About the Festival

Dublin Book Festival is one of Ireland’s most successful and dynamic book festivals, running since 2006 in the heart of Ireland’s capital with its rich literary history. This annual public festival is a celebration of Ireland’s writers and publishers. It showcases, supports and develops Irish writers and publishing by programming and promoting Irish books and their authors, editors and contributors, all in an entertaining, festive, friendly and accessible environment.

Both established and emerging writers from a wide variety of genres come together to explore their books, share their insights, and engage in stimulating conversations with each other and their audiences; celebrating the art of writing and the power of storytelling. This year’s dates are November 5th – 9th. Sign up to our newsletter to stay updated.

The Dublin Book Festival was established in 2006 by Publishing Ireland, the all-island trade association for book publishers (itself established in 1970), to celebrate all that is best in Irish writing and publishing. It has grown to become one of Ireland’s most successful and vibrant annual book events, with the support of the Arts Council and other funders, and the assistance of a diverse range of partners.

Participating authors in recent years include President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins, Roddy Doyle, John Banville, Anne Enright, Paul Lynch, Graham Norton, Claire Kilroy, Donal Ryan, Seán Hewitt, Cecelia Ahern, Wendy Erskine, Lucy Caldwell, Jan Carson, Bill Whelan and Paul Brady.

The flagship festival takes place each November with over 100 events across 5 days in venues throughout the city of Dublin, the 4th UNESCO City of Literature, including Dublin City Libraries, National Library of Ireland, Irish Writers Centre, The Gutter Bookshop, National Botanic Gardens, Royal Irish Academy, Royal Dublin Society, Fighting Words, and many more locations.

Pop-up events are also programmed throughout the year.

Authors in conversation at Dublin Book Festival. Author event at book festival Ireland. Anne Enright and Claire Kilroy.

Child at book festival in Ireland, enjoying event at Dublin Book Festival children's programme

The diverse programme of events includes authors in conversation, panel discussions, book launches, anniversary events, literary walking tours, professional development events and creative workshops. Genres explored include everything from literary fiction, history, poetry and science to non-fiction, nature, spoken word, art, politics and children’s literature, with a full free programme of family and schools’ events. Special strands include the DBF After Dark evening series and a full day of events as part of Science Week.

In 2025 we are delighted to have our Festival Hub in the iconic IMMA Venues in the heart of Dublin 8. The Festival Hub is a space where authors, publishers and audiences can meet and mingle, enjoying book signings, finding a quiet space to read, browsing the bookshop, taking part in drop-in activities including arts and crafts and scavenger hunts, or meeting other book lovers over a hot drink in the café. Visitors can immerse themselves in a world of readings, exciting and stimulating panel discussions, storytelling, and creative events for all the family to enjoy. We were delighted to be included in TravelMag’s Top 15 Unique Things to Do with Kids in Dublin for our full weekend of free, family-friendly events. At the heart of Dublin Book Festival is the belief that literature is for all, and we aim to foster a sense of community among literature enthusiasts from all walks of life, providing a welcoming space and offering an inspiring and engaging literary experience, in the heart of Dublin, for all book lovers.

The intimate festival is a showcase of Ireland’s exceptional literary talent and hardworking publishers from throughout the island. We look forward to seeing you there!

The Festival Team

Julianne Mooney Siron

Festival Director

Julianne is the Director of the Dublin Book Festival, one of Ireland’s largest book festivals, established in 2006 to celebrate Ireland’s writers and publishers. Julianne has been curating the annual festival for 15 years, programming over 100 events for the flagship event in November along with events throughout the year. Julianne also programmes for literary organisations in Ireland including Dublin UNESCO City of Literature, Dublin City Libraries and Dun Laoghaire Libraries. Julianne also works with libraries and schools to encourage children to discover the joy of reading and has held the position of Reader-in-Residence in both Dublin City Libraries and Dun Laoghaire Libraries over the years.

Róisín Russell

Marketing Manager

Róisín is from Tipperary and has lived in Dublin for over 20 years. She holds an MA in Cultural Policy and Arts Management from UCD, and has worked in the creative sector in Dublin for almost 20 years, working in marketing, studio management and production with artists, photographers and now authors. She has been with the festival since 2021. She has previously written art exhibition reviews for Visual Artists Ireland and Paper Visual Art, and currently reviews books for Children’s Books Ireland.

Mathilde Murray

Production and Admin Manager

Mathilde is from the Netherlands and holds a BA in Cultural Studies from the University of Amsterdam. She has worked as an Administrator in the Arts and Creative Industry for many years. She has been with the festival since 2023 and also works seasonally with Children’s Books Ireland for their KPMG Children's Books Ireland Awards.

The Dublin Book Festival Board

Ronan Colgan (Chair)

Bridget Bhreathnach

Valerie Bistany

Nidhi Zak/Aria Eipe

Caoimhe Fox

Carolanne Henry

Mary Neville

Síne Quinn

Policies

DEI Statement

Accessibility