and writer Barbara Scully to share her extraordinary memoir, The Episode, an unflinching account of mental illness, survival, and the blurred boundaries between sanity and suffering. Kenny’s story invites us into the heart of psychiatric institutions and the realities of a system often ill-equipped to heal. This is not just a tale of madness, but of resilience, love, and what it means to reclaim your life. A rare and necessary event that promises to move, unsettle, and enlighten.
Mary Ann Kenny with Barbara Scully
Goodbye America!
11:30am, Fitzpatrick Castle
We will miss it when it’s gone, won’t we? Trump’s America is leaving us. It has decided that Europe is the enemy, so too is Canada and Mexico. Washington wants to annex Greenland and abandon Ukraine while it cosies up to the Kremlin. So long the protector of the global legal order, Trump is taking a chainsaw to everything from USAid to Voice of America. As the US turns inwards, what will it look like, what will replace it and could isolation lead to ultimate regeneration? Will its democracy survive? And how will Trump try to export the MAGA rebellion? This provocative conversation will explore the cultural, political, and moral unravelling of a once-idealised nation. Join us for a sharp, timely, and essential discussion in an age of global realignment.
Lionel Shriver, Mary Cregan, Simon Kuper, Pat Leahy with Jennifer O’Connell
Girl on Girl: How Pop Culture Turned Women Against Themselves
11:30am, Heritage Centre
From the cool girl to catfights, pop culture has long shaped how women see and judge each other. Sophie Gilbert unpacks the subtle and insidious ways film, television, and celebrity culture have pitted women against one another in the name of empowerment. What happens when the stories we consume turn solidarity into rivalry, and how might we write a different ending?
Sophie Gilbert with Caroline West
The Dead Zoo with Peter Donnelly (Age 5-8)
12pm, Dalkey Library
Join bestselling children’s author and illustrator Peter Donnelly for fun and lively readings from The Dead Zoo picture book series: The Dead Zoo and The Great Discovery. Meet Mr Gray and a host of characters that reside in Dublin's Natural History Museum! An engaging and colourful event for 5-8 year olds with lots of audience participation.
Peter Donnelly
Who Owns Your Mind? DeepSeek, ChatGPT and the Empire of AI
12pm, Seafront
What is Artificial Intelligence, who owns it and do you have any idea what you are giving away? Our lives are about to be remade by artificial intelligence—or to be more accurate, by a few companies run by a few very self-confident, extremely rich and influential people. If you ever wondered whether all of this is inevitable, whether to believe the promises of tech luminaries, whether we could save a little bit of our democracy in the age of AI, then this is the show for you. To discuss your future in their hands join Karen Hao, whose new book, Empire of AI, is just out, and Des Traynor, one of Ireland’s most successful tech entrepreneurs and CFO of the unicorn, Intercom.
Karen Hao and Des Traynor with Mark Little
The Inheritance
12:30pm, Masonic Lodge
Spanning continents, generations & the lingering shadows of an empire, The Inheritance, is a luminous novel of love, betrayal, and the secrets we carry. In this intimate conversation, Cauvery Madhaven explores the complex legacies of colonialism, identity and belonging through her critically acclaimed book - praised by Donal Ryan as 'brilliantly written' and hailed by Graham Norton for its heart and honesty. A rich, moving discussion on the stories that bind us.
Cauvery Madhaven with Barbara Scully
Dalkey Colouring Adventure (from age 4 and up)
12.30pm-4.30pm, Library
Drop in to Dalkey Library, unwind and colour in Dalkey’s vibrant wildlife, including dolphins, lobsters, and local landmarks like Vico Baths and Dalkey Castle! It's a perfect way to relax and engage with the beauty of Dalkey. Jennifer Delaney, illustrator, celebrates the wonders of the natural world, inspiring participants of all ages to explore science topics like microscopy, botany, and astronomy. She brings her oversized Dalkey-themed colouring poster to the festival, inviting all to join in the fun of colouring.
