April 25th 2026
Rush, Co. Dublin
Rush Festival of Writing is a brand new literary festival by the sea in North County Dublin.
The inaugural event is a celebration of books, writing and storytelling that will include author interviews, workshops and family-friendly events in various venues across the town of Rush.
See below for the full 2026 programme.
​
Picture Credit: Douglas Banville
HEADLINE EVENT
John Banville
Man Booker Prize winner John Banville in conversation with Kevin Curran at The Millbank Theatre.
Irish literary titan John Banville will be appearing in conversation with Kevin Curran (author of YOUTH) at the Millbank Theatre.
​
As author of modern classics including The Sea and The Book of Evidence , his series of hugely successful crime novels under his Benjamin Black pen name, as well as Christine Falls - which is this year’s One Dublin One Book choice - it promises to be a varied interview examining one of the most fascinating writers of our time.
​
​
​
2026 Programme
April 25th · Rush, Dublin
Irish cultural luminary Eamon Carr will be sharing stories from his life in writing - from his Tara Telephone performance poetry days, to his decades in iconic band Horslips and his career as a sports and showbiz journalist. The conversation with music writer Pat Carty will include some of Eamon’s incredible tales from his journalism career, many of which he recounted in his recently-published collection Pure Gold: Memorable Conversations with Remarkable People.
Time
Event
Venue
TICKETS
Join crime fiction authors Andrea Mara (All Her Fault, It Should Have Been You) and Catherine Ryan Howard (56 Days, Burn After Reading) as they discuss the craft of crime writing, their intriguing careers and the recent big-budget TV adaptations of their work. Andrea and Catherine will be in conversation with Sinéad Cuddihy of Tired Mammy Book Club.
Please note that all FREE events require a ticket.
​
10am to 11am
Niamh Sharkey - 'Penguin TV' storytime & doodle
Rush Library
Family Event: Suitable for ages 5+
One ticket per child. No tickets needed for adults/guardians.
​
Tune in to Penguin TV! Join Niamh Sharkey for a reading and giant doodle of this delightful picture book inspired by Dublin Zoo's penguin cam, where every penguin is ready to show off their best skills and share all their fun facts. Waddle you waiting for? It's showtime! After the workshop, Niamh will be signing her books and stamping with a special Penguin TV stamp - so be sure to bring all your books along!
11.30am to 12.30
'Design Your Own Superhero' storytelling & illustration event with Alan Nolan
Rush Library
Family Event: Suitable for ages 8 to 12
One ticket per child. No tickets needed for adults/guardians.
Ever wanted to design your own superhero? Join author, illustrator and comic creator Alan Nolan as he talks about favourite comics and superheroes from his childhood (as well as modern-day comic superstars like Dog Man, Bunny Vs Monkey and The Investigators) and shows you how to draw one of his own creations. Test your superhero knowledge with a quiz, and then design your very own superhero using Alan’s patented super-duper Superhero Design Template™!
1.30pm to 2.30pm
Pen to Paper: A conversation on writing with Sinéad
Gleeson & Anna Carey
Rush Community Centre
Join author and essayist Sinéad Gleeson (Hagstone, Constellations), and author Anna Carey (Our Song, The Making of Mollie), who has written for both children and adults, as they share their creative journeys. The two experienced writers will discuss how they got started, sustaining a career in writing, fine-tuning their craft, the ups and downs of their lives in writing, as well as their own brilliant work to date in what promises to be an illuminating conversation for aspiring authors.
Widely considered one of our greatest living authors, John Banville will be appearing in conversation with Kevin Curran (author of YOUTH, Beatsploitation). As author of modern classics including The Sea and The Book of Evidence, his series of hugely successful crime novels under his Benjamin Black pen name, as well as Christine Falls - which is this year’s One Dublin One Book choice - it promises to be a varied interview examining one of the most fascinating writers of our time.
2.45pm to 4.45pm
Creative Writing workshop with Belinda McKeon
Rush Library
Celebrated novelist and playwright Belinda McKeon (Tender, Solace) will lead a workshop in creative writing that focuses on the basis of storytelling for fiction writers, as well as how to create vivid characters for your stories. Belinda has taught fiction at Barnard College and Rutgers University, and is now Associate Professor of Creative Writing at Maynooth University, where she directs the MA in Creative Writing. This workshop is suitable for both entry-level fiction writers and those with experience.
3pm to 4pm
Eamon Carr in conversation with Pat Carty
The Strand
Irish cultural luminary Eamon Carr will be sharing stories from his life in writing - from his Tara Telephone performance poetry days, to his decades in iconic band Horslips and his career as a sports and showbiz journalist. The conversation with music writer Pat Carty will include some of Eamon’s incredible tales from his journalism career, many of which he recounted in his recently-published collection Pure Gold: Memorable Conversations with Remarkable People.
​
Please note that for those who plan to attend both the Plot Twists and the John Banville events below, there is a limited number of combined tickets available for €20. Simply select the BUNDLE ticket here.
​
5pm to 6pm
Plot Twists: Andrea Mara & Catherine Ryan Howard in conversation with Sinéad Cuddihy
The Millbank Theatre
Join crime fiction authors Andrea Mara (All Her Fault, It Should Have Been You) and Catherine Ryan Howard (56 Days, Burn After Reading) as they discuss the craft of crime writing, their intriguing careers and the recent big-budget TV adaptations of their work. Andrea and Catherine will be in conversation with Sinéad Cuddihy of Tired Mammy Book Club.
8pm to 9.30pm
John Banville in conversation with Kevin Curran
The Millbank Theatre
Widely considered one of our greatest living authors, John Banville will be appearing in conversation with Kevin Curran (author of YOUTH, Beatsploitation). As author of modern classics including The Sea and The Book of Evidence, his series of hugely successful crime novels under his Benjamin Black pen name, as well as Christine Falls - which is this year’s One Dublin One Book choice - it promises to be a varied interview examining one of the most fascinating writers of our time.
​