2022 FESTIVAL PROGRAMME

DUBLIN BOOK FESTIVAL 2022 opens Tuesday 8^th November with a huge array of events celebrating Ireland’s writers and publishers

Discover the new DBF Hub at Dublin Castle from 12 – 13 November 2022

DBF 2022 is delighted to present six days of intriguing in-conversation events, from Irish women’s speeches to crime to discussions around the literary scene in Ireland. The festival will also see the return of the ever-popular walking tours including literary walking tours with Pat Liddy, historical walking tours around medieval Dublin, nature walks along the Royal Canal, wellness walks in the beautiful surrounds of the Botanic Gardens, Iveagh Gardens and Dublin Castle and more. This year’s festival will also feature a selection of wonderful photo exhibitions, including The Great Lighthouses of Ireland, The Irish Civil War in Colour and Abandoned Ireland and sculptures by the students of Ballyfermot College of further education.

Explore Dublin with the Dublin Book Festival this year with events and activities popping up throughout our wonderful city – buildings, walkways, rivers, canals, gardens, bookshops and libraries, as we celebrate Ireland’s finest writers, artists and illustrators. Events will take place in person at venues across Dublin, including The Printworks in Dublin Castle, The National Gallery of Ireland, National Botanic Gardens, Royal Irish Academy, dlr LexIcon, The National Library of Ireland, 1 Windmill Lane, Chester Beatty, Dublin Port, Iveagh Gardens, MoLI and libraries across Dublin.

The new DBF Festival Hub in Dublin Castle is supported by Fáilte Ireland as part of the Winter in Dublin campaign – a programme of headline events and activities running throughout the city from Nov 1st. Winter in Dublin is led by Fáilte Ireland in association with the Dublin tourism industry. The DBF Festival Hub  will be teeming with activity for book-lovers of all ages. Open on Saturday 12th & Sunday 13th November,  The Winter Garden in Dublin Castle is a refuge from the cold, where families can curl up on beanbags with a book, and warm up with a hot chocolate or coffee from the cafe. Try your hand at writing your own story or create your own picture, browse the bookshop or take part in one of our free, fun storytelling sessions and workshops. A free day for all the family where you can immerse yourself in the magical world of books!

Activities in the Winter Garden for children include illustration workshops and giant drawalongs, where you can join our illustrators in drawing your favourite Dublin spot, treasure hunts around the castle grounds, children’s book swaps, hot chocolate and much more. For adults there will also be a book swap, photography exhibitions, meet the author events, coffee shop/food truck and, of course, a warm, welcoming space to relax in. Outdoor entertainment will include walking tours around the grounds of Dublin Castle, music by members of Ireland’s renowned band Kila, musical workshops and lots more!

The festival is kicked off early with a pre-festival event with Olympic Gold medallist Kellie Harrington and is followed by a truly jam packed programme of over 70 events. There is a strong crossover with the musical world;  Bill Whelan will discuss his life before Riverdance with broadcaster and musician Fiachna Ó Braonáin, with musical performances by well known traditional Irish musicians and performers Caoimhe & Séamus Uí Fhlatharta, Zoë Conway and John McIntyre.  Paul Brady, one of Ireland’s greatest singers, songwriters and musicians, will discuss his autobiography Crazy Dreams with producer and director David Heffernan about his newly published autobiography. Immerse yourself in nature in the surrounds of the National Botanic Gardens on a walking tour with poet Jane Clarke and musician James McMahon. Aspiring authors can get top tips on how to get their work published at a number of writer workshops and events, see the city from the River Liffey while enjoying Spoken word or storytelling, celebrate some of the great speeches from Irish women throughout history, mark the life and work of founder of O’Brien Press Michael O’Brien in a special event, take a walk through the Botanic Gardens or Dublin’s historic centre to explore their literary links, enjoy conversation and cocktails with Louise O’Neill and Sophie White, a newly created DBF hub supported by Fáilte Ireland at Dublin Castle, a vibrant programme of events for children and so much more!

Orla Carroll, Director of Product Development from Fáilte Ireland said“Fáilte Ireland is pleased to support the Dublin Book Festival as part of the pilot Festival Innovation Programme. Innovative events and unique festivals give new reasons and motivations for domestic and international visitors to explore an area. The Dublin Book Festival celebrates the world renowned literary heritage of Dublin, and showcases some of the best new and emerging voices in Irish writing, poetry and more.  The Dublin Book Festival is part of the Winter in Dublin programme and creates a new opportunity for local residents and visitors to explore the city and enjoy exciting, immersive events at venues throughout Dublin this winter.”

VIEW PROGRAMME HERE