Cúirt International Literature Festival 2022 to feature Olivia Laing, Louise Kennedy, Sara Baume and more

The Cúirt International Literature Festival is returning to Galway this spring, with guests the likes of Olivia Laing, Louise Kennedy and Sara Baume.

The festival will run from April 4th through 10th, and will showcase events on every realm of the creation and consumption of literature. With workshops, launches, events as Gaeilge and a mix of online and in person discussions, this year's programme is set to be the best yet.

"We are extremely excited to welcome audiences back to Cúirt and to the venues, bookshops, pubs and streets of Galway in 2022," said Cúirt Director, Sasha de Buyl in a press release. "For the past two years, books and words have been a source of connection, comfort and escape for many of us. Though we may all come to a book from vastly different starting points, the shared experience of reading brings us closer together."

Joining this year's lineup are The Aislings, Colin Barrett, Rodger Robinson, Edel Coffey, Ruman Alam and Raymond Antrobus.

The early part of the week will be dedicated to the practical side of being a writer, with the return of the Conversations on Craft series — which will pair international talents Olivia Laing and Claudia Rankine with Irish writers.

With the theme being "At the intersections," the festival will host a number of discussions on the principals of writing and its interaction with larger social issues. 'The Transgender Issue,' with Shon Faye, Stephanie Phillips on 'Why Solange Matters,' and 'parenthood' with poets Gail McConnell and Antrobus are just a few of the conversations to be had.

"We are hopeful to be entering a time when people can come together more easily, to celebrate and enjoy the power of words in person. A huge part of what makes a book festival special is the connections we make; the snatched conversations as you head into a reading, the debrief in the bar about the best event of the day, the unexpected meeting of a favourite writer," continued Buyl.

"We hope that Cúirt in 2022 can bring some of this much needed joy and conversation back to Galway. It’s an excellent reason to (finally) leave the house."

This year, the festival is introducing a 'Pay What You Can' model for all in person events, hoping to allow as many people to visit as possible. Therefore, events will be priced in tiers — at €5, €10, €15 and €20. When purchasing tickets, event goers can simply choose which option they can best afford. They can be found here.