Founded in 1998, the International Literature Festival Dublin (ILFD) brings the world’s finest writers together in the Irish capital to engage in conversations and debates about literature. This year’s festival kicks off on Friday, May 17, with a programme filled with LGBTQ+ talent.
If you simply can’t decide between all the events and you’re getting lost in their jam-packed programme, don’t despair, we’re here to help. Here are some of the LGBTQ+ highlights of the 2024 International Literature Festival Dublin.
Behind Closed Doors: Allen Bratton & Oisín McKenna
Saturday, May 18, at 4:30pm
This conversation between Allen Bratton and Oisín McKenna presents the authors’ two debut novels exploring fraught family relationships and escaping expectations. Both brimming with sexual tension and razor-sharp humour, the two novels give an insight into the varied facets of life and love in contemporary London society. More info here.
Where You Are Who You Are: Eliot Duncan & Soula Emmanuel
Sunday, May 19, at 1:30pm
Discussing their debut novels Ponyboy and Wild Geese, authors Eliot Duncan and Soula Emmanuel talk transness, forging relationships, and finding the strength to share your true self. More info here.
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Liberty and Devotion: Leontia Flynn & Mícheál McCann
Sunday, May 19, at 3pm
Poets Leontia Flynn and Mícheál McCann reflect on the complexities and contradictions innate to the human experience in this intimate discussion on what drives their work. Among the topics of conversation will be parenthood and childhood, sex and sexuality, and private and public selves. More info here.
Rebel Rebel: Against Empire & Expectation: Nuala O’Connor & Elle Machray
Sunday, May 19, at 4:15pm
Are you a fan of historical fiction? Then this discussion between Nuala O’Connor and Elle Machray is for you. Confronting issues of gender norms, systemic racism, and female oppression, the two authors paint compelling portraits of of women in rebellion. More info here.
Poetic Perspectives: Anthony Joseph with Gustav Parker Hibbett & Chiamaka Enyi-Amadi
Sunday, May 19, at 8pm
In this celebration of poetry in performance and the spoken word, TS Eliot Prize-winning poet, acclaimed musician and novelist Anthony Joseph performs some of his best-known work, sharing the stage with two poetic voices on the rise, Gustav Parker Hibbett and Chiamaka Enyi-Amadi. More info here.
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Seeking Selves: Seán Hewitt, Mary Jean Chan & Harry Josephine Giles
Thursday, May 23, at 6pm
Pushing boundaries with their poetry, Seán Hewitt, Mary Jean Chan and Harry Josephine Giles explore sex, loss, gender, and everything from ecology to technology to postcolonial legacy, underscoring them all is a zest for life and an eagerness to find moments of empathy and ecstasy. More info here.
Native Tongues: Natalie Diaz
Friday, May 24, at 8pm
In her first-ever festival appearance, Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Natalie Diaz discusses the cultural history that underpins much of her work, the connection between writing and experience, and the revitalisation of Indigenous language. More info here.
Uncertain Futures: Caoilinn Hughes & Julia Armfield
Saturday, May 25, at 6pm
Set against the backdrop of worlds impacted by climate change, the two novels written by Caoilinn Hughes and Julia Armfield explore two family dramas against the backdrop of global crisis, raising the question – what should we really care about when the world starts falling apart around us? More info here.
Ten Years of Seven Killings: Marlon James
Saturday, May 25, at 7pm
Celebrating the tenth anniversary of A Brief History of Seven Killings, Jamaican author Marlon James discusses how the book’s success shaped the trajectory of his writing career. More info here.
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Everything About a Person Must Be Glorious: Sasha Salzmann
Tuesday, May 21, at 6pm
Award-winning author Sasha Salzmann dives deep into history to produce a complex story exploring how a nation and its citizens can survive and thrive in the wake of corruption and near-constant upheaval. More info here.
In Search of a Common Paradise: Olivia Laing
Tuesday, May 21, at 6pm
Acclaimed writer and critic Olivia Laing takes a closer look at real and fictional gardens to discover their complicated past and attempt to decipher what role they may play in building a better future. More info here.
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Cities of Literature: Abuja: Olumide Popoola & Bibi Bakare-Yusuf
Wednesday, May 22, at 8pm
In this fascinating two-part conversation, co-founder of Cassava Republic Press Bibi Bakare-Yusuf discusses the work they do in the young capital city of Nigeria, Abuja. Joined by one of their writers, Olumide Popoola, they will discuss how they strive to bring Nigerian literature to a global audience, asking readers to consider the past, present, and future of African writing. More info here.
From Brooklyn to Long Island: Colm Tóibín
Friday, May 24, at 7:30pm
Current Laureate for Irish Fiction and acclaimed author Colm Tóibín returns to the world of the prize-winning novel Brooklyn in a stunning sequel full of longing, reconnection, and the joy of love rediscovered. More info here.
Look and Look Again: Benjamin Moser
Saturday, May 25, at 4pm
What is art, what is not, and why do we bother making it? Pulitzer Prize-winning author Benjamin Moser examines these questions while discussing his new highly personal coming-of-age story. More info here.
Standing on the Shoulders of Giants: Jayne A. Quan & Sara R. Phillips
Monday, May 20, at 6pm
In the seventh edition of this special partnership event, Jayne A. Quan and Sara R. Phillips host a fantastic literary evening highlighting the work of LGBTQ+ activists and writers in an intergenerational exchange. More info here.
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More queer joy at this year’s International Literature Festival Dublin includes two Drag & Draw events, where participants can put their artist hats on and attempt to draw a drag queen in an experience they won’t easily forget.
For the full programme of the 2024 International Literature Festival Dublin, visit the official website here.
© 2024 GCN (Gay Community News). All rights reserved.
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