Hinterland Festival announces 2025 programme
Author interviews, history talks, live music, children's workshops and much more to take place in Kells, Co. Meath, this June
The Hinterland Festival of Literature and Arts has today (14.05.25) announced its programme of events for 2025, which, according to festival director Geraldine Gaughran, aims to bring visitors of all ages on an illuminating journey of debate, discussion, reflection and imagination on the world as it is – and how it might be.
Running from 26th – 29th June 2025 in various venues throughout the heritage town of Kells, Co. Meath, the eclectic four-day programme offers a mix of author interviews, history talks, musical performances, children’s activities, art installations, and more. This year’s line-up includes distinguished national and international authors and contributors such as Martin Sixsmith, John Banville, John Boyne, Lara Marlowe, Kevin Barry, Roisín O’Donnell, John Creedon, Brian Dobson, and many more.
More than 50 events will take place across the weekend, including the following highlights:
Martin Sixsmith, author of The Lost Child of Philomena Lee, will reflect on the rise and rule of Vladimir Putin in Putin and the Return of History, which records the doings of the Russian dictator while the West was making other plans.
John Boyne will discuss his ambitious four-novella sequence, the final book of which, Air, was only published in May 2025. The full sequence will be collected in September 2025 in a single volume, titled The Elements.
John Banville, who won the Booker Prize in 2005, returns to Hinterland to speak about his work as a writer of literary and crime fiction, including his latest novel The Drowning.
Roisín O’Donnell will speak about her bestselling debut novel Nesting, a tense and moving psychological drama about motherhood, survival, and rebuilding a life in the aftermath of trauma.
Kevin Barry, one of Ireland’s most garlanded writers, presents The Heart in Winter, a novel set in the copper-rich landscape of 1890s Montana, following an ill-fated love story and a posse of furious Cornish gunmen in hot pursuit.
Lara Marlowe, journalist and former Paris correspondent for The Irish Times, will speak about How Good It Is I Have No Fear of Dying, her powerful portrait of 28-year-old Ukrainian army officer Yulia Mykytenko, which tells the compelling story of a fearless woman fighting for the survival of Ukraine.
Jack Lukeman will headline the festival’s music strand with Unbroken Songs 2025, a powerful evening performance celebrating his 30-year career and featuring songs of resilience, hope, love, and dreams.
Looking back: Hindsight@Hinterland explores 1975
The festival’s history strand, Hindsight@Hinterland, meanwhile, will this year focus on the year 1975, offering a fascinating look at Ireland and the wider world 50 years ago. Highlights include Superintendent Paul Maher on the challenges of policing during the height of the Troubles; a celebration of the work of the great comic novelist P.G. Wodehouse, who died 50 years ago, with historian Myles Dungan; and Simon Price on the music and enduring cultural impact of The Cure, followed by a live DJ set from his renowned 80s club night SPELLBOUND.
Other annual cornerstones include the Hinterland Type Trail, a collection of art installations that celebrate typography and lettering as a modern art form, led by local artist Mark Smith and this year themed around ‘Listen’. The festival will conclude with the hugely popular Lit Crawl, a series of fringe festival-style pop-up events showcasing local literary, dramatic, comedic and musical talent in venues including the town’s courthouse, café, pub – and even a funeral parlour – on Sunday evening (29th June).
“We’re so excited to unveil this year’s Hinterland programme,” said festival director Geraldine Gaughran. “It brings together an incredible calibre of contributors and spans such a wide range of topics – from literature and music to politics, history and current affairs. What started 13 years ago as a small local festival has grown into a much-anticipated national event, drawing audiences from all over Ireland and bringing a fantastic energy and creativity to Kells each June.”
Myths, legends and literary mischief: A festival for all ages
Alongside its headline events, Hinterland also offers a dedicated children’s literature programme as part of the main festival weekend. Events include interactive workshops, storytelling sessions, arts and crafts, and a town-wide treasure hunt based on ‘Myths and Legends’, offering younger visitors a chance to explore Kells while unlocking clues inspired by Irish folklore. The programme features events for children as young as three, right through to sessions designed with teenagers in mind.
“We’re incredibly proud of Hinterland’s children’s programme,” Ms Gaughran added. “Hinterland is the only literature festival in Ireland with a dedicated and extensive strand for children and families. We’re looking forward to welcoming children of all ages to Kells this June – there’s something for everyone, from toddlers to teens.”
The Hinterland Festival runs from Thursday, 26th to Sunday, 29th June 2025 in Kells, Co Meath. The full festival programme and tickets are now available at www.hinterland.ie.
ENDS
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