What’s On

Cúirt is here! With the history of Cúirt only as rich as the lives that wander in and out each April, it is with great pleasure that we welcome you to the 41st Cúirt International Festival of Literature.

This year’s edition of Cúirt Festival will showcase a wide selection of world-class authors who are at the pinnacle of their writing careers, as well as introducing you to compelling new voices and debut authors.

Download 2026 Programme PDF

Download Programme

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All #Cúirt40 Cinema Book Club Cúirt Book Club Online Exhibition Family Fiction Free Event In Conversation Irish Language Launch Non-Fiction Panel Performance Podcast Poetry Short Story Showcase The Telephone Exchange Workshop

21 - 26 APRIL 2026

Fiction |

Debut Fiction: Brendan Mac Evilly and Tom O’Connell

Galway Arts Centre - Nuns Island Theatre

Tue 21 Apr, 12:00pm
Free Event | Showcase |

New Writing Showcase

Galway Arts Centre - Nuns Island Theatre

Tue 21 Apr, 2:30pm
In Conversation | Panel |

An Asylum for my Affections

Galway Arts Centre - Nuns Island Theatre

Tue 21 Apr, 5:30pm
Poetry | Workshop |

Jane Yeh: Poetry and Imagination

Online Event

Tue 21 Apr, 6:00pm
Workshop |

Nikesh Shukla: Writing The World

Online Event

Tue 21 Apr, 6:00pm
Free Event | Panel | Poetry |

The Cúirt Poetry Sessions, in association with Poetry Ireland/ Éigse Éireann

Charlie Byrne's Bookshop

Tue 21 Apr, 6:00pm
Fiction | In Conversation |

Mary Costello and Edel Coffey in Conversation

The Mick Lally Theatre

Tue 21 Apr, 7:00pm
Showcase |

The Oil Slick Showcase

Galway Arts Centre - Nuns Island Theatre

Tue 21 Apr, 8:00pm
Fiction | In Conversation |

Queer Stories: Rosamund Taylor and Anthony Shapland

The Mick Lally Theatre

Wed 22 Apr, 1:00pm
In Conversation | Panel |

The Stinging Fly Presents: The Climate Issue

Galway Arts Centre - Nuns Island Theatre

Wed 22 Apr, 2:30pm
Poetry |

Poetry Reading: Vona Groarke and Jessica Traynor

The Mick Lally Theatre

Wed 22 Apr, 4:00pm
Non-Fiction |

Alan Davies: White Male Stand-Up

Town Hall Theatre

Wed 22 Apr, 5:30pm
Free Event | Launch |

ROPES Launch

Galway Arts Centre - Nuns Island Theatre

Wed 22 Apr, 5:30pm
Poetry | Workshop |

Isabelle Baafi: Advanced Poetry Workshop: Writing Against Logic

Online Event

Wed 22 Apr, 6:00pm
Workshop |

K Patrick: Writing Desire

Online Event

Wed 22 Apr, 6:00pm
Poetry |

The Cúirt Poetry Sessions, in association with Poetry Ireland/ Éigse Éireann

Charlie Byrne's Bookshop

Wed 22 Apr, 6:00pm
Panel |

A Personal History of Pyromania

The Mick Lally Theatre

Wed 22 Apr, 7:00pm
Showcase |

Moth & Butterfly: Wild Thing

Galway Arts Centre - Nuns Island Theatre

