Winter is an ideal time for culture vultures to visit Dublin. From energetic trad sessions to sparkling festivals welcoming the New Year, there are countless events guaranteed to make a city visit special.
While it’s wise always to be prepared for the occasional rain shower in Ireland, there’s a notable can-do attitude amongst Dubliners during the winter months. Having an umbrella to hand helps, as does knowing there’s always a welcoming café, cosy pub or chic boutique nearby to shelter in.
Whether you’re into music, art, literature or history, we’ve got some of the best events to check out on your trip to Dublin this winter. The only issue will be which one to pick first.
The Dead at the Museum of Literature Ireland
Wander around the streets on either side of the Liffey and you’ll discover a connection to writer James Joyce, who found infinite inspiration in the Irish capital. Joyce’s short story masterpiece of a short story The Dead has a particular resonance with wintry Dublin, being set at a dinner party in the city on a snowy 6 January.
This winter, leading Irish theatre companies ANU and Landmark are bringing a special immersive production of The DeadOpens in new window to the Museum of Literature Ireland (MoLI) at 85 St Stephen’s Green, from 22 November to 12 January.
The story will unfold across some of the normally unseen rooms in MoLI (a building which dates to the 18th century). Two of Ireland’s finest actors, Marty Rea and Maeve Fitzgerald, will star as Gabriel and Gretta Conroy, the couple at the centre of The Dead.
It’s hard to imagine a more perfect location to tell this stunning story – just make sure to bring tissues for that moving final scene. Tickets are €65/€30 (concession).
Dublin Book Festival
Whether you’re a Joycean devotee wanting to visit the Forty Foot swimming spot (where Buck Mulligan takes a dip in the opening chapter of Ulysses), or a Sally Rooney fan eager to tread Trinity College’s cobbles, Dublin offers loads for literature lovers. Designated a UNESCO City of Literature in 2010, it’s long been home to brilliant writers such as Roddy Doyle and recent Booker Prize-winner Paul Lynch.
A must-do for bookworms is the Dublin Book FestivalOpens in new window, which runs from 6 to 10 November. Spread throughout a range of venues, which have included Chester Beatty Library and the National Botanic Gardens in previous years, it offers free and ticketed events, panel discussions, walking tours, writing workshops and family events.
Top Irish writers including Anne Enright and Mike McCormack are among those who’ve participated in previous years, so keep an eye on the website for its 2024 programme announcement.
The Jonathan Swift Festival
While rambling through Dublin you’ll notice the grand Georgian terraces on both the north and south sides of the city – signs of a transformative period in the 18th century. One of the figures most associated with the Georgian era was the Anglo-Irish satirist and writer Jonathan Swift, who has an entire festival dedicated to him in November.
Swift is best known for penning the novel Gulliver’s Travels, but his multifaceted career included becoming Dean of Saint Patrick’s Cathedral in 1713. The Jonathan Swift FestivalOpens in new window, which runs from 22 to 27 November, pays tribute to Swift while also exploring the history of Georgian Dublin through live music, discussions, building tours and talks.
Find more information here