(Timings are flexible, you can stay for 5 mins or 50 mins, it’s up to you! Children should be supervised at all times. )
Jennifer Delaney
Shakespeare in a Divided America
12:30pm, Town Hall
James Shapiro’s brilliant Shakespeare in a Divided America shows us the eternal relevance of Shakespeare’s plays, which continue to cast a spell over American politics. For centuries, Shakespeare has played a crucial role in the culture and politics of the United States – more pivotal than we might realise. In 2025, with the US perhaps more discombobulated than ever, Shapiro, Professor of English at Columbia and author of '1599: A Year in the Life of William Shakespeare', is once again right on the money.
James Shapiro and Fintan O’Toole
Why Gen Z Dig Dostoevsky
12:30pm, St Patrick’s Church
What draws digital natives to the dark brilliance of a 19th-century Russian existentialist? In a world of memes, microtrends, and short attention spans, Dostoevsky’s explorations of guilt, freedom, alienation and the human psyche are finding fervent new readers. This conversation delves into why Gen Z are embracing White Nights , currently a massive bestseller across Ireland and the UK. Is it the Russian angst or could it just be because it's short, cheap, and a TikToK sensation? Or does it say about the mood of a generation searching for meaning in chaotic times?
Jana Bakunina, Jess Kelly, Finn McRedmond, Max McGuinness with Merve Emre
Anatomy of a Short Story
1pm, Heritage Centre
Have you ever thought about how writers write? The brilliant Wendy Erskine takes us inside the head of the writer in this unique event, explaining the choices she makes when she crafts her award-winning short stories. By teasing out one short story, on a sentence or paragraph level, Wendy will generously share how she writes, what narrative techniques she employs and how they work on the reader. If you are interested in understanding how and why a story works, this mesmerising show will be right up your street.
Wendy Erskine
Let Me Go Mad in My Own Way
1pm, The Vico
In Let Me Go Mad In My Own Way, Elaine Feeney turns her gaze inward. In this unflinching novel, the Dalkey Literary Award-winning author explores grief and the legacy of violence with raw poetic precision. Feeney’s novel reflects on what it means to lose your grip, in order to find your voice. In conversation with Madeleine Keane.
Elaine Feeney with Madeleine Keane
The World After Gaza
1:30pm, Cuala
Is Gaza a line in the sand or are people really just viewing it as 'everyday' massacre, like the Rohingya or Sudanese slaughters? What does watching mass-murder on your phone actually mean for humanity? Does the TikTok-isation of ethnic cleansing mean indifference? Is this what the 21st century will be about, where one race attempts to annihilate another and the world just shrugs? Or will it be one where terrorist groups drag all the people of that race or religion down with them? Is collective responsibility and collective retaliation the new normal. Or can we go back to the UN, to international rights, to international shared values and international justice? Does Gaza mean the End of the West?
Avi Shlaim, Nelofer Pazira-Fisk, Mehreen Khan with Pat Leahy
British Exceptionalism
1:30 pm, Seafront
Almost ten years after Brexit, what are we to make of the UK? The great British revival never came, a significant majority of British people think Brexit was a major mistake, and with Trump upending the Atlantic Alliance, London and Brussels have far more in common than many admit. Culturally, how has the UK changed? Scottish nationalism has waned as immigration has taken off, and a government that has the largest parliamentary majority in history, appears completely at sea. Is endless austerity England’s future? Where is our big neighbour headed and how will she get there?
Robert Shrimsley, Andrea Catherwood, John Burn-Murdoch, and Naoise Nunn with Colm O’Regan
Roddy Doyle: The Woman Behind the Door
2pm, St Patrick’s
Who doesn’t have their favourite Roddy Doyle story, their favourite character? Who doesn’t remember their first Roddy Doyle novel, their classic Roddy Doyle line or that uncle who reminds you of yer man out of a Roddy Doyle book? Roddy is us and we are Roddy. For almost five decades, the Bard of Kilbarrack has been creating a Dublin we all know. We don’t just know it, we can smell it. It’s home. We’ve dragged Roddy across the river on the Dart to the deep south for an event which will start with one of his most memorable creations, Paula Spencer, sixty five, mother, grandmother, widow, survivor. Finally getting to live her life, everything is looking good until it goes pear-shaped and off we go. We will start with Paula but who knows where we will end up?
Roddy Doyle with Declan Hughes
Nothing to sea here! Squid Squad and creating comics with Aoife Dooley (8+ years)
2pm, Library
Dive in with Aoife Dooley for tips and tricks on how to make your own comics, coming up with ideas for characters and how she created her new Graphic Novel ‘Squid Squad’. This workshop is for children aged 8-12 years old.
