Jenny will read stories from a selection of the most popular books for our younger audience. Suitable for tots and younger children. Please note the ALL children attending this event […]
In this introductory bookbinding workshop, you will learn how to make your own A5 stab-bound book, a binding method developed in 17th century Japan that is still used throughout the […]
Hilary Mantel was a renowned English writer who twice won the Booker Prize, for her best-selling novel Wolf Hall and its sequel, Bring Up the Bodies. The final novel of […]
Elaine Feeney writes poetry, fiction, and non-fiction. Her debut novel As You Were won Dalkey Book Festival’s Emerging Writer Prize, the Kate O’ Brien Award, and the Society of Authors’ […]
Haiku is the shortest and one of the oldest poetry forms in the world, having originated in Japan in the 17th century. It is primarily a nature poem but can […]
Sophie White is a novelist, essayist and podcaster from Dublin. She is the author of seven books and is the current Arts Council Writer-in-Residence at DCU. Her fifth book, the […]
Aldrin Adams and the Cheese Cightmares (shortlisted for the Children's Book of the Year - Irish Book Awards) is a laugh-out-loud children's adventure story, full of mystery, magic and cheeses […]
Sally Hayden is a journalist and the author of My Fourth Time, We Drowned: Seeking Refuge on the World's Deadliest Migration Route. It was her first book, and won the […]
Roddy Collins is a football man - now in the sixth decade of a career as a player (at 16 clubs), manager (12 clubs) and commentator. And he is a […]
Named as one of Ireland’s Rising Poets by Poetry Ireland Review, Afric McGlinchey has won numerous prizes, including the Hennessy Poetry Award, Poets Meet Politics prize and several awards from […]
Disha Bose’s debut novel Dirty Laundry, a domestic noir that examines the dark side of motherhood and suburbia, was published in 2023. She was born and raised in India, and […]
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Words by Water is delighted to work with one of our local primary schools again this year. Shane Hegarty is a children’s books author from Skerries. His bestselling book series, […]
Davy Russell is a retired National Hunt jockey. He was Irish jump racing Champion Jockey three times, and won the Grand National (twice), the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the Grand […]
Come and join us for an evening of poetry and song curated by poet Matthew Geden. We will be showcasing work by new and established writers. This will be a […]
The wonderful Alice Taylor needs no introduction and we are so pleased to welcome her to Kinsale to chat about her decades of writing about rural Ireland. Who better to […]
Amanda Neri is an award-winning singer and director who loves to write. She has written two musicals winning the Cork Theatre Critic’s Award for best newcomer. Her other writing includes […]
Jan Carson is a writer based in Belfast. She has published three novels, three short story collections and two micro-fiction collections. Her novel The Firestarters won the EU Prize for […]
During her 15-year career as Ireland’s State Pathologist, Marie Cassidy became known to the Irish public as a trusted figure whose expertise helped to solve murders and clarify unexplained deaths. […]
Listening to the rhythm of your work, finding your writing voice and learning to trust your gut. This one-hour workshop will look at the natural rhythm in all writing. It […]
In this introductory bookbinding workshop, you will learn how to make your own A5 stab- bound book, a binding method developed in 17th century Japan that is still used throughout […]
Nadine Hughes Campbell is the author behind Noah’s Cork Adventure. Born and raised in Montréal, Nadine traded in the busy streets of her Canadian hometown for the gorgeous landscapes of […]
Ethel Crowley PhD is an Irish sociologist. She is the author of Land Matters, Daring to Dream and Your Place or Mine?, as well as other journal articles, book chapters […]
Sheila Armstrong is a writer and editor from the north-west of Ireland. How to Gut a Fish, her first collection of short stories, was shortlisted for the Kate O’Brien Award […]
Who was the Bellman? Where was World’s End? What was a bridge of boats? When did chocolate arrive? Why fight a battle at Christmas? Step into history with Barry to […]
EVENT ALERT - event time has been moved to 2:45pm. Sinéad Gleeson’s essay collection Constellations: Reflections from Life, was published by Picador in 2019 and won Non- Fiction Book of […]
Rónán Hession is an Irish writer and musician based in Dublin. His debut novel, Leonard and Hungry Paul was published by Bluemoose Books in 2019. It was shortlisted for the […]
Marian Keyes is a phenomenon. The multimillion copy, internationally bestselling author of some of the most widely loved, genre-defying novels of the past thirty years – including Rachel’s Holiday, Anybody […]
We are always very proud and supportive of our local writers and this event is a wonderful opportunity to showcase their talent and spotlight their voices. Michelle Dunne is a […]
Have you ever wondered how paper was made? Come and learn the ancient technique of paper making using recycled denim, vegetable matter and recycled paper. In the class we will […]
Enjoy this years events and festivities at Words by Water 2025 (*excludes all workshops, the Ancestral Storytelling event, and the Gaitkrash Beckett event).
