Kildare Readers Festival 2025

Kilcullen-Calverstown author Hazel Gaynor will be one of 33 speakers at the Kildare Readers Festival 2025, writes Brian Byrne. The festival runs from 4-14 October, and Hazel will join broadcaster Rick O'Shea on 11 October to discuss the 10 books that have shaped each of their lives.

A celebration of books, ideas, and conversation, the festival will bring readers and writers together. Venues for the various events are the Naas Library & Cultural Centre and Riverbank Arts Centre, with the closing event being Maynooth Library. 

This year's programme spans fiction, poetry, politics, memoir, and more. Among the speakers are Dermot Bolger, Kimberly Campanello, Pauline Clooney, Dr Marie Cassidy, Cian Geoghegan and John MacKenna. There are workshops and panel discussions, and all events are free. The full programme can be accessed here, or you can pick one up at Woodbine Books or Kilcullen Library.

Kildare Readers Festival is supported by Kildare Library Service, Kildare County Council, RTÉ Supporting the Arts, The Arts Council, Poetry Ireland, Kildare Writing Centre, Maynooth University and Riverbank Arts Centre.

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