Now in its 26th year, the International Literature Festival Dublin returns to the majestic surroundings of Merrion Square from May 19 – 28. With an astounding 180 events scheduled, this year’s festival caters to all ages and tastes and includes some superstar names, promising to make this the biggest and best edition yet.
One of the main highlights will see actor, writer, and director Stanley Tucci discussing his new book Tastemaker. Stanley will take the audience on a tour of his lusciously stocked kitchen and his equally spectacular career in Hollywood.
Another highly anticipated speaker is Monica Heisey, screenwriter of the hilarious hit comedy show Schitt’s Creek. She will be discussing her debut novel Really Good, Actually, a painfully relatable romp through the peaks and pitfalls of modern love, friendship and happiness.
View this post on Instagram
The festival will also feature writers covering political events, such as Beata Umubyeyi Mairesse discussing her powerful debut novel, All Your Children, Scattered, which deals with the aftermath of the 1994 genocide of the Tutsi people in Rwanda, uncovering the disaster’s aftermath on three generations of survivors.
Roddy Doyle will also be in conversation with 12-year-old Ukrainian Yeva Skalietska about her incredible diary detailing twelve days in Ukraine at the start of the Russian war.
There are three main LGBTQ+ events at this year’s International Literature Festival covering history, queer spaces and identity.
View this post on Instagram
On Sunday, May 21, writer and researcher, Ben Miller, will host a live recording of the Bad Gays podcast. For this episode, he’ll be chatting to historian Maurice Casey, curator of the Out in the World exhibition at the EPIC Museum. Together, they’ll be discussing the life and times of Gavin Arthur, the queer grandson of an American president who came to Ireland in the 1920s at the height of the Irish Civil War.
On the same day, the M4M: Seeking Queer Connection event will see Jack Parlett and Marcus McCann explore the history of LGBTQ+ spaces and who is and isn’t welcome. The conversation will draw on aspects of the authors’ respective books.
In Fire Island, Jack Parlett investigates the imperfect past and present of Fire Island’s complex and fascinating history, both as an exclusive resort village for rich gay men, and as an artists’ paradise, a safe haven from a puritanical society. In Park Cruising, civil rights lawyer Marcus McCann has compiled a study of sex-positive legal reform and the history of queer organising and socialising in Canada and beyond.
View this post on Instagram
On Monday, May 22, the fabulous team from ShoutOut will present Glórtha Aiteacha \ Queer Voices, celebrating queer resilience, joy and community. Released in February this year, Glórtha Aiteacha \ Queer Voices is a publication that brings together LGBTQ+ writers and artists to share stories, reflections and connections that they needed when growing up. It is aimed at young people, but especially LGBTQ+ young people (or those who think they might be).
For the full programme of events, and to book, go to ilfdublin.com.
© 2023 GCN (Gay Community News). All rights reserved.
Support GCN
GCN has been a vital, free-of-charge information service for Ireland’s LGBTQ+ community since 1988.
During this global COVID pandemic, we like many other organisations have been impacted greatly in the way we can do business and produce. This means a temporary pause to our print publication and live events and so now more than ever we need your help to continue providing this community resource digitally.
GCN is a registered charity with a not-for-profit business model and we need your support. If you value having an independent LGBTQ+ media in Ireland, you can help from as little as €1.99 per month. Support Ireland’s free, independent LGBTQ+ media.
comments. Please sign in to comment.