While translating his father’s and grandfather’s diaries from the two World Wars, Joachim was drawn into conversation and arguments with his forefathers that never happened when they were alive. Joachim […]
Come and join us for an evening of readings, curated by poet Matthew Geden. We will be showcasing work by new and established writers. This will be a relaxed and […]
Diarmuid Ferriter and Peadar Thompson in conversation with JJ Hurley Diarmuid Ferriter is Full Professor and Chair of Modern Irish History at UCD, as well as the author of numerous […]
In the Celtic calendar, Samhain is a time for honouring those who have gone before us, when the veils of the world are at their thinnest and our ancestors can […]
Niall’s newest novel, Time of the Child was published in 2024 to wide critical acclaim and won the Kerry Group Irish Novel of the Year Award in 2025. It centres […]
Would you like to spend the morning with one of Ireland’s best loved children’s authors in the beautiful town of Kinsale? If so, this event is for you! Marita will […]
‘I was looking for a music of words, one that belonged simultaneously to poetry and to everyday speech – advertisements, headlines, fashion magazines, erotic classifieds, horoscopes – an inconspicuous music […]
Amanda Neri is an award-winning singer and director who loves to write. She is an avid reader and enjoys exploring the written word in all its forms. Her most recent […]
Gratitude Workshop with Trish Kelleher, author of The Giant of Kinsale and The Giant’s Gratitude Journal. What does gratitude mean to you? According to research, the one daily habit for […]
Harriet Wistrich in conversation with Vanessa Conneely Harriet Wistrich is the Founder and Director of the UK's Centre for Women’s Justice. A trained solicitor, with decades of experience, Harriet won […]
Join us for a celebration of exciting new voices from Cork, as four outstanding debut novelists share their journeys into fiction. Catherine Airey grew up in England in a family […]
Creating beautiful writing using the ancient art of calligraphy has held a fascination for people for thousands of years. Des Meade of The Calligraphy Scribe, is a Carrigaline-based calligrapher, who […]
Discover Kinsale’s history with a local expert Barry Moloney has been a tour guide in Kinsale for over 20 years. He is the author of An Illustrated History of Kinsale, […]
Moderated by Shane Coleman. Two acclaimed authors come together to discuss writing, memory, love, loss, and the powerful role of fiction in shaping how we see the world. Kit de […]
Aoife Barry is a Dublin-based freelance arts journalist and broadcaster. She is the author of the bestselling non-fiction book Social Capital (HarperCollins Ireland) about the impact of social media on […]
Described as ‘specialists in sorcery’ (Irish Times), GAITKRASH Theatre Company presents an exciting montage of Samuel Beckett’s later plays, Footfalls (Bernadette Cronin, Máirín Prendergast) and Not I (Regina Crowley), wrapped […]
Sharing is caring and what better thing to share than a love of books! Bring your fiction, non-fiction and children’s books to our bookswap and exchange them for something new […]
Matthew Geden was born and brought up in England, moving to Kinsale in 1990. He is a poet with numerous publications throughout Ireland and abroad. His most recent collections include […]
Have you ever wondered how paper is made? Come and learn the ancient technique of papermaking using recycled denim, vegetable matter and recycled paper. Participants will learn how to cast […]