Join Kildare Readers’ Festival at Riverbank Arts Centre from 10–13 October as they celebrate their 15th anniversary!

This year’s milestone event promises an extraordinary line-up of literary talent, featuring Maggie Armstrong, Sara Baume, Dermot Bolger, Jan Carson, Diarmaid Ferriter, Sinéad Gleeson, Dr. Páraic Kerrigan, Claire Kilroy, Niamh Mulvey, Mike McCormack, Fiona Neary and more.
Immerse yourself in the programme, including the intimate Sunday Sessions and beloved Ten Books You Should Read, with two very special guests this year Abie Philbin Bowman and Catherine Corless. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to engage with Ireland’s finest writers and partake in stimulating discussions, readings, and more. Mark your calendars for a memorable celebration of literature and community at the Kildare Readers’ Festival.

Event details below

Words and Wonder: An Evening with Mike McCormack
Thursday, 10 October 2024, 8pm
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Join us for an evening with award-winning author Mike McCormack as he sits down with writer and broadcaster Aingeala Flannery to discuss his latest novel and his broader body of work. McCormack, known for his distinctive narrative style and innovative approach to storytelling, has captivated readers with his unique exploration of life, time, and the human condition. His most recent novel continues to push the boundaries of literary form, blending lyrical prose with profound insights into the everyday lives of his characters. McCormack and Flannery will discuss the inspirations behind his work, the crafting of his distinctive narrative voice, and the themes that have shaped his writing career. The evening promises to be a fascinating journey into the mind of one of Ireland’s most celebrated authors. Whether you’re familiar with McCormack’s work or just discovering it, this conversation will provide a rich understanding of his creative process and the ideas that drive his writing. Join us for an evening with award-winning author Mike McCormack as he sits down with writer and broadcaster Aingeala Flannery to discuss his latest novel and his broader body of work. McCormack, known for his distinctive narrative style and innovative approach to storytelling, has captivated readers with his unique exploration of life, time, and the human condition. His most recent novel continues to push the boundaries of literary form, blending lyrical prose with profound insights into the everyday lives of his characters.

McCormack and Flannery will discuss the inspirations behind his work, the crafting of his distinctive narrative voice, and the themes that have shaped his writing career. The evening promises to be a fascinating journey into the mind of one of Ireland’s most celebrated authors. Whether you’re familiar with McCormack’s work or just discovering it, this conversation will provide a rich understanding of his creative process and the ideas that drive his writing.

Quickly, While They Still Have Horses: Exploring Short Stories with Jan Carson
Friday, 11 October 2024, 8pm
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Acclaimed author Jan Carson will discuss her work with writer Olivia Fitzsimons. Carson’s new novel offers readers a powerful exploration of human connections in a fractured world. Known for her vivid characters and deeply affecting narratives, Carson weaves a story that captures the complexity of family dynamics, community, and the ties that bind us together in unexpected ways.

In conversation with Fitzsimons, Carson will chat inspiration, approaches to the storytelling, and the themes that permeate her latest novel. This event is a unique opportunity to hear from one of Northern Ireland’s most distinctive voices in contemporary literature. Whether you’re a long-time fan or new to her work, this discussion will provide fresh insights into the creative process and the stories that resonate in today’s world. Come prepared for an evening of literary reflection and discovery as these two gifted writers engage in a thoughtful and compelling exchange.

Ten Books You Should Read
Saturday, 12 October 2024, 10am
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Join us for the ever popular Ten Books You Should Read. As ever we take this a suggestion of books we might discover and that we might love.

This year our two guests have their love of history as the common denominator. Abie Philbin Bowman, historian, documentary maker and comedian will talk with Catherine Corless, social historian, whose book Belonging shook the people of Ireland to appreciate what one woman can do when she sets out to right an injustice. We look forward to a fascinating conversation on the books they bring to the table.

The Revelation of Ireland with Diarmaid Ferriter
Saturday, 12 October 2024, 12:30pm
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Join us for a talk by one of Ireland’s best-known historians Professor Diarmaid Ferriter who will speak on some of the topics explored in his latest book The Revelation of Ireland.

The Transformation of Ireland by Diarmaid Ferriter, published in 2004, was the first survey history of twentieth century Ireland in many years. Now, 20 years later, comes the sequel, The Revelation of Ireland, bringing us exciting new research and insights for 1995 – 2020, a deep dive into a turbulent and exciting period.

Professor Ferriter’s book outlines how Ireland is a strikingly different country now to the one it was in the mid-1990s. Dramatic economic, social and cultural changes, including the Celtic Tiger boom and increasingly secular debate about abortion, the status of women and same-sex marriage underlined the scale of the transformation. The new diversity of the population and literary and musical prowess also revealed a country experiencing rapid alteration. As the Republic enters its second century of independence, and the North continues to grapple with the legacy of the Troubles, Diarmaid Ferriter makes historical sense of post-1990s Ireland, and what lies in the darkest corners of its archives.

