2025 Limerick Literary Festival brings a celebration of words to the city this weekend

2025 Limerick Literary Festival brings a celebration of words to the city this weekend. Old Romantics by Maggie Armstrong, Bodies by Christine Anne Foley, No Small Thing by Orlaine McDonald, Night Swimmers by Roisin Maguire, are all shortlisted for the 2025 Kate O’Brien Award for a debut novel or short story

The 2025  Limerick Literary Festival kicks off this weekend bringing an exciting programme of literature, poetry, and music to Limerick City from February 21 to 23

The highly anticipated Limerick Literary Festival takes place from Friday, February 21 to 23, promising an exciting weekend programme which will entice lovers of literature and beyond.

With events running throughout the weekend at Belltable, O’Connell Street, the festival will commence with a special opening event featuring ‘An Post Irish Book Awards’ Book of the Year winner Donal Ryan, who will discuss his acclaimed novel ‘Heart, Be at Peace’.

The opening will also see a musical performance from Limerick’s Sarah Ellen Murphy, accompanied by Irina Dernova on piano, limited ticketing is available for this free event through the Lime Tree/Belltable website.

Speaking about the weekend’s events, organisers said, “This will officially open what is to be a full weekend programme featuring novelists, Diarmuid Johnson, Anna Abney, Rose Servitova, Karen Fitzgibbon, Christine Dwyer Hickey and Delphine Minoui. Poets Ciarain O’Driscoll, Lionel Poiraudeau, Jo Slade and Vivienne McKechnie will be reading from a selection of their poetry as part of a special twinning initiative by the Quimper/Limerick twinning committees.

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“This event brings together the works of French and Irish Poets in recognition of the special relationship these twin cities share.”

Saturday’s programme will feature ‘Heaney in Translation’ at 8:00 PM, hosted by Niall MacMonagle. This event, presented in association with Poetry Ireland, will include readings by acclaimed actor Eleanor Methven and musical performances by Zoe Conway and John McIntyre.

Sunday’s schedule will see Rose Servitova explore the legacy of Kate O’Brien, followed by the presentation of the 2025 Kate O’Brien Award for a debut novel or short story collection by a female Irish author.

Shortlist judge Vivienne McKechnie commented on the high standard of all the submissions, saying, “This year we had sixteen debut books submitted for consideration for the Kate O’Brien Award, the most we have ever had.  It is wonderful to see such talent emerging and to read the excellent debut novels and short stories produced by Irish female writers.

“It was a difficult task to come up with a shortlist and I would like to congratulate all sixteen writers for well-written, thought-provoking books on a wide range of themes. We look forward to a lively discussion with the shortlisted authors at the Festival in a special event on Sunday 23rd of February. This is an opportunity to meet these writers at the beginning of their careers and to listen to their stories.”

Sunday will also see the return of the much-loved ‘Desert Island Books’ with Myles Breen and Denise Whelan. The festival will conclude with an insightful interview with renowned author, economist, journalist, and broadcaster David McWilliams.

The festival is one of Ireland’s most vibrant and successful festivals which has been running since 1984 and it showcases in a diverse and eclectic programme the best in Irish and international contemporary literature.

More information for events as part of the Limerick Literary Festival in Honour of Kate O’Brien is available on the festival website.