Aoife Dooley
Portugal, the New European Tiger
2pm, Town Hall
Ireland was the Celtic Tiger; Portugal is the new Iberian Tiger. From art to culture, from finance to urban design, Portugal is simply the most happening country in Europe. There’s more to the place than golf courses! Young Irish professionals are flocking to Portugal. What is going on? It’s not just a matter of available housing, it is about bigger ideas and much bigger trends. Five centuries ago, the Portuguese showed Europe the way; could it be the same again? Once the world’s most dominant maritime and economic power, the Portuguese Tiger is roaring again. We explore the thrilling story of the new Portugal and its culture with Afonso Cruz.
Afonso Cruz with David McWilliams
Proudly supported by Visit Portugal.
Masterclass: Narrative Techniques with Carlo Gébler (18+)
2:30pm, Northover Hall
Unlock the secrets of compelling storytelling with novelist and critic Carlo Gébler. This 2.5 hour workshop will explore the tools and techniques that bring fiction to life. From all-over-the -shop timelines to omniscient, first person and unreliable narrators and free indirect speech, you'll gain hands-on insights into the techniques that shape powerful stories and how to tell them. Whether you're an aspiring writer looking to refine your craft or an avid reader keen to understand the techniques at work behind your favourite novels, this master class will deepen your understanding of how narrative choices transform a story. Join us for an in-depth session with Carlo that will help you understand how fiction works.
Carlo Gébler
Finding Mangan
2:30pm, Masonic Lodge
A Liberties bar lock-in with Shane MacGowan led Bridget Hourican to discover James Clarence Mangan: poet, patriot, opium addict, ghost. Long hailed as a founding father of Irish literature—yet barely understood—Mangan haunts the margins of our cultural memory. How could a figure so central to Yeats and Joyce fade so completely from view? In Finding Mangan, Bridget Hourican sets out to unravel the enigma, excavating myth from man, madness from mastery. A revelatory journey into the life of a man who helped imagine the nation, inspiring James Joyce, W.B Yeats, Shane Magowan and Phil Lynott, only to vanish from its story.
Bridget Hourican with Rick O’Shea
Writing For A Living
3pm, Heritage Centre
If you are interested in the minimum wage, don’t write for a living. How can writers sustain themselves, how do they pay their rent and at what point can a writer drop everything else to pick up the pen? We write because we must, but a few quid wouldn’t go amiss. Four wonderful writers explain the reality of writing for a living.
Donal Ryan, Elaine Feeney, Danijela Crljen, Jennifer Horgan with Madeleine Keane
The Culture War: From NGOs to Tech Bros
3pm, Cuala
The West’s Awake, but not as you might expect. In the War of Woke, power is shifting from NGOs driven by social justice to Tech Bros driven by social realism. Elon, the world’s whitest African/American, is driving the bus. Diversity, inclusion, equality - the slogans of last year - are being replaced by nation, merit and outcomes. Handouts are gone, pull ups are in. Aid is out, graft is in. RFK is in, Fauci is out. Masculinity is back and where America leads the West follows. BTW McGregor backed by Tech bros aims to bring this fight to the Aras. So, who are the tech bros, the hoodie aristocracy, and what is their worldview? How will the combination of money and tech in positions of power change the world?
Lionel Shriver, Des Traynor, Karen Hao, Mark Little with Jess Kelly
Revolutions
3pm, The Vico
Great revolutions lead to great upheaval, the consequences of which can rarely be forecast. The revolutionaries respond to a grievance, tear down the existing, replace it with the new and, from there, new societies are born. Looking at the Irish Rebellion 1916, the Portuguese Coronation Revolution 1975 and the Ukrainian Revolution of Dignity 2013-2014, we examine what these uprisings did to the nations, the similarities, the players, and of course, in these turbulent times, we ask if they could happen again.
