Explore the world of words at the Irish Literature Festival this June 20-21

When Ireland comes up in conversation, most people picture emerald landscapes, windswept coastlines and a fiddle drifting out of a countryside pub. Equally enduring, though perhaps less obvious, is the country's literary legacy. 

For centuries, Irish writers have shaped the way we tell stories, wrestle with big ideas and make sense of everyday life – from the modernist experiments of James Joyce to the razor-sharp observations of Sally Rooney and the quiet brilliance of Claire Keegan. Ireland's contribution to world literature is astonishing.

That rich tradition arrives in Bangkok this month as the Embassy of Ireland in Thailand presents the Irish Literature Festival 2026 at the Jim Thompson Art Center on June 20-21.

Held in celebration of Bloomsday, the annual tribute to Joyce's monumental Ulysses, the two-day festival casts a much wider net. The programme explores why writing from a small island nation continues to resonate across generations and continents.

Expect lively conversations led by academics, translators and publishing figures, including Professor Dr Paige Reynolds, Associate Professor Dr Verita Sriratana and members of the Moonscape literary collective. Together, they’ll unpack the themes, traditions and cultural forces that have kept Irish literature firmly on bookshelves around the world.

Highlights include a discussion of Claire Keegan's celebrated novella Small Things Like These on Saturday June 20 at 11am (register here), and a literary conversation with Irish Ambassador H.E. Pat Bourne at 10am on Sunday June 21 (register here).

Best of all, it's free. A good book can carry you across oceans without ever leaving your seat, and this is your chance to travel from Bangkok to Dublin through the pages of some of Ireland's most beloved writers.

The Irish Literature Festival takes place at the Jim Thompson Art Center on June 20-21. Admission is free.