About the Festival
The Dublin Book Festival is one of Ireland’s most successful and dynamic book festivals, running since June 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, which showcases, supports and develops Irish books by programming and publicising their authors, editors and contributors – all in an entertaining, festive, friendly and accessible environment. Both established and emerging writers from a variety of genres come together to explore their books, share their insights, engage in stimulating conversations with each other and their audiences, and celebrate the art of writing. This year’s dates are November 5th – 9th, full programme coming September 2025. 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, 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 assistance of a range of partners and the support of the Arts Council and other funders.
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 90 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, The National Botanic Gardens, Royal Irish Academy, Royal Dublin Society, Fighting Words and many more locations.
Pop-up events are also programmed throughout the year.
The diverse programme of events at the flagship festival includes authors in conversation, panel discussions, book launches, anniversary events, literary walking tours, professional development events and creative workshops, and covers everything from literary fiction, history, poetry and science to non-fiction, nature, spoken word, art, children’s literature, and a full free programme of family and schools’ events. A Festival Hub is set up a primary venue, which in 2024 was once again The Printworks at Dublin Castle, where authors, publishers and audiences mingle over the weekend. The Festival Hub is a space where audiences gather to lounge on beanbags and read, browse the bookshop, enjoy the café and meet authors at book signings. 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.
In 2025, we look forward to once again bringing you a vibrant, engaging and diverse programme of author talks, poetry events, walking tours, creative events and more, celebrating the writers, publishers and illustrators from this island. We look forward to seeing you there!
The Festival Team
Julianne Siron
FESTIVAL DIRECTOR
Róisín Russell
MARKETING MANAGER
Mathilde Murray
PRODUCTION AND ADMIN ASSISTANT
The Dublin Book Festival Board
Ronan Colgan (Chair)
Siobhan Tierney
Caoimhe Fox
Valerie Bistany
Nidhi Zak/Aria Eipe
Mary Neville
Policies