Kildare Readers’ Festival presents a special event honouring acclaimed writer Douglas Kennedy, international bestselling author of The Big Picture, The Pursuit of Happiness, and The Heat of Betrayal. Douglas will discuss his successful career with radio personality and noted champion of literature, Rick O’Shea. Rick has previously curated the Imagine Arts Festival and has hosted

Join us for the ever popular Ten Books You Should Read! Our guests Stefanie Preissner and Ferdia Mac Anna will select five books each that they would recommend and delve into the stories to illustrate why we should give them a try. Stefanie Preissner - Munich-born, Mallow-raised - is the creator of hit comedy-drama series

The Kildare Readers’ Festival is delighted to welcome back celebrated novelist, screenwriter, and playwright Joseph O'Connor (Star of the Sea, Ghost Light, Shadowplay), who will be joined by Kerry Group Irish Novel of the Year 2017 winner Kit De Waal (My Name is Leon, The Trick to Time) for a discussion moderated by acclaimed author

Set around a small family farm on the edge of a bog, a few miles from the river Shannon, Minor Monuments is a live audio-visual essay unfolding from the landscape of the Irish midlands. Taking in the physical and philosophical power of sound and music, and the effects of Alzheimer’s disease on a family, Ian

Kildare Readers’ Festival is elated that Dermot Bolger (An Ark of Light, The Family on Paradise Pier) will return to our ever popular “Sunday Morning Sessions” for a relaxed and intimate conversation with acclaimed novelist and short story writer, John Boyne (The Hearts Invisible Furies, The Absolutist, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas). In a

Why do artists and writers shelve or abandon particular projects – books, artworks, ideas? What does this tell us about how artists and writers work? What does it tell us about the systems in which they work, the expectations placed upon them, the kinds of work considered viable, valuable, worthwhile? For this event as part

10 Books You Should Read continues to be a favourite event at Kildare Readers' Festival. Its format is a simple one - the guests choose five titles each – conversation ensues, as recommendations - and the advocacy of same - volley back and forth. On this occasion KRF thought to have the conversation be amongst the keepers

The Iron Annie Cabaret is a celebration of music, theatre and literature. Based on Luke Cassidy’s debut novel Iron Annie, it tells the story of Aoife, a major figure in Dundalk’s small-town underworld, and her fatal attraction to Annie, a magnetic and elusive force that barged into her life. Think Reservoir Dogs meets Thelma and

Sunday Mass and sea swimming; bird alphabets and stone collecting; Goya and Monet; the Stations of the Cross and the Sacred Heart of Jesus; bedrooms and bedsits; insomnia and parental love. Writer and artist Sara Baume covers wide ground in this spellbinding audio-visual essay. Ultimately, it’s a show about our obsessions and passions – the

Join us for an evening with Booker-longlisted No.1 bestselling author of Strange Flowers, Donal Ryan, as we explore his most recent novel The Queen of Dirt Island. It is a story of terrible betrayals and fierce loyalties, of isolation and togetherness, of transgression, forgiveness, desire, and love. About all the things family can be and

Sinéad Gleeson and Kim Gordon’s collection of essays by female writers about female artists that matter to them, This Woman’s Work: Essays on Music was published in April this year. The book “seeks to challenge the male dominance and sexism hard-coded in the canons of music, literature, and film and has forced women to fight

Join us for this year’s Ten Books where former Irish Censor, John Kelleher and self-declared ‘dirty-minded historian’ and host of the Censored podcast Dr Aoife Bhreatnach discuss their top picks from the world of banned books. Dr Aoife Bhreatnach is a researcher, writer and podcaster. Since March 2020, she has written and presented Censored podcast,

Author Marguerite Penrose in conversation with Noelle Brown reflects about her life, work and inspiration in her memoir ‘Yeah, But Where Are You Really From’ – an open and thought provoking read which explores Marguerite’s life and her thoughts and experience of; needs of people born in institutions, on being a Black Irishwoman and about

Regarded as one of the best European poets of his time, Dennis O'Driscoll was a poet, essayist, critic, editor and mentor who made Naas, Co Kildare his home until his death. The Dennis O'Driscoll Literary Bursary Award, an initiative of Kildare County Council, is open to both established and emerging writers and critics in all

Recent years have seen an unprecedented volume of exciting new fiction coming out of the North. Kildare Readers’ Festival is delighted to welcome Derry writer Kerri ní Dochartaigh speaking with Michelle Gallen and Olivia Fitzsimons about their new books and the current thriving literature scene in Northern Ireland. Kerri ní Dochartaigh is from the North

Kildare Readers Festival regular Dermot Bolger returns with Sunday Sessions for a conversation with our guests Billy Roche and Bernard Farrell about life as playwrights, seeing the work on stage and how plays appear and disappear. In this relaxed and intimate discussion, Dermot and guests will look at how past life experience has influenced their

Since 2015, Maynooth University Department of English and Kildare County Council Arts and Library Service have collaborated on an annual writers-in-residence programme, supporting writers in their practice and to bring their work to university and community audiences. The resident writers in 2022/23 are Fíona Scarlett and Catherine Talbot. Recently appointed Associate Professor of Creative Writing/

Mórimeacht liteartha na Gaeilge ag a gcuirfidh an sárchraoltóir, Tristan Rosenstock (RTÉ), agallamh ar bhuaiteoirí na nGradam Foilsitheoireachta 2023 - Gradam Réics Carló (Leabhar na Bliana don Léitheoir Óg); Gradam Uí Shúilleabháin (Leabhar na Bliana don Léitheoir Fásta); agus Gradam de Bhaldraithe (Leabhar na Bliana do Shaothar Aistrithe go Gaeilge ó theanga eile). Mar chuid den ócáid, labhróidh Tristan leis na criticeoirí

Join us for an evening with Sophie White and Rick O’Shea as they discuss Sophie’s writing. Sophie’s novel Where I End has recently won the Shirley Jackson Award which recognises “outstanding achievement in the literature of psychological suspense, horror, and the dark fantastic.” Where I End is a story of psychological and physical horror with a shattering

Join acclaimed short story author, Kathleen Murray as she discusses her first novel, published by Harper Collins in 2022 and described as ‘the Coen Brothers of Carlow’ with author, journalist & correspondent Ed O’Loughlin. The Deadwood Encore tells the story of Frank Whelan, a seventh son of a seventh son, and his journey of self-discovery.

Join us for the launch of Maria McDonald’s new novel Tangled Webs. Jane Best and Agnes Williams are known in Belfast for taking in lodgers at Riverdale House, the business they started together after losing their husbands in the Anglo-Zulu War. For forty years, they’ve welcomed young women in need of a respectable place to

Join Katriona O’Sullivan and a guest for a discussion on Katriona’s book Poor. Poor is a memoir describing the impact of childhood poverty.  Katriona's story recounts her journey from poverty, teenage pregnancy, homelessness to graduating with a PhD from Trinity College Dublin and becoming an award-winning lecturer whose work challenges barriers to education. Poor is her stirring argument for the importance of giving hope, practical

Writer and soprano, Judith Mok was born in Holland and studied at the Royal Conservatory of the Hague. She has toured the world as a classical soprano, moving to Dublin in 2002, where she is a leading voice coach working with noted singers from the classical and pop worlds. Her books include the novels De Beul (2000) and Gael (2006),