A Hub for Galway’s Vibrant Literary Events

Galway is buzzing with literary events, and now you can easily stay in the loop! Find all the exciting literary gatherings, book launches, and poetry readings in one convenient place.

Embrace the thriving literary scene and immerse yourself.

What we list

Galway City and County Literary Events.
Events outside of Galway that feature Galway Poets and Writers.
Galway Festivals featuring Literary Events.
Open Mic and Readings
Book Launches.
Any other artistic event in a Galway Bookshop or Library

Stay in the Loop with Our Literary Events Updates!

Previews and Reviews :

April 2024 – Upcoming Literary Events

April 18, 2024

Here’s a preview of the vibrant literary events coming up in Galway over the next couple of weeks.
Read more: April 2024 – Upcoming Literary Events
06 April 2024 – Preview of Cúirt, Galway’s International Festival of Literature

April 6, 2024

It is always one of the most notable events on the city’s cultural calendar. The 39th annual Cúirt International Festival of Literature is taking place in Galway from April 23rd to 28th, 2024 and here is a list of some of the events taking place that caught our eye.
Read more: 06 April 2024 – Preview of Cúirt, Galway’s International Festival of Literature
March 2024 – Upcoming Literary Events

March 24, 2024

There is an abundance of choices available if you have an interest in books, writing, poetry, or are seeking an open mic event. Here is a round up of what’s coming up over the next two weeks in Galway’s rich literary scene.
Read more: March 2024 – Upcoming Literary Events

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Discover the most exciting and current events with our extensive listing.

Date & Time				Event Summary
Monday 13th May 2024, 8pm (Doors open 19:30)				Muldoon’s Picnic is a cabaret-style evening of poetry, prose, and music hosted by Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Paul Muldoon in the Town Hall Theatre, Galway. Tickets €20. More info here
Thursday, 16th May 2024, 8pm.				Literary phenomenon John Cooper Clarke is a British cult hero. Known as the ‘Godfather of Punk Poetry” and the original people’s poet, John’s cultural influence spans literature, music and fashion. Tickets €35. More info here
Saturday, 25th May 2024, 4pm				Late May in Galway brings a special event to the Pálás Cinema in Galway. Internationally celebrated Irish author Colm Tóibin will read from and discuss his forthcoming novel, Long Island, the sequel to the celebrated and award winning Brooklyn. Advance reviews suggest it is an exquisite and emotionally involving novel, that explores the passing of time and the chances that love, both new and old, offers. The event sold out very quickly, and any potential attendees must of avail of a wait list for the moment.
Tuesday 28th May 2024, 6pm				Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop will be launching Katie Donovan’s new collection, ‘May Swim’. Published by Bloodaxe Books, this collection touches upon themes of loss, widowhood, ageing and observations of the natural world. Donovan is a poet of many voices. The book will be launched by poet Rita Ann Higgins. Admission is free and all are welcome.
Thursday, May 30th, 2024, 6pm.				Bestselling and award winning Irish author Kevin Barry will be at Kennys Bookshop in Liosbán on Thursday, May 30^th for an event to celebrate the launch of his new novel, The Heart in Winter. The event is at 6pm, and he will join Tomás Kenny in conversation. Tickets, which are available to book on kennys.ie now, are free but are limited. Kevin Barry is the author of the novels Beatlebone, City of Bohane and Night Boat to Tangier and the story collections Dark Lies the Island and There Are Little Kingdoms. His awards include the IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, the Goldsmiths Prize, the Sunday Times EFG Short Story Prize and the Lannan Foundation Literary Award. His new novel The Heart in Winter is a tale of young lovers, Tom and Polly, set in 1890s Montana. Tom Rourke is a young poet and ballad-maker, but also a doper, a drinker, and a fearsome degenerate. As he feels his life is heading nowhere fast, Polly Gillespie arrives in town as the new bride of the extremely devout mine captain Long Anthony Harrington. A love affair takes spark between Tom and Polly and they strike out west on a stolen horse, through the badlands of Montana and Idaho. But a posse of deranged Cornish gunmen are soon in hot pursuit of them. Kennys Bookshop are doing an Exclusive Signed Limited Edition of The Heart in Winter. Copies will be available to buy in the bookshop on the night and are also available to pre-order on kennys.ie. This edition is signed and numbered by the author, and has exclusive endpapers and sprayed edges. To book your ticket for the Kevin Barry event in Kennys on May 30^th at 6pm, visit www.kennys.ie or call into Kennys Bookshop in Liosbán.
Thursday, July 4th 2024, 6pm.				Celebrating the launch of her new poetry collection The Shark Nursery, Mary O’Malley will be in conversation with playwright Marina Carr at Kennys Bookshop on July 4^th. Tickets are free but limited! Mary O’Malley was born in Connamara and launched her poetry career in 1990 with her collection A Consideration of Silk. She has since published six other books and her poems have been translated into several languages. Marina Carr is an Irish playwright who has written nearly 30 plays and is known for writing intense and often dark plays. The poems of The Shark Nursery respond to a disturbed world – the experience of lockdown, of lives lived in an online reality, and of the animal world. The animal poems draw on the tradition of animals in Irish poetry and myth. Link to book: https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/mary-omalley-in-conversation-with-marina-carr-at-kennys-bookshop-tickets-884207367037?aff=oddtdtcreator
Wednesday, September 25th, 2024, 6pm				Rewilding expert and bestselling author Eoghan Daltun will be in Kennys Bookshop in September for an event to celebrate the launch of his second book, The Magic of an Irish Rainforest. Eoghan spent 15 years successfully rewilding 73 acres of farmland in the Beara Penninsula, which he documented in his bestselling, award-winning first book, An Irish Atlantic Rainforest. He is an advocate for rewilding and for restoring native forests that now cover just 1% of Ireland (one of the lowest rates in Europe) versus their previous 80%. His new book will document areas of temperate rainforest across Ireland, illustrating their beauty, value and in most cases, decline. Tickets for this event are €5 (which can be redeemed against a copy of the book at the event). All pre-orders of the new book with Kennys will also be signed. Link to book: https://www.kennys.ie/shop/the-magic-of-an-irish-rainforest-eoghan-daltun-in-conversation-at-kennys-bookshop-eoghan-daltun-e9781399725606

