Dalkey Book Festival returns to the historic Co. Dublin town from June 16-19 – with a line-up that includes the likes of Sally Rooney, Blindboy, John Banville, Marian Keyes, Annie Mac, and more.

"We at Dalkey Book Festival strongly believe that the 21st century began for real in 2022; everything that went before was a sideshow," says festival director Sian Smyth. "A hundred years ago, Lenin said that there are decades when nothing happens and weeks where decades happen. We are living through such weeks. In 1922, the year Joyce published Ulysses, Ezra Pound declared the modern world had just begun. Could this year, 2022, mark a similar rupture in our world? Join us this June as we explore the future with an exciting programme of events."

Over 100 of the world’s finest authors and intellects will participate in the festival, including writers from Turkey, America, Scotland, Australia, Sudan, England, Iran, Afghanistan, Russia, France, Germany, Albania, Pakistan, China, and Italy, as part of a programme of over 80 events.

This year's Dalkey Book Festival will bring together thinkers from the worlds of literature, history, politics, journalism, technology and economics, including Simon Schama, Fiona Hill, Gary Shtynegart, Annie Mac, Robert Shrimsley, Blindboy, Yassmin Abdel-Magied, Sally Rooney, Fintan O'Toole, Catherine Belton, Elif Shafak, John Banville, Karen Duffy, Marian Keyes, David O'Doherty, James O'Brien, Claire Keegan, Sarah Winman, and many more.

Dalkey Book Festival. Credit: Conor McCabe Photography

Dalkey Book Festival has also announced the shortlists for this year’s Dalkey Literary Awards. The winners of the 2022 ‘Novel of the Year’ and ‘Emerging Writer’ Awards, with a prize fund of €30,000, will be announced at the festival on June 18.

Novel of the Year:

• April in Spain by John Banville
• Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney
• Nora by Nuala O’Connor
• Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan
• White City by Kevin Power

Emerging Writer:

• A Crooked Tree by Una Mannion
• Bright Burning Things by Lisa Harding
• Eat Or We Both Starve by Victoria Kennefick
• The End of the World is a Cul de Sac by Louise Kennedy
• Unsettled by Rosaleen McDonagh

Tickets go on sale this Tuesday, May 3 at 9am. Some Early Bird Pre-sale tickets are available from April 30. For more see dalkeybookfestival.org