The Granard Booktown Festival 2026 will take place from Thursday, 16 to Sunday, 19 April. This fourth annual event will transform the town of Granard, County Longford, into a vibrant hub for book lovers, featuring over 20 talks and more than 35 authors, poets, and speakers.

Key Events & Features

• Inaugural Conor Gearty Memorial Lecture: Named in honour of the late Professor Conor Gearty, this opening lecture will be delivered by Professor Fergus D'Arcy on Friday, 17 April, focusing on Chartist leader James Bronterre O'Brien.
• Writing Workshop Series: Specialised workshops held at Cnoc Mhuire on Saturday, 18 April, featuring:
  • Claire Keegan: "How Fiction Works".
  • Aoife Barry: "Finding Writing Inspiration in the Everyday".
  • Stephen Sexton: "Turn! Turn! Turn! Poetry Workshop".
• Featured Speakers: Other notable guests include Miriam O'Callaghan, Gavan Reilly, Eimear Ní Bhraonáin, Dean Van Nguyen, and Leon Diop.
• Film Screening: A special screening of That They May Face the Rising Sun, with a discussion featuring Belinda McKeon and director Pat Collins.

• Venues: Events are primarily hosted at Granard Library, Fay’s Bar, Sacred Heart National School, and Cnoc Mhuire.
• Tickets: Ticket are available via the official Granard Booktown Festival Ticket Tailor page.
• Contact: For general inquiries, you can contact the organisers at granardbooktown@gmail.com or call (043) 668 6164.
• This prioritises inclusivity with wheelchair-accessible venues and Irish Sign Language (ISL) interpretation.

Please note that the details of events listed above are provided by the relevant Local Authorities.