2026 Events

An Evening with Joe Barnes and Jason Corcoran
The Gutter Bookshop Temple Bar
Wednesday 9th September 2026 6.30-8pm

‘Leaving Russia: How Putin Forced a Country’s Future to Flee‘, a memoir about the unravelling of Russian society after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Published in May this year by Quartet, it follows Jason’s family as they flee Moscow and join the historic exodus of Russians escaping repression, fear and moral collapse. ‘Farewell to Russia‘ explores the consequences of the collapse of the Soviet Union by travelling through each of the 15 republics that emerged from its ashes. Along the way, it introduces readers to countries that rarely receive sustained attention while examining the lessons of their 35 years of independence. Both authors offer very different perspectives on Russia and the post-Soviet world, and it will make for a lively and interesting event, one not to be missed. FREE & ALL WELCOME.

‘Novel Ideas’ Grand Stretch
Dublin Fringe Festival Events
The Gutter Bookshop Temple Bar
Thur 10th–Sat 12th Sept, 18:30 & Tue 15th–Thur 17th Sept, 18:30

Here sits a writer who cannot write… Now there’s an idea! He scribbles it down. Reads it aloud. Edits. Erases. Tears out the pages. Novel ideas hit the bin and, again, nothing begins. Award-winning improvisation-led theatre-maker Darren Yorke abandons the writing desk and plays an idea forward to create a new novel in each performance, in real time. No outline. No draft. No edits. Novel Ideas is a genuine risk for author and audience alike, but it might also be a remedy to perfectionism and creative paralysis. TICKETS & INFO – CLICK HERE.

Children’s Books Ireland International Conference 2026
External event
The Lighthouse Cinema
Sat 19th & Sun 20th Sept 2026 (9am-5pm)

‘Power appears in books for children and young people in many ways. Through showcasing courage, imagination, friendship and kindness; children’s and young peoples’ book creators hold immense power and influence. This responsibility in encouraging the younger generation to step into their own power and realise the ability they hold to change the world around them must not be taken lightly. Books can help young readers understand who holds power, how it can be used responsibly, and how even the smallest voices can have a meaningful impact. Join us for thought-provoking discussions, engaging presentations and opportunities to connect with peers in the world of children and young people’s books. The Children’s Books Ireland International Conference is a weekend-long celebration of the very best in children’s books. Taking place on the 19th and 20th September, this annual event is a unique opportunity to critically reflect on the impact, imagination and importance of books for young people. Anyone with an interest in and a passion for children’s books is welcome to attend and participate in what is always an outward-looking, lively and thought-provoking event. TO BOOK CLICK HERE.

Dublin Festival of History
External Event – Big Weekend
Mansion House
Sunday 27th September 2026 

The Dublin Festival of History will run from 26 September to 11 October 2026. The Dublin Festival of History is an annual free festival, brought to you by Dublin City Council, and organised by Dublin City Libraries, in partnership with the Dublin City Council Culture Company. Now in its fourteenth year, the festival has built a reputation for shining a fresh perspective on history and its importance in our everyday lives, attracting best-selling Irish and international historians to Dublin for a high-profile programme of history talks and debate each Autumn. FREE- MORE INFO HERE.

‘Unseen Ireland‘ by Joshua Nueva
Book Launch
The Gutter Bookshop Temple Bar
Tuesday 29th September 2026 6.30-8pm

Journey through the raw and rugged beauty of Ireland, with 100+ stunning photographs of the breathtaking places and hidden gems. Northern lights, humpback whales, incredible islands, scenic drives, wildlife, hikes and stunning white sand beaches are just a few of the unforgettable sights which make Ireland renowned for its natural beauty. Unseen Ireland takes readers on a journey through stunning Irish landscapes to explore the adventures of a lifetime that Ireland has to offer, covering each of the provinces of Munster, Leinster, Ulster and Connacht. Along the way we’ll hear the Irish history, myths and legends which are woven into the fabric of the landscape – from the Hidden Village of Galboly to the prehistoric monuments of Newgrange, which are linked to the ancient Irish god of love Oenghus. The author, Joshua Nueva, is a photographer, filmmaker and travel content creator from Co. Mayo who was recently nominated for TikTok’s ‘Travel Creator of the Year’. Filled with atmospheric photography of Ireland’s most beautiful places, this book isn’t only about places you may never have seen, but the light in which we see them. FREE & ALL WELCOME.

Louise O’Neill: A Bigger Life – In conversation with Sophie White
Dublin Book Festival Event
Townhall, 1WML
Wednesday 30th September 2026 7pm

At 38, Louise had the life she thought she wanted—until her long-term relationship ended, taking with it the home, future, and sense of certainty she’d built. Part memoir, part manifesto, A Bigger Life is a candid, courageous exploration of what happens when the life we have built is upended, and how, when one door closes, another opens. Heartbroken but defiant, Louise made the radical decision to say yes to everything, to take risks, and to reclaim her life—on her own terms. What followed was a dating experiment that took her across the world and challenged everything she had been taught to settle for – in life, love, and in herself. Both candid and full of wit, this memoir is a courageous exploration of modern womanhood, sexual freedom, and the myths we’re sold about what makes a life worthwhile. It’s about embracing uncertainty, finding joy after heartbreak, and creating space for the version of yourself that doesn’t play small. TICKETS & INFO – CLICK HERE.

