About Irish Writers' Weekend
The third biennial celebration of Irish writers and writing returns to the British Library for a packed weekend of conversations.
Saturday’s programme includes Anne Enright, Ailbhe Malone, Alex Clark, Barry Pierce, Brian Dillon, Deb Grant, Djamel White, Doireann Ní Ghríofa, Éilís Ní Dhuibhne, Frank Shovlin, Jessica Traynor, Laura Hackett, Louise Kennedy, Martin Doyle, Martina Evans, Nikita Gill, Patrick Freyne, Peter Curran Rosamund Taylor, Sara Baume, Séamas O'Reilly, Sinéad Gleeson, Sinéad Morrissey, Tim MacGabhann, Wendy Erskine and William Keohane as well as two bilingual Irish-English sessions presented by Conradh na Gaeilge.
Sunday’s lineup features Andrea Mara, Caoilinn Hughes, Éilís Ní Dhuibhne, Eoin MacNamee, Jan Carson, Jessica Traynor, Keith Ridgway, Lisa Dwan, Liz Nugent, Molly Hennigan, Niall Williams, Sara Baume, Sam Blake, Sinéad Gleeson and Wendy Erskine, as well as an evening comedy writers special, and a Scenes and Monologues session from the Irish Creative Collective.
Please see below for the latest programme.
Single day or all weekend in-person tickets are available, as well as all-weekend online passes that will give you all the Pigott Theatre sessions live and for the next two weeks on catch up.
To book a full Weekend pass please add Saturday and Sunday tickets to your basket, and a two-day discount will be applied.
Only have time to attend one session? There are some tickets avaialable for single sessions, these are listed below and linked to from the full programme.
The Irish Writers’ Weekend opens on Friday 27 November with Maggie O’Farrell in conversation with Martin Doyle for which online tickets still available. Separate booking required.
Book stall from Phlox Books and signings throughout the weekend.
Supported by Culture Ireland.
Your support
The British Library is a charity. Your support helps us open up a world of knowledge and inspiration for everyone. Please consider adding a donation to your basket.
Programme
Saturday 28 November
11.00 – 12.00: Pigott Theatre
Anne Enright and Doireann Ní Ghríofa with Alex Clarke
12.10 – 13.00: Eliot Room
Poetry with Martina Evans and Sinead Morrissey
12.30-13.40: Pigott Theatre
Louise Kennedy and guests in conversation with Wendy Erskine
13.15 – 14.15: Eliot Room
Irish English session presented by Conradh na Gaeilge
14.05 – 15.15: Pigott Theatre
Brian Dillon, Sinéad Morrissey and Tim MacGhabhann with Peter Curran
14.30 – 15.30: Eliot Room
Irish-English session with Doireann Ní Ghríofa, Éilís Ní Dhuibhne and guests
15.45 – 16.55: Pigott Theatre
Djamel White, Patrick Freyne and Seamas O’Reilly with Deb Grant
15.50 – 16.50: Eliot Room
John McGahern: A Writing Life
Frank Shovlin with Sinead Gleeson
17.15 – 18.15: Eliot Room
Transformation and Becoming: Discovering Queer Selves
Rosamund Taylor and William Keohane with Barry Pierce
17.30 – 18.45: Pigott Theatre
State of the Nation: Irish Literature Now
Éilís Ní Dhuibhne, Jessica Traynor and Martin Doyle with Laura Hackett
19.15 – 20.30: Pigott Theatre
Banshee: Mythological Irish Women Retold
Ailbhe Malone, Nikita Gill, Wendy Erskine and guests
Sunday 29 November
11.30 – 12.30: Pigott Theatre
Eoin McNamee and Niall Williams with Caoilinn Hughes
11.45 – 12.45: Eliot Room
Poetry session
Jessica Traynor, Tim MacGhabann and guests
13.00 – 14.10: Pigott Theatre
Andrea Mara and Liz Nugent with Sam Blake
13.15 – 14.50: Eliot Room
Sara Baume in conversation with with Sinead Gleeson
14.40 – 15.40 Pigott Theatre
Éilís Ní Dhuibhne, Jessica Traynor, Molly Hennigan, Sinéad Gleeson and guests
14.45 – 16.00: Eliot Room
Scenes & Monologues: Fresh voices with New Stories
16.10 – 17.00: Pigott Theatre
17.20 – 18.30: Pigott Theatre
Jan Carson, Keith Ridgway in conversation with Brian Dillon
Venue and bar opening times
This event will take place in the British Library Knowledge Centre and is also available to watch online. Tickets may be booked to attend in person, or to watch online.
If you are attending in person, please note that the Knowledge Centre and the bar will be open in advance of your event.
Please arrive no later than 15 minutes before the start time of this event.
If you have specific access requirements please email customer@bl.uk
Attending the event online
If you book an online ticket, you will receive the viewing link on the morning of the event. You can either watch the event live or during the next 14 days on catch up.
Accessibility
Our St Pancras building has step-free access throughout.
Further details about wheelchair access, Blue Badge parking, hearing loops and support systems as well as guide and assistance dog access can be found on the Visit section of our website.
If you have specific access requirements, please email customer@bl.uk.
Concessions
There are a range of concessions available. These include discounts for British Library Members, Young Persons (16 – 25s), and visitors on Universal/Pension Credit and free entry for carers.
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Irish Writers' Weekend: The Past in the Present
Anne Enright and Doireann Ní Ghríofa in conversation with Alex Clark.
Irish Writers' Weekend: Crimes, Secrets and Lies
Andrea Mara and Liz Nugent in conversation with Sam Blake.
Irish Writers' Weekend: Altered States
Jan Carson and Keith Ridgway in conversation with Brian Dillon.
Irish Writers' Weekend: Dangerous Debuts
Djamel White, Patrick Freyne and Séamas O'Reilly in conversation with Deb Grant.
Irish Writer's Weekend: State of the Nation, Irish Literature Now
Éilís Ní Dhuibhne, Jessica Traynor and Martin Doyle in conversation with Laura Hackett.
Irish Writers' Weekend: Small Towns Big Stories
Eoin McNamee and Niall Williams in conversation with Caoilinn Hughes.
Irish Writers' Weekend: Maggie O'Farrell
In conversation with Martin Doyle.
Irish Writers' Weekend: The Art of the Memoir
Brian Dillon, Sinéad Morrissey and Tim MacGhabhann with Peter Curran.
Irish Writers' Weekend: Lisa Dwan – A Body of Beckett
A unique lecture-performance by the great interpreter of Samuel Beckett.
Irish Writers' Weekend: People in Time and Place
Louise Kennedy and Rosaleen McDonagh in conversation with Wendy Erskine.
Irish Writers' Weekend: The World of Maeve Brennan
with Éilís Ní Dhuibhne, Darran Anderson, Jessica Traynor, Molly Hennigan and Sinéad Gleeson.