DBF After Dark at DBF24
Published 18/10/2024
Dublin Book Festival is a festival that weaves our love of books into the cultural fabric of our city, and no less when the sun goes down and the evening kicks in. Our DBF After Dark strand invites and encourages audiences to experience the best of Dublin’s cultural nightlife in a whole new way. As darkness descends around the city and the lights come on, our evening events, taking place in lively and intimate venues all around the city, bring you the best in prose and poetry, music and spoken word. Join us for lively discussion and performances, with established and emerging writers, as the city’s nightlights and vibrant atmosphere surround you.
This year, we are thrilled to be supported by The Night-Time Economy Advisor: Dublin City Council as we contribute to Dublin’s rich offerings of cultural night-time experiences through our events.
Read on for a spotlight on just some of the great events happening After Dark, and visit our website to see the full DBF After Dark strand.
You spin me round, Thursday 7 November at 6pm in The Dublin Liberties Distillery

Wendy Erskine © Khara Pringle
Immerse yourself in an evening of conversation and music with Wendy Erskine, Aingeala Flannery and Declan Long – all contributors to You spin me round, a collection of essays inspired by music. They join culture journalist Tony Clayton-Lea in conversation about their pieces and how music inspires their writing, with Gavin Corbett on the decks playing songs referenced throughout the evening’s discussion. Book here
DBF After Dark Festival Club: Greatest Story Ever Told, Thursday 7 November at 8.30pm, Bartley’s Lounge, The Grafton Hotel

Declan Toohey © John McSweeney
This year’s DBF After Dark Festival Club is in the heart of one of Dublin’s most vibrant night-life areas, at Bartley’s Lounge in The Grafton Hotel. On the Thursday evening, writers Jess Raymon, Emily Cooper, John Patrick McHugh and Declan Toohey join Holy Show’s Brendan MacEvilly and Peter McNamara to tell their greatest true story in roughly 5 minutes (one they’d probably never commit to print). This is a fun and dynamic but relaxed format evening, with time between each discussion to get a drink from the bar and meet and mingle with other book lovers out on the town. Book here
Debut Novels, Friday 8 November at 6pm, The New Theatre, Temple Bar

Orla Mackey © Claire Dunne
Emerging writers and debut novelists are often what bring the most energy to our events, as we and our audiences love to support new voices and authors in the Irish literary scene. Arts journalist Pat Carty is joined by some of Ireland’s most exciting emerging authors to explore their debut novels. Anna Fitzgerald’s Girl in the Making is a deeply moving story capturing the dreams and terrors of girlhood in a difficult world. Alan Murrin’s The Coast Road is a brilliantly observed novel about a closed rural community and the consequences of daring to move against the tide. Orla Mackey’s Mouthing is a multigenerational and darkly hilarious portrait of small-town Irish life. Join us at this at this event then step out into Temple Bar’s vibrant nightlife and make an evening of it. Book here.
Staying in Temple Bar, join us as we launch Your Own Dark Shadow: A Selection of Lost Irish Horror Stories, edited by Jack Fennell. The latest in Tramp Press’s popular and influential Recovered Voices series, these are stories of monsters, killers and unquiet spirits, drawn from the places where folklore, the Gothic and modern fiction intertwine.
Friday 8 November at 6.30pm, The Gutter Bookshop, Temple Bar. Book here

James Mahon
Our DBF After Dark Festival Club continues on the Friday night, this time with an evening of poetry and music. Relax after a busy day of festival events with readings by poets Jackie Lynam and Molly Twomey and music by Kíla’s James Mahon. Then stick around after the event to meet and mingle over a drink in the bar upstairs or venture further out into the city.
Friday 8 November, 8pm, Bartley’s Lounge, The Grafton Hotel. Book here.

Lucy Sweeney Byrne
Short Stories continue to grab both readers and writers, so join us in the beautiful James Joyce lounge at Bewley’s Grafton Street, with Saturday evening in full swing on the streets below, for our Short Stories in Focus event. Authors Maggie Armstrong and Lucy Sweeney Byrne will be discussing their brilliant new short story collections with in conversation with Jan Carson.
Saturday 9 November at 6pm, Bewley’s Grafton Street. Book here.
Leabharlann Beag – A Literary Journal Showcase, Saturday 9 November at 6.45pm, The Printworks, Dublin Castle
So it seems in Ireland we just love our literary journals! The literary journal events were some of our most popular and best attended last year, so what better way to follow up than with a joint showcase pulling a number of brilliant journals together. Our Festival Hub will come alive on the Saturday evening with readings and lively discussion with contributions from journals including Channel, Howl, Pig’s Back, Profiles, Sans. PRESS, Sonder, The Four Faced Liar, Tolka, Ragaire and others, as we celebrate Ireland’s vibrant literary journal scene. Book here.
Step into the DBF Literary Cabaret for an evening of readings and lively conversation back in the beautiful James Joyce lounge in Bewley’s Grafton Street. Brendan MacEvilly will be joined throughout the evening by writers Richy Craven and Sarah Rees Brennan, and poet and spoken word artist Dagogo Hart, with breaks in between to enjoy drinks and the evening atmosphere around you.
Saturday 9 November at 8pm, Bewley’s Grafton Street. Book here
We’re delighted to be supported by Dublin City Council’s Night-Time Economy Advisor as part of their newly launched Night-Time Strategy, more details here.
Check out our website to see the full DBF After Dark strand at this year’s festival, with dynamic showcases, open mics, poetry, anniversary celebrations, Irish language events and more.
Dublin Book Festival is also delighted to once again be part of the Fáilte Ireland Winter in Dublin campaign, celebrating the best of Dublin’s cultural experiences and events, making it a vibrant place to visit throughout the winter months.