Festivals and Events | Dublin Book Festival 2025

Dublin Book Festival 2025

– celebrating Ireland's writers and publishers –

Dublin Book Festival has announced it programme for 2025, with over 100 events taking place in venues around the city during the first full week in November, celebrating Ireland's writers and publishers. A selection of these events, that may appeal to writers and publishers in particular, are listed below.

• In The Art of Writing for a Living, writers and editors, Naoise Dolan, Martin Doyle, and Lisa McInerney delve into this very topic, in conversation with Gemma Tipton. Further information …
• At the festival's opening night, one of Ireland's best loved literary magazines, The Dublin Review, will be celebrated, with a stellar line-up of writers. Further information …

Several events showcasing and celebrating emerging authors include:

• Emerging Voices and Shadows of Our Past are panel discussions around debut novels
• Short Stories in Focus delves into three debut short-story collections
• The annual launch for the well-loved Winter Papers anthology will take place at that festival hub and is always a big draw for the writing community
• A walking-writing workshop will take place in the grounds of IMMA, with acclaimed poet and playwright, Colm Keegan, using nature as your muse
• Join a historical fiction writing workshop with author Juliana Adelman

The organisers "appreciate your support in reaching as many book lovers and keen writers as possible, and hope to see many of you there!"

The Dublin Book Festival takes place over five days in November. For further information, and to book your tickets, visit the festival's website.

Book Launch | Only When I'm Dancing Can I Feel This Free by Wayne Power

Only When I’m Dancing Can I Feel This Free

– part of Waterford Writers Weekend 2023 –

Wayne Power's third poetry collection
to be launched as part of
Waterford Writers Weekend 2023,
26-29 October

Waterford Writers Weekend gets underway today, 26 October and runs until the 29th, with a full programme of events that includes the launch of the latest volume of poetry from Wayne Power, Only When I'm Dancing Can I Feel This Free.

"… this new collection once again showcases his endless gift to wield words that will make you laugh, cry and think. All wrapped up in a singular, powerful and unique voice that celebrates and laments modern Ireland, modern romance, in a comedic, thought-provoking, gritty and edgy style. With an unmistakable grá for his home town of Waterford. We are delighted to launch this collection with him."

St Patrick's Gateway Centre in Waterford is the venue for this event, which starts at 7pm. Tony Kelly, whose film, The Hurler, is currently showing in Irish cinemas will officially unveil the book.

Wayne Power is an author is clearly well into his groove at this stage in his career. His latest collection offers more than a nod and a wink to the Queen of Pop, also expressing and a debt of gratitude, perhaps.

Wayne says of his latest offering:

"The lyrics from which this book is named after, I feel are fitting. They encapsulate joy and freedom: something I have struggled and fought for, for a long time and feel I have achieved through poetry and spoken word. I have found my voice and freedom through this beautiful art form that has ultimately changed my life."

Wayne Power is a writer, poet and spoken-word artist based in Waterford City who has come to prominence in recent years, both locally and nationally, through his performance art, poetry and plays that he has written. His work has been described as "speaking for and to a lot of his generation" in the words of playwright, Jim Nolan.

His third collection is, arguably, the strongest to date, which is no mean feat, coming on the back of two previous volumes – Everyone’s a Star after Midnight from 2020 and Neon Hearts and the Angry Mob in 2022 – that were well received by audiences and critics alike.

Only When I’m Dancing Can I Feel This Free by Wayne Power is published under the imprint of The Manuscript Publisher. Copies of the book are also available to buy online, along with other published work by Wayne Power.

Festivals and Events | SiarScéal Festival 2023

SiarScéal Awards Day 2023

SiarScéal Awards Day 2023

This coming Saturday, 21 October, sees the SiarScéal Festival make its annual return with an Awards Day hosted by Roscommon County Library at the library's headquarters in Abbeytown in Roscommon, between 2pm and 4pm.

