Irish Day | Oxford Literary Festival

Matthew Sturgis

Oscar: A Life
Oxford Martin School: Lecture Theatre 10:00am Sun 31 Sunday, 31 March 2019 See this event
Mary Robinson Interviewed by Nick Higham

Climate Justice: Hope, Resilience, and the Fight for a Sustainable Future
Sheldonian Theatre 10:00am Sun 31 Sunday, 31 March 2019 See this event
Suzanna Crampton

Bodacious: The Shepherd Cat
St Cross College 12:00pm Sun 31 Sunday, 31 March 2019 See this event
Martin Bell, Kate Adie and Deric Henderson Chaired by Ivan Little

Reporting the Troubles: Journalists on the Northern Ireland Conflict
Sheldonian Theatre 12:00pm Sun 31 Sunday, 31 March 2019 See this event
John Boyne Interviewed by Hannah Beckerman

A Ladder to the Sky
Bodleian: Divinity School 2:00pm Sun 31 Sunday, 31 March 2019 See this event
Rachel Moss Interviewed by Janina Ramirez

The Book of Durrow
Weston Lecture Theatre 2:00pm Sun 31 Sunday, 31 March 2019 See this event
Paul Lynch and Caoilinn Hughes Interviewed by Suzi Feay

Emerging Irish Voices
St Cross College 4:00pm Sun 31 Sunday, 31 March 2019 See this event
Adrian O’Neill

Irish Dinner: Celebrating theProgramme of Irish Literature and Culture
Worcester College 7:00pm Sun 31 Sunday, 31 March 2019 See this event

Festival information:

The Oxford festival is the most elegant and atmospheric of literary festivals. It’s a pleasure to both attend and perform there.

Often as an author, I only occasionally get to meet the public who buy and read my books. The Oxford Literary Festival was a special opportunity for me and certainly one of the highlights of my career – it was an honour I will never forget.

It was a privilege for me to visit the festival to receive the Bodley Medal. As an incidental blessing I saw Oxford at its most mysterious and atmospheric. It was a day of piercing cold and as I walked through the twilight from the Sheldonian to Christ Church, the streets were empty and the whole city was shutting itself away. Christ Church was silent except for the footfall of unseen persons around corners and the sounds of evensong creeping from behind closed doors. For the first time I understood thoroughly the power of college ghost stories.

The Oxford Literary Festival has in my mind become the leading literary festival of the year. The organisation, the roster of speakers, the ambience and the sheer quality of it all is superb. May it now go from strength to strength each year stretching its ambition more and more. I believe it will.

The Oxford Literary Festival is intellectual Viagra.

I loved the whole atmosphere of the Oxford Literary Festival. From breakfast, alongside some of the attendees, who were talking books with each other a mile a minute, to the public event at The Sheldonian where everyone was lively and engaged – I felt I had arrived in a kind of literary heaven.

A stimulating and rewarding on-stage conversation; a lively informed and tolerant audience; privileged access to the great treasures of the Bodleian, and finally, wonderfully interesting dinner companions to help me conclude the best day I have enjoyed at any festival – anywhere.

The night in Oxford was the most beautiful event I have ever done. Not just the spectacular setting (of the Sheldonian), but an unforgettable evening.

The Oxford Literary Festival sponsors, donors & partners

Partner of Oxford Literary Festival

Prestige publishing partner. Celebrating 25 years in Europe in 2024

Accountants to the festival

Oxford International Centre for Publishing

Five-star hotel partners of The Oxford Collection

Five-star hotel partners of The Oxford Collection

Where learning meets opportunity: education partners of the festival

Wines of the Douro Valley

Festival on-site and online bookseller

The Cervantes Institute, London

The Spanish Embassy: supporters of the programme of Spanish literature and culture

Festival ideas partner

Festival cultural partner

Supporter of the festival's Voices of Europe programme

Supported by the Delegation of the European Union to the UK

Festival media partner

Supporters of the programme of American literature and culture

Brasenose College founded in 1512

Founded 1884

Reuben College founded in 2019

Magdalen College founded 1458

Trinity College founded 1555

Lincoln College founded 1427

Worcester College founded 1714

Exeter College: college home of the festival. Founded 1314

New College founded 1379

Oxford University Images

Alumni Office

Olive oil from Sicily

Festival Digital Strategy & Web Design

Local radio partner