Filipe Ribeiro de Meneses, Diarmaid Ferriter, Olesya Khromeychuk with Christopher de Bellaigue
Proudly supported by Visit Portugal
The Plot Thickens
3pm, Seafront
How do authors who are plot-driven craft intricate storylines that captivate and resonate with readers? What role does plot play in shaping a narrative, and how has it evolved to reflect the complexities of modern storytelling? Authors Jean Hanff Korelitz, John Banville and James Shapiro explore the art of plotting, from classic structures to experimental forms, and consider how plot intersects with character development, theme, and pacing. Of course, plot, narrative and story are not the same thing and some novels are not really interested in plot at all. ‘ I have never troubled myself much about the construction of plots,’ confessed Anthony Trollope. Whether you're a writer seeking to refine your craft or a reader curious about the mechanics behind your favourite novels, this conversation will offer fresh insights into what is often considered a fundamental element of fiction. Expect a difference of opinion. Sparks may fly but whether it is plot or some other structuring at play, for the novel to work, the reader must be curious about how the story might end.
Jean Hanff Korelitz, John Banville, and James Shapiro with Mariella Frostrup
The Kevin Barry Show
3:30pm, Town Hall
Kevin Barry is one of Ireland’s most dazzlingly gifted fiction writers. Whether he’s conjuring Bohane, a dystopian city on the west coast or John Lennon on an Irish island or his viciously accurate and imaginative short stories, Kevin brings you into his special world like no other. He couldn’t write a boring sentence if he tried. Kevin came to our first ever Dalkey Festival back in 2010 and we are delighted to have him back this year. If you have been to a Kevin Barry gig you will know what to expect, but if not, all we will say is there is no better performer of his own work out there. This will be brilliant.
Kevin Barry
New World Order
3:30pm, St. Patrick’s Church
What will the world look like next year? Is it at a tipping point or it has already tipped? Old alliances have shattered. America is explicitly rapacious in its foreign affairs, laying claim to countries like a 19th century imperialist. Russia will be rewarded for invading Ukraine, China is biding its time, watching, waiting. Technology is accelerating social change while the world's poor are on the move. Immigration dominates the West’s political agenda and all the while, economic power moves to Asia. Nativism has replaced cosmopolitanism, free trade is gone , tariffs are in. There are echoes of the 1930s everywhere, and strong men are in the ascendancy. What does the New World Order look like, where is it taking us and what can be done to change the direction of travel?
Katja Hoyer, Mark Blyth, Robert Shrimsley with Colm O’Regan
Kelly Corrigan Wonders
4pm, Masonic Lodge
Described as ‘the Poet Laureate of the Ordinary’ by HuffPost, Kelly Corrigan is best known for her heartfelt storytelling and insightful reflections on life and loss. Her four New York Times bestselling memoirs and popular podcasts explore themes of family, love, and personal growth. Her 2024 TED talk about the everyday bravery of family life has been viewed over a million times. Known for her curiosity and warmth, Kelly will join communications specialist Duncan Keegan to share stories on the pain of bereavement, navigating feelings of hopelessness and finding wisdom in solace. This event promises to go beyond the everyday and into what truly matters.
Kelly Corrigan with Duncan Keegan
Writing From the Edge
4:30pm, Fitzpatrick Castle
What is it about writers and their homeland? What draws them back, constantly? Exiled artists, no matter where they end up, carry home wherever they go. Think Joyce and Dublin, he couldn’t get away. Maybe he didn’t ever really leave. When there is a crisis, journalists can tell us the story, but writers tell us what it means. As the world appears on the brink again, how can writers and poets respond to the fractures and crises in our societies? This is the dilemma of our times, which is not solely political or economic, but deeply existential. As Elif Shafak asks in Unmapped Storylands, how can artists raise their voices and fight back with no weapons other than stories, poems and paintings?
Elif Shafak, Christine Dwyer Hickey, Donal Ryan, Nelofer Pazira-Fisk with Rick O’Shea
Zbig and the Golden Age of American Diplomacy
4:30pm, The Vico
Join Ed Luce, the Financial Times’s chief US commentator and columnist, as we explore the life and times of one of the world's truly brilliant geo-strategic thinkers. We could do with Zbig’s wisdom now more than ever. Zbigniew Brzezinski, President Carter’s national security advisor and one of America’s leading geopolitical thinkers, was a key architect of the Soviet Union’s demise, which ended the Cold War. A child of Warsaw, the heart of central Europe’s bloodlands, Brzezinski (known as Zbig) turned his fierce resentment at his homeland’s razing by Nazi Germany and the Red Army into a lifelong quest for liberty. Brzezinski’s impact, aided by his unusual friendship with the Polish-born John Paul II, sprang from his knowledge of Moscow’s “Achilles heel”, the fact that its nationalities, such as the Ukrainians and satellite states, including Poland, yearned to shake off Moscow’s grip. In the almost cinematic arc of his life can be found the grand narrative of the American century and great power struggle that followed.