"It will be a great day," says Ruairí Ó hAodha of Roscommon County Library, "where we will get to hear some of Roscommon's youngest and newest authors reading from their work and hear also from the adult winners of the Hanna Greally prize. We are also keen to hear from people of all ages regarding what direction they would like to see the festival take in the years ahead."

Announcement of winners in the Hanna Greally Literary Awards for 2023 will form part of the proceedings, with the festival's new creative coordinator, Mary Branley and former director, Gwen McNamara Bond on hand to present the prizes.

The event is open to the general public and light refreshments will be served.

Festivals and Events | SiarScéal Festival and the Hanna Greally Literary Awards

Hanna Greally Literary Awards 2023 Now Open for Entries

– part of SiarScéal Festival 2023 celebrations –

Entries are now being accepted for the Hanna Greally Literary Awards 2023, which takes place as part of the annual SiarScéal Festival. Cash prizes totalling €400 are up for grabs but better be quick: the closing date for entries is this coming Friday, 22 September, to be received no later than 5pm (Irish time).

Entry is free but limited to one per participant. Entries may be in the style of poetry (maximum of 100 lines) or prose/short story (maximum of 2000 words). A cash prize of €200 will be awarded to each of the overall winners in the Poetry and Prose/Short Story categories. Detail of how to enter (including competition rules, etc) are available from the website of SiarScéal (see Competition page).

Winners will be announced and prizes presented at SiarScéal Festival 2023, to take place on Saturday, 21 October at Roscommon Co. Library, Abbey Street, Roscommon Town. Also featuring in this year's festival programme of events is a symposium of young authors, who will read from their work contained within their own handmade book, produced with the help of artist, Vanya Ward

SiarScéal is an annual arts and literary festival that has run every year since 2007 and takes place in Roscommon, drawing inspiration from unique culture and heritage of the Roscommon environs, together with the regional counties of Leitrim and Sligo.

SiarScéal – annual arts and literary festival that takes place in Roscommon

Festivals and Events | SiarScéal Festival 2022 | Book Launch

 The Word According to Crow by Sinead McClure

– to be launched at SiarScéal Festival 2022 –

The Word According to Crow
by Sinead McClure

SiarScéal Festival 2022 is going ahead this Saturday, 12 November as planned with just one addition. The launch of the book, The Word According to Crow by Sinead McClure will be included in the festival proceedings, full details of which are posted online to the festival's website.

Sinead is a writer, radio producer and illustrator. In June 2022, she won the Roscommon Chapbook Bursary for this collection, copies of which will be on sale on the day and the author may even be persuaded to sign a few! Further information about this book and Sinead's other work may be found on her website.

Elsewhere, the winners of the Hanna Greally Literary Awards for 2022 will be announced on the day of the festival, with prizes presented and winners invited to recite their work.

As in previous years, the festival will conclude with an ever popular, open-mike session, when authors of all genres and experience are invited to perform their work.

Proceedings get under way at 10am and will run until 5pm with a break for lunch. The venue for the festival Roscommon County Library HQ in Roscommon Town.

Festivals and Events | SiarScéal Festival 2022 | Hanna Greally Literary Awards

SiarScéal Festival 2022: Dates for Your Diary

– including the Hanna Greally Literary Awards –

SiarScéal Festival 2022 takes place on Saturday, 12 November at Roscommon County Library HQ. Proceedings get underway at 10am and a full programme of events is available from the festival website.

The closing date for the Hanna Greally Literary Awards, which takes place annually, in conjunction with the festival, is Friday, 14 October. There is every enticement to get you entries in. A total prize fund of €600 will be dispensed, including prizes of €200 each for overall winners in the poetry and prose categories plus, €100 each for highly commended entries and a €100 prize for overall winner in a separate Student category.

Entry is free but limited to one per person and may consist of poetry or prose/short story writing styles but should be on the theme of this year's competition, which is Sunlit Mornings, Ebbing Tides. Full details, including terms and conditions and how to enter are available from the SiarScéal website – see Competitions page.

