Thursday, 14th November—Dinny McGinley T.D., Minister of State at the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, will this evening officially launch the Dublin Book Festival in Smock Alley Theatre, Exchange Street Lower, Temple Bar, Dublin 8.
This year’s Dublin Book Festival, which will run from 14th to 17th November, has a packed programme of readings, interviews, debates, book launches and workshops for adults, children and schools; there will also be a number of special guest appearances. The majority of the festival celebrations will again be based in Smock Alley Theatre, Temple Bar.
Speaking in advance of the opening at Smock Alley Theatre, Minister of State McGinley said:
“It is very fitting that the Dublin Book Festival celebrating Irish publishing and Irish-published authors should return to this area which was home to printers and publishers throughout the eighteenth century.”
The central aim of the festival is to create a community atmosphere in which to show the diversity, vitality and talent of Irish publishers and writers. The Dublin Book Festival confidently promises something for everyone — and with the majority of the events being free, there is plenty to entertain and inspire this November.
Minister McGinley also said that he was particularly pleased that his Department had provided an allocation of €40,000 towards the festival and associated events with a further €65,000 also provided to Dublin City of Literature for their impressive programme of events.
“The designation of UNESCO City of Literature in 2010 has given the Dublin Book Festival a special impetus and this continues into the extensive programme that has been organised for this year. Emerging and established writers are being brought together, with many new authors being given the opportunity to showcase their work and reach a new audience,” added Minister McGinley.
The Dublin Book Festival celebrates the best of contemporary Irish publishing and writing. This year’s programme is wonderfully accessible and features a vast array of events taking place in Smock Alley Theatre, other Temple Bar venues and the Irish Writers’ Centre in Parnell Square. “Since 2008, the Dublin Book Festival has provided a wonderful platform to engage the Irish public with Irish books and I have no doubt it will continue to shape the cultural life of the City of Dublin for years to come,” concluded Minister McGinley.
Further information on the festival can be found on http://www.dublinbookfestival.com/