The Dublin Book Festival aims to be Ireland’s most successful and vibrant book event. This annual public Festival showcases, supports and develops Irish Publishing by programming, publicising and selling Irish published books, their authors, editors and contributors, and by providing seminars and networking events - all in an entertaining, festive, friendly and accessible environment that reflects the creativity and personality of the Irish Publishing sector.

This year the festival will take place from Wednesday 2nd March to Sunday 6th March.

The 4th Dublin Book Festival has been extended from three to five days, only a few months since Dublin City was awarded the designation of UNESCO Dublin City of Literature.

More than 60 of Ireland’s leading authors, poets and journalists will participate in this year’s Festival, contributing a whole range of personal experiences from the well established figures in Irish literature, to aspiring, challenging practitioners and those only starting out on their creative journeys.

The Festival includes more than 50 readings, debates, book launches, workshops together with events for children, a special Festival Café at City Hall and the Festival Bookshop with offerings from Irish publishers.

Author events will be held in a variety of venues throughout Dublin City including the National Library of Ireland, The Gutter Bookshop, Cube at the Project Arts Centre, Dublin City Libraries and, as with previous years, Dublin’s City Hall.

The Dublin Book Festival is a flagship event for Publishing Ireland, the Irish Book Publishers’ Association and is supported by the Department of Tourism, Culture and Sport; Foras na Gaeilge; Dublin City Libraries and Dublin City Council.



THE 2011 PROGRAMME

Celebration Events

LAUNCH OF OCTOBER MOON BY MICHAEL SCOTT
FRIDAY 4 MARCH 12.00pm: Come Celebrate!
Launch Area, City Hall
Admission Free – no booking necessary!

LAUNCH OF PLATFORM 14 An Anthology of New Writing
by the MA in Creative Writing, UCD 2010
FRIDAY 4 MARCH 2.00pm: Come Celebrate!
Launch Area, City Hall
Admission Free – no booking necessary!

LAUNCH OF TROMACH TRAMACH BY ORNA NÍ CHOILEÁIN
FRIDAY 4 MARCH 3.00pm: Come Celebrate!
Launch Area, City Hall
Admission Free – no booking necessary!

INSTITUTO CERVANTES DUBLIN INTRODUCE NOVELIST MR JORGE EDWARDS
FRIDAY 4 MARCH 4.00pm: Come Celebrate!
Launch Area, City Hall
Admission Free – no booking necessary!

LAUNCH OF THE LAST IRISH PLAGUE – THE GREAT FLU EPIDEMIC IN IRELAND 1918-19 BY CAITRIONA FOLEY
SATURDAY 5 MARCH 1.00pm: Come Celebrate!
Launch Area, City Hall
Admission Free – no booking necessary!

LAUNCH OF THE BOY IN THE GAP BY PAUL SOYE
SATURDAY 5 MARCH 5.00: Come Celebrate!
Launch Area, City Hall
Admission Free – no booking necessary!

THE RATHMINES WRITERS’ WORKSHOP
with short readings to celebrate 21 years of the Rathmines Writers’ Workshop
SUNDAY 6 MARCH 11.15am: Come Celebrate!
Main Stage, City Hall
Admission Free – no booking necessary!

SALMON POETRY: 30TH ANNIVERSARY
Anne Le Marquand Hartigan, Nessa O’Mahony, Maurice Harmon, Patrick Chapman
SUNDAY 6 MARCH 12.15pm: Come Celebrate!
Main Stage, City Hall
Admission Free – no booking necessary!


Discussion Events

DUBLIN, ITS PLACE IN LITERATURE
in Association with Dublin UNESCO City of Literature & National Library of Ireland
Eileen Battersby in conversation with Anthony Cronin and Dermot Bolger
WEDNESDAY 2 MARCH 6.30pm: Up for Discussion
National Library of Ireland
Ticket Price: €5 - all tickets can be exchanged at the event for €5 Dublin Book Festival Bookshop Voucher!

CURRENT AFFAIRS: STEPPING INTO A BRIGHTER FUTURE
Mark Little, Shane Coleman, Justine McCarthy, Stephen Kinsella, Ken Foxe
THURSDAY 3 MARCH 6.30pm: Up for Discussion
The Cube, Project Arts Centre
Ticket Price: €5 – all tickets can be exchanged at the event for €5 Dublin Book Festival Bookshop Voucher! The Project Arts Centre 01 8819614 / 01 8819613

TRUE CRIME: CRIMINAL MINDS
John Mooney, Barry Cummins, Abigail Rieley, Emer Connolly
THURSDAY 3 MARCH 6.30pm: Up for Discussion
The Gutter Bookshop
Admission Free – no booking necessary!