Results will be announced and, prizes presented at the festival in November. Music, recitals, readings from the winning entries, an open-mike session will also feature on the day.

For further information about SiarScéal Festival and the Hanna Greally Literary Awards may be found on the SiarScéal website.

Dates for Your Diary

Hanna Greally Literary Awards

• Closing date for entries is Friday, 14 October 2022 with results to be announced at ...

SiarScéal Festival 2022

• Date: Saturday, 12 November 2022
• Time: starts 10pm
• Venue: Roscommon County Library HQ, Abbey Street, Roscommon (see Google Maps for directions)

SiarScéal Festival 2019 – Friday & Saturday, 11th - 12th October

SiarScéal Festival 2019

- Includes Beneath Western Skies Exhibition and the Hanna Greally International Literary Awards -

SiarScéal Festival 2019 will take place over two days, commencing on Friday, 11 October and continuing through Saturday, 12 October at Roscommon County Library HQ in Roscommon Town. Further information is available from the SiarScéal website.

SiarScéal Festival 2019
Friday & Saturday
11th - 12th October

Meanwhile, the closing date for the Hanna Greally International Literary Awards is Tuesday, 10 September and there is every incentive to get your entries in – the Overall Winner will take home a cash prize of €500, with two runners-up each receiving €100. There will also be trophy prizes for Highly Commended entries in the categories of local, national, international. The Ger Hanily Memorial Cup will be awarded to a local writer or school with the best sense of place or identity. Full details of how to enter the competition (including theme, rules of entry and so on) are also available from the SiarScéal website.

Also showcasing at this year's festival is a Beneath Western Skies exhibition, which will be formally launched on Day One of the festival. It will subsequently go on tour and be on display regionally at libraries in Leitrim and Sligo during October and November. The exhibition features photography and poetry by Anni Wilton Jones, who will also host this year's SiarScéal festivities.

Day Two of the festival will include presentation of the Hanna Greally International Literary Awards. Guest poet at this year's festival is Faye Boland, author of Peripheral, who will also adjudicate the Awards. Faye was overall winner in 2017.

Festival-goers will then be treated to a choral recital from the Galway-based Write-On Group.

An open mike session, from 1.30pm to 4.50pm, will close off the festival. People interested in performing their work are asked to send a short text message or SMS to Int+353+(0)86+1649756. This will help the organisers to ensure that everyone is accommodated.

Full details of the festival – including programme of events, how to get there, etc – is available from SiarScéal website. There is also a festival brochure that is available to download and share.

SiarScéal Festival 2018 featuring Beneath Western Skies exhibition

SiarScéal Festival 2018

The annual SiarScéal Festival takes place this weekend (Friday and Saturday, 19-20 October) and, this year, showcases a special photographic and poetry exhibition entitled Beneath Western Skies, celebrating seascapes, lakes and landscapes of the breathtaking County Sligo. The exhibition is already on view at Roscommon County Library HQ in Roscommon Town and will be until Tuesday, 24 October.

Also headlining at this year's festival will be Faye Boland, whose debut collection of poems, Peripheral, takes its title from her overall winning entry at last year's Hanna Greally International Literary Awards, which run, most years, as part of the festival. The Awards are on hiatus this year however, a selection of entries from last year accompanies the photographs featured in Beneath Western Skies exhibition.

A writing workshop with author and poet, Mary Branley on the Friday is another reason to go along while, musical performances and the always popular open mike session to close the festival on the Saturday. The full details for this year's festival have been posted online and also available to download.

The festival is open to the public and anyone interested in performing their work is asked to contact the organisers by text or SMS to Int+353+(0)86 1649756.

SiarScéal is an annual community festival based in Roscommon and Roscommon County Council Library Services have sponsored this event, along with The Manuscript Publisher and AIB. Photographers and poets from surrounding areas have generously allowed their work to be displayed and performed, including Ann Joyce, who has been a friend of SiarScéal since its inception.