Mullingar Literary Festival returns in July with three-day celebration of creative talent
When Mullingar Literary Festival returns for a second year in July, it will bring a vibrant three-day programme of literature, conversation, poetry, performance, music, workshops, children’s events and writing competitions to venues across the town.
Following the success and warm reception of the inaugural festival in 2025, Mullingar Literary Festival 2026 will build on that momentum with a programme featuring nationally recognised writers, poets, performers, musicians, local literary voices and family-friendly events.
Taking place in venues including Caffrey’s Bar, Mullingar Library, the Greville Arms Hotel, and Annebrook House Hotel, the festival will again place Mullingar at the heart of Ireland’s creative and literary conversation.
The 2026 programme features high-profile guests and performers, including Niall Breslin, Patricia Gibney, Sinéad O’Hart, Susanne O’Leary, Sheila Killian, Caragh Maxwell, Theresa Ryder, Louise Ryan, Chele Crawley, Jinny Alexander, Olympio, The Poetry Kiln Collective, Macahar, Paulie Martin, Annie Peter and Band, The Verse Men, and Inklings Live.
The official launch is at 5.30pm on Friday July 3 at Caffrey’s on Mount Street, and that will be followed by an evening of poetry, conversation and music.
The Friday programme includes The Verse Men, Caragh Maxwell in conversation, bestselling crime writer Patricia Gibney, Theresa Ryder on JP Donleavy, and Macahar: Poetry and Piano, for a night of literary discussion and live performance.
On Saturday July 4, the festival expands with a full day of activity for children, teenagers, emerging writers and general audiences. Mullingar Library will host a morning of family-friendly literary activity, including Story Time, Halyna Budilova’s ‘A Very Very Angry Book’ Workshop for ages 5–8, and Sinéad O’Hart’s ‘Making Mythology’ workshop for ages 8–12.
Teenagers will have a dedicated creative space with David Hynes’ ‘Words on Fire’ at The Greville Arms Hotel, a free workshop exploring poetry, rap, storytelling, journaling, music and performance in a relaxed, supportive environment.
On Saturday afternoon and evening, the spotlight will turn towards literary guests and live performance at Caffrey’s. Audiences can look forward to Sinéad O’Hart in conversation, Susanne O’Leary in conversation, Annie Peter and Band, Louise Ryan, Her Words, Chele Crawley, The Poetry Kiln Collective, and a headline appearance by Niall Breslin with The Place That Has Never Been Wounded.
The final day, Sunday July 5, includes a literary heritage walk led by historian Ruth Illingworth, beginning at the Market Square, and an afternoon and evening of spoken word, hip-hop, poetry, storytelling, conversation and music at Caffrey’s. The Sunday line-up includes Olympio, Toastmasters, The Bards, Jinny Alexander, Sheila Killian, Inklings Live, and closing live music from Paulie Martin.
Festival chairperson Laurence Meehan said: “We are delighted to welcome such an exciting mix of established writers, poets, musicians, performers, local voices and emerging talent to Mullingar. This year’s programme has real breadth – from headline conversations and live poetry to children’s storytelling, teen creativity, workshops, competitions, music and literary heritage.
“Mullingar has a powerful creative heartbeat, and this festival is here to celebrate it.”
Alongside the main programme of readings, conversations and performances, the festival will also offer practical opportunities for writers and young creatives. Workshops include Anthony Viney’s on self-publishing, to guide aspiring authors through the process of moving from first draft to finished book, and a Creative Writing Taster Session with Brian McLoughlin and Inklings, offering an introduction to the local writing community and the creative writing process.
Competitions
The festival is running writing competitions for children and adults. Young writers are invited to submit short stories of up to 500 words, in categories for ages 4–8 and 9–12, judged by Irish children’s author and illustrator Dolores Keaveney.
Adult writers can enter the Short Story Competition or Poetry Competition, both on the theme ‘Surprise’; each category offers a €150 prize.
The closing date for competition entries is midnight on June 5. Children’s competition winners will be announced on Saturday July 4 at Mullingar Library, and adult competition winners on Sunday July 5 at Caffrey’s Bar.
• mullingarliteraryfestival.com