Ed Luce
Books That Changed The World
4:30pm, Seafront
Writers have always been critical to responding to the world in crisis. In times of social and political upheaval, literature offers a unique space for writers and readers to process collective anxiety, question power, and propose new ways of thinking. Literature also provides solace, connection and hope when the world feels fragmented. The work becomes both a mirror of the crisis and a refuge from it, providing a space for readers to find meaning amid uncertainty. In this show four wonderful writers will discuss books that changed the world and what books to read in turbulent times.
Merve Emre, Fintan O’Toole, James Shapiro and Afonso Cruz with Mariella Frostrup
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Dublin, My Dublin
4:30pm, Heritage Centre
Poet Gary Jermyn reads from his latest collection of poems 'For My Brother': the delights of tinned peaches, electric woks, Hot Wheels, the first moon landing and growing up in 1960’s Dublin, with musical accompaniment by the legend that is Henry Earnest.
Gary Jermyn with Henry Earnest
The Talk of the Terrace
4:30pm, Cuala
It is so much more than a game. Simon Kuper, described by Time Magazine as "one of the world's leading soccer writers” and Mehreen Khan, Economics Editor at The Times and a football fanatic, have, through their podcast, explored football's most interesting figures, their lives and their culture. Who better to talk about football than Roddy Doyle and Paul Howard, two of our most brilliant writers - soccer nuts both? As the lads are Chelsea and Liverpool, expect an afternoon of goals, stories, near misses and dodgy decisions.
Roddy Doyle and Paul Howard talk football with Simon Kuper and Mehreen Khan
Why History Matters
5pm, St. Patrick’s Church
Those who don’t remember their history are bound to repeat it. History tells us where we came from , who we are, what stories we tell ourselves to create cultures, identities and nations. At a time like now, how apt to have four brilliant and very different historians - from Britain, Germany, Ireland and the Middle East- remind us of our past? Katja Hoyer, Diarmaid Ferriter, Hallie Rubenhold, Avi Shlaim with David McWilliams
The Manosphere - Tradwives, Redpills and Beta Males
5pm, Town Hall
What began as a loose web of online advice for disaffected men has morphed into a cultural juggernaut, a breeding ground for misogyny, conspiracies and radicalisation. Welcome to The Manosphere: the dark underbelly of the internet where masculinity is monetised, victimhood weaponised, and feminism is to blame. We unpack the phenomenon of the TV series Adolescence, the rise of alpha-male grifters, the likes of Andrew Tate, digital cults, and the influence they are garnering over the next generation. Who’s watching, and who’s fighting back?
Sophie Gilbert, John Burn-Murdoch, Robert Shrimsley, Finn McRedmond with Jess Kelly
Why Inflation Really Happens and How to Fight it
5.30pm, Masonic
Inflation is back, and its impact can be felt everywhere, from the grocery store to the mortgage market to the results of elections around the world. Yet the conventional wisdom about inflation is stuck in the past. Since the 1970s, there has only really been one playbook for fighting inflation: raise interest rates, thereby creating unemployment and a recession, which will lower prices. But this simple story is based on beliefs that are often wrong. Leading political economist, Mark Blyth, reveals why inflation really happens, and how to combat it. With a good dose of humour, Blyth brings the complexities of economic policy down to earth.
Mark Blyth with David Murphy
Our Song: Anna Carey
6pm, The Vico
Join Anna Carey to explore the recent rise of the literary romcom, and why a genre that's as old as Shakespeare has such huge appeal to both writers and readers right now. In her first book for adults, Our Song, Carey captures the messy drama of college crushes, the thrill of writing a song that’s actually good and the joy and pain of falling in love with both music and a musician. In conversation with Sinead Moriarty, Carey dives into the appeal of the second chance love story, the risks of bandmate romances and why it's never too late to find your voice. Hilarious, heartfelt, and full of rhythm, this is one for the dreamers, the diary-keepers, and anyone who's ever wondered about the one who got away.