‘The Comets‘ by Eoin McNamee
Book Launch
The Gutter Bookshop Temple Bar
Thursday 1st October 2026 6.30-8pm

By the author of ‘The Bureau’ and ‘Resurrection Man’, a complete collection of Eoin McNamee’s shorter fiction, published in one volume for the first time. Each of these stories is a world to itself, steeped in eerie beauty. A frosty northern witch changes the life of a twelve-year-old girl by teaching her that women keep their dreams in their hair. The wondrous souls of the dead become bright comets arcing over a seaside town. A girl on fire runs through the snow, and a woman on the run is transformed into an ice queen by her own will. Lives unravel and are remade and if they are lost they are lost to beauty. At once realist and magical, contemporary and timeless, The Comets confirms Eoin McNamee’s status as one of Ireland’s greatest prose stylists and a storyteller of inalienable power. FREE & ALL WELCOME.

Naomi Klein and Astra Taylor: End Times Fascism – In conversation with Sally Hayden
Dublin Book Festival Event
RDS Ballsbridge
Friday 2nd October 2026 7pm

An apocalyptic alliance of religious fundamentalists, billionaire Silicon Valley tech kings and ethno-nationalists is on the move, towards a catastrophic future from which they are convinced they will be spared. Klein and Taylor investigate how, around the globe, those who are making our world unliveable through climate chaos and job-consuming AI are preparing to protect themselves from the fallout. And yet these new supremacist survivalists remain vulnerable in that they have no vision of a shared future. Now, more than ever, is a critical moment to stand together and defend what’s left of democracy, before it’s smashed up beyond repair. The authors will join award-winning journalist, photographer and author Sally Hayden for a powerful and ultimately hopeful evening of conversation around how we can collectively break the doom loop and find a better way of living together, rooted in our existence on this earth. TICKETS & INFO – CLICK HERE.

Echoes – Maeve Binchy Literary Festival
External Event 
Dalkey Castle
Saturday 3rd October 2026 

Founded in 2017, Echoes proudly celebrates the life and work of Maeve Binchy (1939–2012), and Irish writers. One of Ireland’s best loved and most renowned authors, the huge international reach of Maeve’s writing can be seen in the translation of her work into more than forty languages. An annual festival held every October in Dalkey, Maeve’s home town, Echoes is programmed and hosted by Dalkey Castle & Heritage Centre in collaboration with Maeve’s husband Gordon Snell, and celebrates Maeve’s writing and legacy alongside the best in Irish writing and contemporary writers. CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS.

‘Irish Gothic‘ edited by Helen Carr
Book Launch
Gutter Bookshop Temple Bar
Wednesday 14th October 2026 6.30-8pm

From Ireland’s best Gothic writers come ten chilling stories to cast their dark enchantment over you. The eternal struggle between good and evil plays out in tales of betrayal, obsession and ancient magic. Encounters with mysterious and alluring strangers and accounts of supernatural visitations are interwoven with gruesome stories of innocence overwhelmed. This classic collection of Irish Gothic stories, edited and introduced by Helen Carr, includes works by Bram Stoker, Oscar Wilde, Dora Sigerson Shorter, Katharine Tynan, Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu and more.. FREE & ALL WELCOME.

‘Billion Dollar Baby‘ by Paul Cullen
Book Launch
Gutter Bookshop Temple Bar
Wednesday 21st October 2026 6.30-8pm

It was meant to be a symbol of how far Ireland had come – a world-class national children’s hospital that would finally honour the promise of the nation’s founders to cherish all its children equally. Instead, it became a cautionary tale of ambition gone awry. In Billion Dollar Baby, award-winning journalist Paul Cullen delivers the definitive account of Ireland’s most expensive and controversial public project to date. From its conception in the 1990s to its still-delayed opening more than three decades later, Cullen exposes the tangled web of political interference, medical rivalries, flawed planning and spiralling costs that turned its construction from a €650 million vision into a near-€3 billion behemoth. With insider access and forensic detail, he explores how vested interests derailed progress, how tendering missteps and design issues inflated the budget, and how secrecy and inertia kept the project alive long after common sense had fled. Billion Dollar Baby is a landmark investigation into the politics of healthcare, the cost of delay, and the price of promises unkept. FREE & ALL WELCOME.

Jodi Picoult: Hollow Bones – In conversation
Dublin Book Festival Event
Royal Irish Academy of Music
Sunday 8th November 2026 5pm

On September 11, 2001, two-month-old Molly Fitzgerald’s mother goes to an appointment at the World Trade Center and never comes home. She is raised by her father and new stepmother, but grows up with a healthy dread of disasters. She now runs the local Center for Emergency Preparedness and Response, mapping out plans to save lives in disasters. She and her husband Jesse – a police polygraph expert with his own history of crisis – have found a love that is a solace in a dangerous world. Until the unexpected upends their marriage, leading them to question everything they thought they knew… TICKETS & INFO – CLICK HERE.