Wed 22 Apr, 8:00pm
Poetry |

The Poems of Seamus Heaney

Town Hall Theatre

Wed 22 Apr, 8:30pm
Workshop |

Anthony Shapland: Lying and Dreaming: Writing Fiction

O’Donoghue Theatre, University of Galway

Thu 23 Apr, 10:00am
Poetry | Workshop |

Vona Groarke: Writing On Things

O’Donoghue Theatre, University of Galway

Thu 23 Apr, 11:00am
Free Event | Poetry |

Poems for Patience

University Hospital Galway

Thu 23 Apr, 11:00am
Non-Fiction | Panel |

Tolka Presents: The Writer’s Voice

The Mick Lally Theatre

Thu 23 Apr, 1:00pm
Panel | Poetry |

Arts in Action: On Translation

O’Donoghue Theatre, University of Galway

Thu 23 Apr, 1:00pm
Workshop |

Pete Moser: Songmaking

O’Donoghue Theatre, University of Galway

Thu 23 Apr, 2:00pm
Fiction | In Conversation |

Eva Meijer: Sea Now

The Mick Lally Theatre

Thu 23 Apr, 4:00pm
Irish Language |

Dinnseanchas

An Taibhdhearc

Thu 23 Apr, 5:00pm
Fiction |

Ardal O’Hanlon: A Plot to Die For

Town Hall Theatre

Thu 23 Apr, 5:30pm
Irish Language | Poetry |

The Cúirt Poetry Sessions, in association with Poetry Ireland/ Éigse Éireann

Charlie Byrne's Bookshop

Thu 23 Apr, 6:00pm
Irish Language |

Comhrá le Celia de Fréine: Cóirín na dTonn In Conversation with Celia de Fréine: Cóirín na dTonn

An Taibhdhearc

Thu 23 Apr, 7:00pm
Free Event | Poetry |

usual and generous ways: Gallery Lates

Galway Arts Centre

Thu 23 Apr, 7:00pm
Fiction |

Claire-Louise Bennett: Big Kiss, Bye-Bye

The Mick Lally Theatre

Thu 23 Apr, 8:00pm
Showcase |

Open Mic at Electric

Electric

Thu 23 Apr, 8:00pm
Fiction |

Louise O’Neill: Whatever Happened to Madeline Stone?

Town Hall Theatre

Thu 23 Apr, 8:30pm
Workshop |

Jan Carson: Introduction to the Short Story

O’Donoghue Theatre, University of Galway

Fri 24 Apr, 10:00am
Workshop |

Polly Barton: Non-Fiction: Conversation as Inspiration, Conversation as Material

O’Donoghue Theatre, University of Galway

Fri 24 Apr, 11:00am
In Conversation | Non-Fiction |

Sinéad Morrissey and Joe Dunthorne in Conversation

The Mick Lally Theatre

Fri 24 Apr, 1:00pm
Showcase |

Young Writer Delegates Showcase

O’Donoghue Theatre, University of Galway

Fri 24 Apr, 1:00pm
Irish Language |

An Taibhdhearc: Comhrá le Faighteoirí na Sparánachtaí Síolta Taibhsín

An Taibhdhearc

Fri 24 Apr, 2:30pm
Fiction | In Conversation |

Debut Fiction: Juliano Zaffino and Caragh Maxwell

The Mick Lally Theatre

Fri 24 Apr, 4:00pm
Free Event | Workshop |

The Irish Writers Centre presents: Writing Fiction for Beginners – a Creative Writing Seminar with Alan McMonagle

O’Donoghue Theatre, University of Galway

Fri 24 Apr, 4:00pm
Poetry |

Wait for It: A Reading and Conversation on Process, Inspiration and Creative Collaboration