SPEAK TO THE PROFESSIONALS: SETTING UP YOUR BUSINESS & SURVIVING THE RECESSION
Brody Sweeney, Bobby Kerr, Yanky Fachler
FRIDAY 4 MARCH 9.45am: Up for Discussion
Main Stage, City Hall
Admission Free – no booking necessary!

YOUR CAREER AND PERSONAL FINANCES: GETTING BACK ON TRACK
Colm Rapple, Brendan Foley, Jane Downes
FRIDAY 4 MARCH 11.15am: Up for Discussion
Main Stage, City Hall
Admission Free – no booking necessary!

IRISH CRIME WRITING IN THE 21ST CENTURY
Gene Kerrigan, Niamh O’Connor, Paul Charles chaired by Declan Burke
SATURDAY 5 MARCH 2.00pm: Up for Discussion
Main Stage, City Hall
Admission Free – no booking necessary!

THE PAST IS NOW: LESSONS FOR TODAY FROM IRELAND’S PAST
Ryan Tubridy, Diarmaid Ferriter, chaired by Susan Cahill
SATURDAY 5 MARCH 4.00pm: Up for Discussion
The Cube, Project Arts Centre
Tickets: €5 – all tickets can be exchanged at the event for €5 Dublin Book Festival Bookshop Voucher!
The Project Arts Centre 01 8819614 / 01 8819613

POLITICAL REFORM IN IRELAND: A NEW REPUBLIC
Naoise Nunn, Pat Leahy, Fintan O’Toole, Kevin Rafter
SUNDAY 6 MARCH 2.00pm: Up for Discussion
Council Chamber, City Hall
Tickets: FREE – admission is FREE to this event, but you do need to reserve a seat.
Tickets can be collected from Dublin’s City Hall on the day of the performance only. Tickets must be collected a minimum of 30 minutes before the scheduled performance.

TOMORROW’S WOMEN: WHAT’S NEXT FOR MNÁ NA hÉIREANN
Victoria White, Dr Ann Matthews, chaired by Susan McKay
SUNDAY 6 MARCH 3.00pm: Up for Discussion
Council Chamber, City Hall
Tickets: FREE – admission is FREE to this event, but you do need to reserve a seat.
Tickets can be collected from Dublin’s City Hall on the day of the performance only. Tickets must be collected a minimum of 30 minutes before the scheduled performance.


In Conversation Events

CATHAL PÓIRTÉIR I gCOMHRÁ LE hALEX HIJMANS
SATURDAY 5 MARCH 3.10pm
In Conversation – Council Chamber, Dublin’s City Hall
Tickets: FREE – admission is FREE to this event, but you do need to reserve a seat.
Tickets can be collected from Dublin’s City Hall on the day of the performance only. Tickets must be collected a minimum of 30 minutes before the scheduled performance.

CATHAL PÓIRTÉIR I gCOMHRÁ LE hÉILÍS NÍ DHUIBHNE
SATURDAY 5 MARCH 4.15pm
In Conversation – Council Chamber, Dublin’s City Hall
Tickets: FREE – admission is FREE to this event, but you do need to reserve a seat.
Tickets can be collected from Dublin’s City Hall on the day of the performance only. Tickets must be collected a minimum of 30 minutes before the scheduled performance.


Kid’s Events

READINGS FROM THE PANDA SERIES FOR CHILDREN WITH GILLIAN PERDUE
SATURDAY 5 MARCH 11.30am
Treats for Kids – The Gutter Bookshop
Admission Free – no booking necessary!

WINNERS OF THE YOUNG ADULT WRITING COMPETITION PRESENTATION
SATURDAY 5 MARCH 12.00pm
Treats for Kids – Main Stage, Dublin’s City Hall
Admission Free – no booking necessary!

CHILDREN’S TREASURE HUNT
SATURDAY 5 MARCH ALL DAY
Dublin’s City Hall and all around Dublin’s Temple Bar
Call in to Dublin’s City Hall anytime on Saturday to begin the adventure!
Admission Free – no booking necessary!

SCHOOL’S PROGRAMME
All the events scheduled under the School’s Programme are currently booked out. However, if you would like to be placed on a cancellation list please email
bookings@dublinbookfestival.com

MORNING READINGS WITH JEAN FLITCROFT
WEDNESDAY 2 MARCH 10.30am
Treats for Kids – The Gutter Bookshop

MORNING READINGS WITH DON CONROY
WEDNESDAY 2 MARCH 10.30am
Treats for Kids – Central Library, Ilac Centre

WRITE YOUR BOOK – IN ASSOCIATION WITH FIGHTING WORDS
THURSDAY 3 MARCH 10.30am
Treats for Kids – Pearse Street Library

WRITING & ILLUSTRATING WITH OISIN McGANN
FRIDAY 4 MARCH 10.30am
Treats for Kids – National Library of Ireland

THE ART OF COMIC BOOKS WITH GERRY HUNT
FRIDAY 4 MARCH 10.30am
Treats for Kids – Coolock Library

