26 January, 2026
Literary Listings: February 2026
New for 2026, the Irish Writers Centre brings you a monthly round-up of literary events happening across the country, from book and magazine launches to panel discussions, festivals and lectures!
For a list of events happening in our own building at No. 19 Parnell Square, check out the dedicated Irish Writers Centre events page.
Have an event to share with us? Let us know at communications@irishwriterscentre.ie and where possible we’ll include in a following month’s listings.
Athy
27: Launch of The Lock Keeper’s by John MacKenna (Athy Library)
Belfast
5 : Launch of Virtually Yours by Anna Bell (Seamus Heaney Centre, Queen’s)
10: Launch of Gerry McGovern’s 99th Day: A Warning About Technology (Queen’s)
11–22: NI Science Festival (Various venues)
12 : The Seamus Heaney Centre presents… (Seamus Heaney Centre, Queen’s)
18: Write Night with Tim MacGabhann (Seamus Heaney Centre, Queen’s)
19 : Launch of Found in a Context of Destruction by Tim MacGabhann (No Alibis)
19: Reading The Translations of Seamus Heaney (Seamus Heaney Centre, Queen’s)
26: Desert Island Poems with Terrance Hayes (Seamus Heaney Centre, Queen’s)
27 onwards: Look North Festival
Bellaghy
11: Dr Marie Cassidy in conversation on Deadly Evidence (Seamus Heaney HomePlace)
12: Lecture by Rev. Dr David Latimer and Courtney McKinney-Whittaker on Charles Tomson (Seamus Heaney HomePlace)
19: Stuart Bailie on The Song Is Nearly Over (Seamus Heaney HomePlace)
28: Nicholas Allen on Late Heaney (Seamus Heaney HomePlace)
Cork
17: Launch of The Four-Faced Liar (Waterstones)
9: Ó Bhéal go Béal (The Hayloft)
Derry
11: The Science of Flann O’Brien (The Playhouse)
Drogheda
5: Launch of Lianna and the Hombit by Valinora Troy (Waterstones)
Dublin
3: Lecture by Mark Sweetman: Divine and Human Love in the Poetry of John Donne (Trinity College)
4: Launch of The Outsider by Paul Cullen (Hodges Figgis)
6: First Fridays: Berghain Nights: A Journey through Techno and Berlin Club Culture by Liam Cagney (Museum of Literature Ireland)
6: Celebrating Mythic Ireland with Dr. Ger Moane (United Arts Club)
8: The Rick O’Shea Book Club presents: WRITEHAWKS (Books Upstairs)
9: Launch of An Asylum for My Affections: Sketches of Maeve Brennan edited by Molly Hennigan (National Library of Ireland)
10: Lecture by Nicholas Grene: Romcoms from Much Ado to Pride and Prejudice (Trinity College)
11: Words by the Sea Open Mic Night (Walter’s Bar, Dùn Laoghaire)
12: Launch of Found in a Context of Destruction by Tim MacGabhann (Books Upstairs)
12: Launch of Get Real by Carmel Wynne (Hodges Figgis)
13: Love Poems Reading (United Arts Club)
16: Launch of Of Blood and Fire by Ryan Cahill (Chapters)
17: Launch of In Glass Houses by Edel Coffey (Hodges Figgis)
17: Lecture by Darryl Jones: The Queer Edwardians (Trinity College)
18: Annual Arts Council Laureate for Fiction Lecture (Project Arts Centre)
19: Book Club with Wendy Erskine (DCU)
19: Launch of The Fox of Kensal Green by Richard Tyrel (Books Upstairs)
20: Weaving Words: A Shared Evening of Life and Writing (United Arts Club)
22: Reading by Christine Dwyer Hickey, Hugo Hamilton and Enda Wyley (Books Upstairs)
24: Lecture by Sinéad Moriarty: Belonging: Place Attachment in Contemporary Irish Environmental Picturebooks (Trinity College)
25: Literature, Testimony & Dialogue: A Special Evening on Ukraine (Alliance Française)
26: Launch of Saoirse by Charleen Hurtubise (Books Upstairs)
26: Annual UNESCO City of Literature Lecture by Chris Morash: Sean O’Casey and the Abbey, A Century Later (Pearse Street Library)
26: Muriel Barbery in conversation (Alliance Française)
Dundalk
10: The Dorothy McArdle Humanities Lecture by Emilie Pine (Dundalk Institute of Technology)
Ennis
7: Clare Poetry Collective Spring Awakening (Glór Foyer)
Galway
Ending 1 February: Tonnta Irish Language Festival (Various locations)
Limerick
4: First Wednesday Poetry Series (The White House Bar)
27 February–1 March: Limerick Literary Festival (Various locations)
Tullamore
13: Esker Sessions VII (Esker Arts)
Online
Lime Square Poets, based in Limerick, host a weekly online poetry reading on Thursday evenings
Various locations
Throughout February and especially on 28 February, Ireland Reads Day, the Ireland Reads campaign is calling on people across the country to get lost in a good book. There’s a huge range of events taking place all across Ireland; check out the website to find out what’s going on near you!