Anna Carey with Sinéad Moriarty
Real to Reel: Garech Browne and Claddagh Records
6:30pm, St Patrick’s Church
There are many tales of Garech Browne, his eccentricity, wealth, lavish parties and countless famous friends like Mick Jagger, Brendan Behan, Kofi Annan, Brian Jones, Sean Connery, Pierce Brosnan, Seamus Ennis, Picasso, Samuel Beckett, Anita Pallenberg and Lucian Freud. At Luggala he hosted parties that became legendary but for those who knew him best, Garech Browne was, first and foremost, one of the greatest archivists of Irish culture of all time. In establishing Claddagh Records in 1959, he made it his life’s work to preserve Ireland’s musical and spoken-word culture against the backdrop of an emerging pop-culture scene. Join James Morrissey to celebrate the life of Garech Browne and his quest to preserve Ireland’s musical and spoken-word heritage with Claddagh Records.
James Morrissey with Tony Clayton-Lea
Politics of Empathy
6:30pm, Heritage Centre
What happens when empathy disappears from our society? In her novel The Mark, Icelandic author Frida Isberg imagines a chilling near future where empathy becomes measured and weaponised by the State. Can empathy be taught? Legislated? Lost? And is it the most emblematic political force we have left?
Frida Isberg with Rick O’Shea
Unpredictable, Unbound, and Unhinged: the USA
6:30pm, Seafront
The USA that we thought we knew has left us. In its place is a new superpower which is unpredictable, unhinged and now unbound, but it could get even worse? How does democracy die? When do you know it? Do people go missing, while journalists are silenced, judges stymied, institutions gutted? Is that where America is headed, gradually, peacefully but deliberately?
James Shapiro, Paul Muldoon, Simon Kuper and Lionel Shriver with Mark Little
Suleyman the Magnificent
6:30pm, Town Hall
Any man who signed off his letters as “the great lord and conqueror of the whole world” was a character to be reckoned with. That’s precisely how, by 1538, Suleyman the Magnificent had taken to referring to himself. It would be hard to disagree with the man who terrified Europe and ran an empire from the Gulf to Serbia, from North Africa to the Black Sea. Join us as we explore the life and times of this extraordinary Sultan, whose Ottoman Empire featured beauty and cruelty in equal measure, resplendent in the highest art, literature, culture and most fantastic architecture. Its imperial centre, Istanbul, was the largest city in Europe for ten centuries, capital of not one but three major Empires!
Christopher de Bellaigue with Maurice Casey
Sound of the Suburbs
7:30pm, Fitzpatrick Castle
What do the suburbs sound like? From teenage bedrooms humming with ska, punk and soul to housing estates filled with sharp wit and sharper dreams, suburbia has always had its own rhythm. A genre-defying panel explores how working class and middle class neighbourhoods, cul-de-sacs and commuter belts, shaped the stories we tell and the songs we will never forget. Expect wit, nostalgia, and some surprise riffs from the cultural power of places most people overlook.
Horace Panter, Roddy Doyle, Robert Shrimsley with Wendy Erskine
Ireland Transformed, 1955-2025
8pm, Seafront
In his groundbreaking book ‘We Don’t Know Ourselves’, Ireland’s leading public intellectual Fintan O’Toole brought us through the transformation of the country in his lifetime. As we try to make sense of 21st century Ireland, culturally, politically, ethnically and socially, Fintan takes us through the possibilities, problems and projections for our New Ireland, looking forward but also looking backwards. This will be an essential but funny and nostalgic conversation, holding up the mirror to ourselves to see if we still fancy the reflection.
Fintan O’Toole with Jennifer O’Connell
Elif Shafak: There Are Rivers In the Sky
8 pm, Cuala
We are delighted to have Elif back at Dalkey. She is simply a one-off and a great friend of the festival. She has published 21 books. Best known for her novels, her works have been translated into 57 languages and have been nominated for many literary awards. She has been described by the Financial Times as 'Turkey's leading female novelist', many of her works are bestsellers internationally. Her latest work There are Rivers in the Sky is a typically ambitious, multi-perspective novel about the politics and preciousness of water that ranges from ancient Mesopotamia to contemporary London.