MORNING READINGS WITH GABRIEL FITZMAURICE
FRIDAY 4 MARCH 11.00am
Treats for Kids – Cabra Library

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NEW WRITING COMPETITION FOR YOUNG WRITERS - NOW CLOSED FOR ENTRIES
A new writing competition for young writers aged between 12 and 14
Budding authors are being asked to write and submit a story between 500 and 1000 words in length for the chance to win a creative writing workshop with Booker Prize Winner Roddy Doyle.
The story must be submitted by 11 February and judges will pick the eight winners to attend the workshop on 26 February 2011.
Entries for the Young Adult Writing Competition should be between 500 and 1000 words and can be on any topic. Stories should be submitted to the following address before 11 February:
Young Adult Writing Competition
Publishing Ireland, Guinness Enterprise Centre, Taylor’s Lane, Dublin 8
julianne@dublinbookfestival.com


Reading Events

FRIDAY LUNCHTIME WITH THE DUBLIN BOOK FESTIVAL: REAL LIFE, REAL STORIES
Ralph Riegel, Jenny McCudden, Yvonne Joye
FRIDAY 4 MARCH 1.00pm: Be Inspired!
Main Stage, Dublin’s City Hall
Admission Free – no booking necessary!

DUBLIN, ITS PLACE IN POETRY in association with Dublin UNESCO City of Literature
Peter Sirr, Gerard Smyth, Michael O’Loughlin, Iggy McGovern, Jessie Lendennie, Alan Jude Moore, Máighréad Medbh
SATURDAY 5 MARCH 1.15pm: Be Inspired!
The Cube, Project Arts Centre
Tickets: €5 - all tickets can be exchanged at the event for €5 Dublin Book Festival Bookshop Voucher!
The Project Arts Centre 01 8819614 / 01 8819613

PAUL HOWARD: THE REAL FACE BEHIND ROSS O’CARROLL-KELLY
SATURDAY 5 MARCH 2.00pm: Be Inspired!
Council Chamber, Dublin’s City Hall
Tickets: FREE – admission is FREE to this event, but you do need to reserve a seat.
Tickets can be collected from Dublin’s City Hall on the day of the performance only. Tickets must be collected a minimum of 30 minutes before the scheduled performance.

FICTION: SHORT STORY READINGS
Christine Dwyer Hickey, Martin Malone, Gerardine Burke, Billy O’Callaghan, chaired by Jack Harte
SATURDAY 5 MARCH 3.10pm: Be Inspired!
Main Stage, Dublin’s City Hall
Admission Free – no booking necessary!

FRESH VOICES I / GUTHANNA ÚRA I
Claire Kilroy, Kevin Power, Caitríona Ní Chléirchín, Proinsias Mac a’ Bhaird chaired by Dr. Adam Kelly
SUNDAY 6 MARCH 1.10pm: Be Inspired!
Main Stage, Dublin’s City Hall
Admission Free – no booking necessary!

FRESH VOICES II
Paul Soye, Nuala Ní Chonchúir, Liam Carson, Yvonne Cassidy, chaired by Sinéad Mac Aodha
SUNDAY 6 MARCH 4.00pm: Be Inspired!
Main Stage, Dublin’s City Hall
Admission Free – no booking necessary!

FICSEAN ÚR AS GAEILGE
Eoghan Mac Giolla Bhride, Orna Ní Choileáin, Anna Heussaff faoi chathaoirleacht Liam Carson
SUNDAY 6 MARCH 5.00pm: Be Inspired!
Council Chamber, Dublin’s City Hall
Admission Free – no booking necessary!
Tickets: FREE – admission is FREE to this event, but you do need to reserve a seat.
Tickets can be collected from Dublin’s City Hall on the day of the performance only. Tickets must be collected a minimum of 30 minutes before the scheduled performance.


Writer’s Events

WRITING FOR YOUNG ADULTS
Sarah Webb, Kevin Stevens chaired by Mags Walsh
SATURDAY 5 MARCH 1.00pm
Writers’ Choice – Council Chamber, Dublin’s City Hall
Admission Free – no booking necessary!

WRITING POPULAR FICTION
Sheila O’Flanagan, Sinead Moriarty, Anna McPartlin, chaired by Sue Leonard
SUNDAY 6 MARCH 2.00pm
Writers’ Choice – Main Stage, Dublin’s City Hall
Admission Free – no booking necessary!

SHORTCUTS TO SUCCESS: HOW TO LAUNCH YOUR WRITING CAREER WITH WINNING SHORT FICTION
Kate Kerrigan, Mary Malone, Ivy Bannister, chaired by Vanessa O’Loughlin
SUNDAY 6 MARCH 3.10pm
Writers’ Choice – Main Stage, Dublin’s City Hall
Admission Free – no booking necessary!