More Ways to Justify a Trip to Find Books!

Looking for more reasons to visit a Galway bookshop or Library? Check out these other art events that offer the perfect excuse to browse the shelves and pick up a new read.

Date	Event Summary
5th April to 4th May 2024	Trio, an exhibition of over 40 new paintings by artists Fiona Concannon, Martina Furlong and Marja van Kampen will open at The Kenny Gallery on Friday, April 5th and run until May 4th. These three artists frequently exhibit together, but this marks their first joint exhibition in Galway. A common theme running through this exhibition is nature, and the artworks in this exhibition complement each other remarkably well despite their unique contrasts. ‘Trio’ runs at The Kenny Gallery, Liosbán Retail Park, Galway and online at www.thekennygallery.ie from April 5^th – May 4^th. The paintings are for sale, admission is free and all are welcome. Any enquiries can be sent to art@kennys.ie.
15th to 27th April 2024	Galway City Library’s new art exhibition is by artist Bridgie Hanley and will be launched on Tuesday, 16th April at 5:30pm. Bridgie Hanley is an Irish artist based in Co Galway, an accomplished painter with many years of experience. Through her works Bridgie describes life in the West of Ireland from the ocean to the farm, revealing her deep connections to nature and her surroundings. The pieces will be on show at Galway City Library from the 15th to the 27th of April.

