About Cúirt

The Story of Cúirt

Cúirt is turning forty! With the history of Cúirt only as rich as the lives that wander in and out each April, it is with great pleasure we welcome you to Cúirt’s 40th anniversary, we invite you to continue to tell the story with us. We’re celebrating 40 years of Cúirt with special archival projects and programming.

Galway Arts Centre has supported the development of literature in Galway for 40 years through its development of the Cúirt International Festival of Literature.

Cúirt was founded in 1985, and was initially held as a three day international poetry festival in Galway. It has since evolved into a week-long programme of events celebrating a mix of literary arts across the city’s favourite venues. With readings, discussions, launches, and workshops, Cúirt has welcomed thousands of guests, as well as Irish and international writers of exceptional talent. As a home to stories, the tales of our own origins are kaleidoscopic, but the precise moment it took root is now only the first page of a longer legacy. The festival, since its conception, has ushered in 40 Galway springs with a celebration of literature. 

In those 40 years, the magic of Cúirt has been found in the warmly remembered moments that make up our own stories. The hushed conversations in the corners of a crowded room, a chance encounter with a stranger’s words, the thrum of connection that hangs in the air long after the last speaker has left the stage.

What We Do

Cúirt is rooted in Galway on the west coast of Ireland, and underpinned by our core values of equality and inclusion, we are committed to creating spaces where our audiences are empowered to engage with literature.

We are proud to create a festival that showcases brilliant and diverse writing, championing new voices and celebrating Irish and international writers. At the heart of Cúirt’s programme lives an enduring curiosity to understand how we create meaning in a changing world. Cúirt contributes in an essential way to Ireland’s literature ecology, providing an international platform for new writing, developmental opportunities for writers and fostering and nurturing Ireland’s readers and thinkers. As ever, we’re delighted to host 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.

Cúirt aligns with the Arts Council’s ‘Paying the Artist’ Policy. You can see our Artist Payment Policy here.