Reeling in the Queers with Páraic Kerrigan and Anna Nolan
Saturday, 12 October 2024, 2:30pm
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Páraic Kerrigan, author of Reeling in the Queers, sits down with presenter, producer and Chairperson of the National LGBT Federation, Anna Nolan to discuss his ground-breaking work exploring lesser-known stories of the fight for LGBTQ+ rights in Ireland. In this thought-provoking book, Kerrigan explores fourteen key moments reflecting the changing social and cultural landscape of Ireland.

Kerrigan and Nolan will cover these important themes, exploring how media can both challenge and reinforce societal norms. This event is an opportunity to hear from Kerrigan about the process of researching this vital history and to gain a deeper understanding of the power of media in shaping social attitudes. Whether you’re interested in media studies, Irish history, or LGBTQ+ rights, this conversation promises to be both informative and inspiring.

Debut Voices: Niamh Mulvey and Maggie Armstrong
Saturday, 12 October 2024, 4pm
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Join us for a conversation with debut authors Niamh Mulvey and Maggie Armstrong. This event presents a rare chance to hear from two rising stars in the literary world as they discuss their debut books and share their experiences of bringing their stories to life. Both Mulvey and Armstrong will offer a fresh perspective on what it’s like to be a new voice in literature, from the challenges of writing their debuts to the excitement of seeing their work in print. Whether you’re an avid reader or an aspiring writer, this conversation will provide valuable insights and inspiration.

On the edge of the (other) worldly: Hagstone
Sinéad Gleeson in conversation with Sara Baume
Saturday, 12 October 2024, 8pm
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We are delighted to welcome the return of Sinéad Gleeson and Sara Baume to Kildare Readers’ Festival to discuss the role that the natural world plays in Sinéad’s debut novel, Hagstone – how land and seascape serve as backdrop, as foreground, as character – how place comes to permeate the living – what it means to live beyond the parameters of the known world, past the horizon line. And to speak of the need for solitude, the lure of community and of so much art.

Due to unforeseen circumstances Sara Baume is unable to take part in this event. Jackie Lynam has stepped in to replace Sara.

Sunday Sessions: Lives Within Families
Claire Kilroy and Fiona Neary in conversation with Dermot Bolger
Sunday, 13 October 2024, 11am
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The experience of family life is unique to all of us, most especially now when the definition of what constitutes a family has radically changed. The Kildare Readers’ Festival’s penultimate event features author Dermot Bolger conducting his traditional public conversation with two guests whose recent books explore different aspects of being in a family unit.
Claire Kilroy’s acclaimed new novel, Soldier Sailor, is an urgent, memorable and gut-wrenching meditation on motherhood, love, creativity and identity. Exploring the clash of fierce love for a new life with a seismic change in identity, she vividly describes the tumultuous emotions of a new mother, who feels plunged (in the words of the Guardian) “into a world that has diminished her, reduced her to the near-voiceless role of ‘mother’… finding herself torn out of what she had believed was her real life and deposited in a sleep-deprived, incoherent parallel universe.”
Filled with pathos and humour, Fiona Neary’s Parcels in the Post is a memoir of a loving household and a snapshot of the fostering system in Ireland, from someone who was at the heart of it from the moment when Fiona’s huge-hearted mum decided to take in foster children on their family farm. Over the next decade, a procession of faces passed through the family home. Every child had their own story, and each story claimed a little piece of Fiona’s heart. All these children had to pass through a chaotic system: where a judge’s decision can alter a child’s life, for better or worse; where emergency placements can break up siblings and foster families are often left in the dark. Her memoir has been described as ‘Warm, life-affirming … an inspirational and memorable read.’

Claire Kilroy’s debut novel, All Summer, received the 2004 Rooney Prize for Irish Literature and her second novel, Tenderwire, was shortlisted for the 2007 Irish Novel of the Year. Soldier Sailor was shortlisted for the 2024 Women’s Prize for Fiction.

Fiona Neary cofounded the Rape Crisis Centre in Castlebar in 1993, and later acted as National Coordinator and Executive Director of Rape Crisis Network Ireland. She is currently co-director of the Linenhall Arts Centre in Castlebar. Parcels in the Post is her first book.

Belinda McKeon introduces the Kildare Library & Arts Services/Maynooth University Writer in Residence
Sunday, 13 October 2024, 1pm
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Closing out the festival this year, acclaimed novelist, short story writer, playwright and Associate Professor in the English Department at Maynooth University, Belinda McKeon will interview the newly appointed Writer in Residence for Maynooth University/Kildare Library and Arts Services. This is a unique opportunity to meet the new Writer in Residence and hear first hand about their plans and aspirations for the year ahead. They will share how this residency will support their writing practice and influence their creative journey. Previous Writers in Residence include Paul Lynch, winner of the 2023 Booker Prize.

In conversation with McKeon, the Writer in Residence will discuss the significance of the MA in Creative Writing at Maynooth University and how it shapes emerging writers. The discussion will touch on the writer’s role within the university and community, as well as the various projects and events they intend to pursue during their residency.

This promises to be an inspiring evening, offering a glimpse into the creative life of a writer and the impact of literary residencies. Whether you’re a writer, a student, or simply a lover of literature, this event will provide valuable perspectives on the writing life and the opportunities available to writers in Ireland today.

Online bookings subject to €1.50 booking fee per ticket. Tickets bought at Box Office or by phone not subject to booking fee.