Past Events – 2024

Date	Event Summary
Friday, 19^th Jan 2024 at 10pm	A special experimental event featuring musician Anna Mullarkey, spoken word artist Felispeaks and dancer Stephanie Dufresne in Nuns Island Theatre, Nuns Island, Galway City. Disquiet Nights is curated by Megs Morley. More info here
Wednesday, 24^th Jan 2024 at 6.30pm	Rachel Coventry’s new book ‘Heidegger and Poetry in the Digital Age’, a Bloomsbury Studies in Philosophy and Poetry Publication will be Launched by Felix O’Murchadha in University of Galway. This is a free event.
Monday, 5^th Feb 2024 at 7pm	Brian Kelly hosts a poetry open mic event Poetic Pints in The Ol’55 Bar on Prospect Hill, Galway City. All are welcome and can sign up on the night. This is a free event.
Friday, 16th Feb 2024 at 6pm.	James O’Toole’s latest collection of poetry ‘Don’t Buy This Book, its Poetry’ will be launched by Ray Burke in Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop, Middle St, Galway. This is a free event.
Monday, 26th Feb 2024, 6.30pm.	The OilSlick presents IMBOLC open mic at the Salt House Bar, Raven’s Terrence. Poetry, Music and a Celebration of the coming of Spring. This is a free event.
Thursday, 29^th Feb 2024 at 6pm.	Issue 18 of Skylight 47 (Possibly Ireland’s Most Interesting Poetry Publication) will be launched by Orla Fay in Galway City Library, St Augustine St, Galway City. This is a free event.
Friday, 8th Mar 2024, 6pm.	Issue 2 of New Isle Press will be launched by Christoph Thackaberry in Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop, Middle St, Galway, Issue 2 of New Isle Press. Featured authors are Welsh Poet Laureate Ifor ph Glyn and Dublin Poet Mark Ward in addition to the winners of the Thomas Carnduff “Shipyard Poet” competition 2023 Daniel Wade, Georgina Milen and Alan Millar. More info here. This is a free event.
Wednesday, 20th Mar 2024, 8pm (Doors open 19:30)	Town Hall Theatre presents An Evening Celebrating the Work of Rita Ann Higgins. Tickets €10. More info here.
Thursday, 21st Mar 2024, 7pm	Anthony Daly hosts a Spoken Word Celebration at the Galway Mechanics Institute, Middle St. All are welcome to read a poem, short fiction piece, monologue etc. This is a free event.
Monday 25th Mar 2024, 7pm	The next monthly OilSlick Open Mic event (for Poetry and Music) will held at the Salt House Bar, Raven’s Terrence. This is a free event.
Thursday 28th Mar 2024, 6pm	Méabh McDonnell will launch her long awaited and much anticipated debut novel, Into the Witchwood, published by O’Brien Press in Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop, Middle St. Guest speaker to launch Méabh’s engrossing and captivating fairytale adventure will be another local legend, the current Laureate na nÓg, Patricia Forde. All are welcome to the celebration of this great occasion. This is a free event.
Saturday 30th Mar 2024, 7pm	A creative writing event hosted by Eva’s Echo team will be held at Súil Eile in Bearna. Bring the dog, and a notebook! The Eva’s Echo team will provide writing prompts, but feel free to write your own thing. At the end of the evening you can share your work or just sit back and listen.
Wednesday, 3 Apr 2024. 6.10pm	Vox Galvia’s First Wednesday readings, hosted by James O’Toole, will take place in Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop. This poetry and prose open mic is open to all and first time readers are especially welcome – You are the future! Please email voxgalvia@gmail.com if you plan to attend.
Thursday, 4th Apr 2024, 6pm	Over The Edge Literary Events presents a reading by poets Felicia McCarthy, Sandy Yannone and Kim Ports Parsons in the Galway City Library. An open mic will follow This reading is to celebrate the April birthday of the much loved and much missed Poet Kevin Higgins. This is a free event.
Friday, 5th April 2024, 6.30pm	Crannóg 60 will be launched at The Crane, Sea Rd Galway with readings of poetry and fiction from contributors and the inaugural Crannóg Bursary award will be announced. This is a free event.
Monday, 8th Apr 2024, 7pm	Brian Kelly hosts a poetry open mic event Poetic Pints in The Ol’55 Bar on Prospect Hill, Galway City. All are welcome and can sign up on the night. This is a free event.
Friday, 12th April 2024, 6pm	Poets Patrick Deeley and John Chambers will read from their new collections at Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop in the Cornstore Mall, Middle Street, Galway on Friday 12th April at 6pm. Keepsake is the title of Patrick Deeley’s eighth collection with Dedalus Press, and John Chambers’ new work is a translation of Homer’s The Odyssey in sonnet form. All are welcome to this free event.
Friday, 19th April 2024, 6pm.	Bobbie Sparrow’s debut collection of poetry ‘The Weight of Blood’ will be launched on Friday 19th April in Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop, Middle St, Galway. This is a free event.
Saturday, 20th April 2024, 8.30pm	An evening of Art, Poetry and Jazz at Club De Burgos with local poets and the Pocket Jazz Orchestra. A donation of €10 is suggested.
April 23rd to 28th, 2024.	39th Cúirt International Festival of Literature. Six days packed with literary events. Tickets and more info here
Friday 26th April, 12 noon	Ballinasloe Library Crime Book Club welcomes special guest, crime writer Sheila Bugler, the author of the novel Black Valley Farm published by Canelo. No booking is required for this free event. For more information please contact 091 509551.
Wednesday 1st May2024, 6pm	Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop will be launching ‘Spirit of Revolution: Ireland from Below, 1917 – 23′, edited by John Cunningham and Terry Dunne. Published by Four Courts Press, this essay collection demonstrates that there was a widespread movement of mass mobilization that was an important aspect of the Irish Revolution. This was eclipsed by subsequent histories of the period with a focus on militarism and the struggle for independence. Guest speaker is Sarah Anne Buckley of University of Galway and there will also be interviews with some of the contributors. Admission is free and all are welcome.