Elif Shafak with Madeleine Keane
Is Irish America now MAGA?
8pm, Town Hall
Once a bedrock for Democrat loyalty, Irish America has shifted. The Dropkick Murphys, Mickey Spillane & John F. Kennedy no longer represent the descendants of the famine emigrants who are as likely to be Joe Rogan or Dana White as George Clooney and Conan O’Brien. White American Catholics backed Trump two to one, while the Scots-Irish Ulstermen have their poster-boy, JD Vance. If MAGA is Irish, what does Irish America look like, believe and stand for? Where are our long lost cousins headed?
Kelly Corrigan, Colum McCann, Mary Cregan with Niamh King
Selling Sex in Dublin, A History of Monto
8:30 pm, Heritage Centre
Rife with secrets, survival, and a distinct smell of rebellion, once the largest red light district in Europe, Dublin’s Monto was a world unto itself. Caroline West joins Bridget Hourican to delve into the untold stories of the women's lives affected by the degeneracy of the day.
Caroline West with Bridget Hourican
The Colm Before The Storm
9pm, The Vico
With the world going to hell in a handcart, take time out to laugh along with Colm O’Regan, author of the Irish Mammies books, Bolloxology and Climate Worrier, as he celebrates what’s important in life: family, relationships and having a hitch on your car (because trailers are better than handcarts). As the Sunday Independent says, this show is ‘a winning combination of drily hilarious and thought-provoking, often all at once.’
Colm O’Regan
Sunday Swim at Coliemore in aid of MS Ireland (FREE)
10:30am, Coliemore Harbour
Join us for a morning dip and then come along to one of the events or more on the final day of the festival. (Donations to MS Ireland optional.)
Carlo Gébler, A Writing Life
11:30am, Finnegans
Carlo Gébler has carved out a distinctive niche in the world of Irish literature through his evocative and often intense storytelling. Son of Edna O’Brien, could Carlo have chosen a different path or did writing chose him? His work is marked by a deep exploration of the human condition, with a particular focus on themes such as isolation, identity, and the complexities of relationships. His work often draws on personal experience, blending elements of fiction with autobiographical insights, which allows for a raw and unflinching look at the struggles of his characters. Carlo’s distinctive voice has earned him critical acclaim, solidifying his place as a significant figure in contemporary Irish literature. This Finnegan’s event is always special and the chat between Carlo and novelist Martina Devlin, will be a Sunday morning gem.
Carlo Gébler with Martina Devlin
Let’s Play Rugby
11:30am, Cuala
Rugby legend Gordon D'Arcy and best selling author Paul Howard team up in Cuala, home of Dalkey GAA to talk rugby! Hands-on and fully interactive, Let’s Play Rugby! encourages all kids to give rugby a go – in their bedrooms, living-rooms and gardens. This book puts the young reader in the boots of a rugby player as they play in the big final! Jog on the spot! Do some star jumps! Then face off against your opponents in the game of your life. This is a great Father’s Day show for Mums, Dads and kids to roll up their sleeves and play rugby.
Gordon D’Arcy and Paul Howard
Inside the Brain Of A Dictator
12:30pm, Town Hall
In a world now dominated by men with clear dictatorial leanings, it is critical to understand how these men’s brains work. What makes them behave the way they do? Are they hard-wired differently to the rest of us? Where do their God-complexes come from? Did you know that excessive power so increases dopamine activity in the front part of the brain that it distorts rational judgment of cost and benefit? How much does international attention feed the power-kindled narcissism? Professor Ian Robertson explains how a dictator’s brain works - an essential 2025 conversation.
Ian Robertson with Mark Little
The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse with Charlie Mackesy
1:30pm, Cuala
We are absolutely delighted that Charlie Mackesy is coming back to Dalkey this year. The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse is a book for all ages, a book for all times, treasured by millions and adapted into the BAFTA and Academy Award® winning animated short film. "What do you want to be when you grow up?" asked the mole. "Kind," said the boy. In this beautiful book, follow the tale of a curious boy, a greedy mole, a wary fox and a wise horse who find themselves together in sometimes difficult terrain, sharing their greatest fears and biggest discoveries about vulnerability, kindness, hope, friendship and love. This will be a beautiful event. Don’t miss it.