Galway Arts Centre

Fri 24 Apr, 4:00pm
Poetry |

Comhrá le hEalaíontóir Cónaithe Ciara Ní É

An Taibhdhearc

Fri 24 Apr, 5:00pm
In Conversation | Non-Fiction |

Adania Shibli: Minor Detail

Town Hall Theatre

Fri 24 Apr, 5:30pm
Panel | Poetry |

The Cúirt Poetry Sessions, in association with Poetry Ireland/Éigse Éireann

Charlie Byrne's Bookshop

Fri 24 Apr, 6:00pm
Fiction | Panel |

Alternative Presents: Jan Carson, Balsam Karam and Saskia Vogel

The Mick Lally Theatre

Fri 24 Apr, 7:00pm
Irish Language |

Filíocht ó Bhéal & Ceol na nGael Spoken Word & Irish Traditional Music

An Taibhdhearc

Fri 24 Apr, 7:00pm
Fiction |

Neil Jordan: The Library of Traumatic Memory

Town Hall Theatre

Fri 24 Apr, 8:30pm
Workshop |

Jenny Browne and Joey Fauerso: In Other Words, Pictures

O’Donoghue Theatre, University of Galway

Sat 25 Apr, 10:00am
Family |

Gyasi Sheppy: But Dancing is for Girls!

Galway Arts Centre - Nuns Island Theatre

Sat 25 Apr, 10:00am
Workshop |

Lucy Caldwell: Writing the Moments that Matter

O’Donoghue Theatre, University of Galway

Sat 25 Apr, 11:00am
Free Event |

Outset Market

The Cornstore

Sat 25 Apr, 11:00am
Family | Free Event |

Children’s Story Time

Charlie Byrne's Bookshop

Sat 25 Apr, 11:00am
Workshop |

Samuel Arnold Keane and Kasia Kaminska: Language and light: foraging and cyanotype workshop

Galway Arts Centre

Sat 25 Apr, 12:00pm
Panel |

Frames of Reference: Editors

The Mick Lally Theatre

Sat 25 Apr, 12:00pm

When Governments Fail, We Set Sail

Town Hall Theatre

Sat 25 Apr, 1:00pm
Panel | Poetry |

Poetry Reading: Dean Browne, Matthew Rice, Kandace Siobhan Walker

Galway Arts Centre - Nuns Island Theatre

Sat 25 Apr, 2:30pm
Fiction | In Conversation |

Polly Barton and Susannah Dickey in Conversation

The Mick Lally Theatre

Sat 25 Apr, 4:00pm
Fiction |

Liz Nugent: The Truth about Ruby Cooper

Town Hall Theatre

Sat 25 Apr, 5:30pm
In Conversation |

Fatena Abu Mostafa, from Gaza to Galway

Galway Arts Centre - Nuns Island Theatre

Sat 25 Apr, 5:30pm
In Conversation |

CTRL: Essays on Video Games

Charlie Byrne's Bookshop

Sat 25 Apr, 6:00pm
Fiction |

Gwendoline Riley: The Palm House

The Mick Lally Theatre

Sat 25 Apr, 7:00pm
Showcase |

A Tribute to Manchán Magan

Town Hall Theatre

Sat 25 Apr, 8:30pm
Family |

Sunday Breakfast Club with Méabh McDonnell

Galway Arts Centre - Nuns Island Theatre

Sun 26 Apr, 10:00am
Workshop |

Dean Fee: Starting to Write

O’Donoghue Theatre, University of Galway

Sun 26 Apr, 11:00am
Showcase |

University of Galway MA Showcase

Galway Arts Centre - Nuns Island Theatre

Sun 26 Apr, 12:30pm
Short Story |

Lucy Caldwell: Devotions

The Mick Lally Theatre

Sun 26 Apr, 1:00pm
Free Event |

As if nothing could fall: Essays on Monuments

Galway Arts Centre

Sun 26 Apr, 2:00pm
Panel |

Frames of Reference: Literary Agents

Galway Arts Centre - Nuns Island Theatre

Sun 26 Apr, 2:30pm
Panel | Poetry |

Poetry Reading: Mary O’Malley, Liam Carson, Paul Perry

The Mick Lally Theatre

Sun 26 Apr, 4:00pm
Showcase |

Ragaire

Galway Arts Centre - Nuns Island Theatre

Sun 26 Apr, 6:00pm
In Conversation | Poetry |

Rita Ann Higgins: Jiving with Wasps

The Mick Lally Theatre

Sun 26 Apr, 7:00pm

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Download 2026 Programme PDF