Kildare County Council announces Kildare Readers Festival 2025
25th September 2025: Kildare County Council is delighted to confirm that the Kildare Readers Festival will return to venues across the county from 4th to 14th October 2025.
This free festival is a celebration of books, ideas, and conversation, bringing readers and writers together in a warm, welcoming space.
Whether you’re interested in fiction, poetry, politics or memoirs, the Kildare Readers Festival offers something for every reader. From debut voices to literary icons via workshops to lively panels, we invite you to join us in exploring the stories that shape, challenge, and connect us.
This year’s line-up includes Dermot Bolger’s traditional ‘Sunday Sessions’, titled “Music, Mayhem and Memory”. He will be joined by Saxophonist and former member of Moving Hearts, Keith Donald and acclaimed novelist Eoin McNamee. Our ever popular ‘Ten Books You Should Read’ returns with radio presenter Rick O’Shea and author Hazel Gaynor.
Dive into Ireland’s rich and rebellious brewing past with beer historian, blogger, podcaster and author of “Filthy Queens: A History of Beer in Ireland”, Dr Christina Wade. Join us for conversations with Iranian author of “This is Not a Cookbook”, Roxana Manouchehri and debut authors Roisín O’Donnell (Nesting) and Brendan McEvilly (Deep Burn).
We are proud to welcome former State Pathologist Dr. Marie Cassidy who joins bestselling crime writers Catherine Ryan Howard and Andrea Mara to explore how closely fictional forensic and criminal investigations reflect real-life cases.
The Irish language is again celebrated with the return of An Tolg Liteartha with broadcaster Tristan Rosenstock interviewing the winners of the 2025 Oireachtas Publishing Awards. We have an exciting line-up of events from Kimberly Campanello, Jessica Traynor, Shane Kenny, Fionnán Sheahan and Tramp Press founders Lisa Coen and Sarah Davis-Goff.
The full programme of events, booking information and participating venues for Kildare Readers Festival 2025 is available on http://www.kildarereadersfestival.ie/
All events are free of charge, but booking is essential.
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