Charlie Mackesy
Story of a Murder: The Wives, The Mistress and Dr Crippen
1:30pm, Heritage Centre
What if everything we thought we knew about one of history’s most infamous killers was wrong? In her latest work, bestselling historian Hallie Rubenhold turns her forensic gaze on the case of Dr. Crippen, unearthing a story far murkier, and more tragic than the headlines ever told. In conversation with Jennifer O’Connell, Rubenhold revisits Edwardian respectability, media frenzy, and the dangerous narratives we build around crime. A gripping re-examination of infamous wife-murderer Dr Crippen, brought to justice by an extraordinary group of women.
Hallie Rubenhold with Jennifer O’Connell
The Islamic Enlightenment
2pm, Town Hall
The Muslim world has often been accused of a failure to modernise and adapt. Christopher de Bellaigue disagrees and charts the forgotten story of the Islamic Enlightenment – the social movements, reforms and revolutions that transformed the Middle East from the early nineteenth century to the present day. Modern ideals and practices were embraced across the region, including the adoption of modern medicine, the emergence of women from purdah and the development of democracy. This show, The Islamic Enlightenment, will look behind the sensationalist headlines in order to foster a genuine understanding of Islam and its relationship to the West. Essential for anyone engaged in the state of the world today.
Christopher de Bellaigue with David McWilliams
Would I Lie To You?
3pm, Cuala
No one talks science better than Professor Luke O’Neill. His ability to make the complex simple, the difficult easy and the esoteric tangible. Luke has a genuine gift and today being able to explain science is not just a gift, it is an extraordinarily essential asset for society. In a world where the American health secretary believes push ups can cure diseases, who scoffs at vaccinations for measles, where legions of anti-science bots flood the internet with fake news, fake science and downright lies, Luke O'Neill is less of a professor and more a national treasure. Come and enjoy an hour with Ireland’s scientific explainer in chief.
Luke O’Neill with Stefanie Preissner
Hotel Lux, Communism’s Forgotten Radicals
3pm, Heritage Centre
Hotel Lux follows Irish radical May O’Callaghan and her friends, three revolutionary families brought together by their vision for a communist future and their time spent in the Comintern’s Moscow living quarters, the Hotel Lux. Casey reveals the connections and disconnections of a group of forgotten communist activists whose lives collided in 1920s Moscow: a brilliant Irish translator, a maverick author, the rebel daughters of an East London Jewish family, and a family of determined German anti-fascists. Hotel Lux uncovers a world of forgotten radicals who saw their hopes and dreams crash against reality, yet retained their faith in a beautiful future for all. One of our books of the year, historian Maurice Casey’s story will astound you.
Maurice Casey with Gary Jermyn
Why Read Proust?
3:30pm, Town Hall
If you think Proust is too hard, too complex and too demanding, think again. This session will break it down. His masterpiece In Search of Lost Time is rich and complex. In spite of its length and reputation, don't be intimidated. How could we not read a writer whose work according to Joseph Conrad “is great art based on analysis. I don’t think there is in all creative literature an example of the power of analysis such as this.” Let’s get all Proustian at Dalkey!
Merve Emre, Carlo Gébler, Max McGuinness with Jennifer O’Connell
Fathers and Sons with Paul Muldoon and Colum McCann
4.30pm, Cuala
Don’t ever tell me you love me! Two fathers, two sons, sit down to talk about their relationship with their fathers on Father’s Day. Irish sons and fathers, where do we start? Let’s just say complicated yet kind, funny and remote but also loving and protective. Just don’t get emotional! Let’s talk about fathers and sons.
Paul Muldoon and Colum McCann
David O’Doherty (Strictly 16+)
7.30pm, Cuala
The dishevelled prince of €10 eBay keyboards tries to make you feel alive with a new pageant of laughter, song and occasionally getting up from a chair. It’s gonna be a big one. Star of 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown (Channel 4), Live At The Apollo (BBC) and Along For the Ride with David O’Doherty (Channel 4). ‘Utterly superb, The finest Irish comedian’,- Irish Independent.
David O’Doherty