7:00am - Dawn-ish Chorus

  • Meeting Point: Outside the Front of the House
    • A Walk in the Woods: An early morning nature walk along the mountain stream with bird expert Seán Ronayne. Includes porridge and poitín—a perfect start to the day.

10:30 - 11:25am

  • The OrangeryIreland as 'Laboratory' (Empire Podcast Event)
    • Historians William Dalrymple, Anita Anand, and Jane Ohlmeyer discuss Ireland’s colonial past and how it became a model for global expansion.
  • The RookeryStillness in Space
    • Booker Prize-winner Samantha Harvey explores time, perspective, and the quiet beauty of space.
  • The OwleryStop the Press
    • Journalists Fintan O’Toole, Carole Cadwalladr, and Misha Glenny debate disinformation, political interference, and the collapse of truth in media.

11:25am (Book Signings)

  • The Bookshop – William Dalrymple, Anita Anand, Jane Ohlmeyer, Samantha Harvey.

11:50am - 12:45pm

  • The OrangeryRituals of the Land
    • James Rebanks and Manchán Magan explore the preservation of ancient farming traditions.
  • The RookeryHanded Down
    • Martin Hayes and Colin Greenwood discuss passing music down through generations.
  • The OwleryH Is for Horror
    • Helen Macdonald, Sin Blaché, and Jules Montague on writing and memory.
  • The BallroomA New Art History?
    • Katy Hessel challenges traditional narratives, putting women artists back into the frame.
  • The ChapelPoetry Pharmacy
    • William Seighart and Denise Gough offer a session that soothes, revives, and inspires through poetry.

12:45pm (Book Signings)

  • The Bookshop – Katy Hessel, Sinéad Gleeson, Sin Blaché, Helen Macdonald, William Seighart, James Rebanks, Manchán Magan, Martin Hayes.

1:30 - 2:25pm

  • The OrangeryTheatre of Transformation
    • Fiona Shaw and Eileen Walsh discuss the alchemy of performance.
  • The RookeryThe Environment Will Shape Global Politics
    • Bruno Maçães and Kirsty Lang explore climate-driven global conflicts.
  • The OwleryWould You Rather...?
    • Paul Howard and Róisín Ingle debate big life questions in a fun, no-holds-barred game.
  • The BallroomTime Capsules
    • Geoff Dyer and Paul Murray reflect on the ‘60s and ‘70s through literature and memory.
  • The ChapelSecrets She Had to Keep
    • Clair Wills and Elaine Feeney discuss long-buried family histories.

2:25pm (Book Signings)

  • The Bookshop – Bruno Maçães, Paul Howard, Clair Wills, Elaine Feeney, Geoff Dyer, Paul Murray.

3:10 - 4:05pm

  • The OrangeryTrial by Battle
    • Max Hastings and Dominic Sandbrook on what really happened during D-Day.
  • The RookeryLoud Mouths, Quiet Souls
    • Conor O’Brien and Colin Greenwood explore music and frequencies.
  • The OwleryA Wild Goose Chase
    • Joseph O’Neill and Bill Buford on post-9/11 America.
  • The BallroomOn Crimes and Impunities
    • Philippe Sands and Barbara Demick on tracking SS fugitives through Chile.
  • The ChapelThe Director’s Conscience
    • Award-winning filmmakers Leslie Cockburn, Margaret Brown, and Molly Dineen discuss documentary filmmaking.

4:05pm (Book Signings)

  • The Bookshop – Philippe Sands, Barbara Demick, Conor O’Brien, Colin Greenwood, Max Hastings, Dominic Sandbrook, Joseph O’Neill.

4:40 - 5:45pm

  • The OrangeryJugs of Dust
    • Rupert Everett discusses his literary journey, Oscar Wilde, and Graham Greene.
  • The RookeryThree Years, Four Months: The War in Ukraine
    • Lara Marlowe and Lindsey Hilsum on Western responses to Putin.
  • The OwleryWhole World, Short Form
    • Margaret Drabble, Christine Dwyer Hickey, and Maggie Armstrong discuss short stories.
  • The BallroomNarrating Palestine
    • Adania Shibli and Joe Sacco explore storytelling in times of conflict.
  • The ChapelI Write What I Know, and Then I Tell Lies
    • Elaine Feeney and Sinéad Gleeson on the tension between fiction and reality.

5:45pm (Book Signings)

  • The Bookshop – Rupert Everett, Lara Marlowe, Lindsey Hilsum, Adania Shibli, Joe Sacco, Margaret Drabble, Christine Dwyer Hickey, Maggie Armstrong.

6:20 - 7:15pm

  • The OrangeryNetanyahu, Trump, Putin and the Courts
    • Philippe Sands and James Tierney discuss legal accountability for world leaders.
  • The RookeryAnd in That Moment, Everything Changed
    • Dominic Sandbrook and Chris Floyd explore defining historical images.
  • The OwleryThe Rise of the Autocrat
    • Bruno Maçães, Barbara Demick, Misha Glenny, and Leslie Cockburn discuss political risks.
  • The BallroomWithstanding the Heat
    • War correspondent Ben Anderson and chef-journalist Bill Buford compare adrenaline-fueled careers.

7:15pm (Book Signings)

  • The Bookshop – Philippe Sands, Dominic Sandbrook, Chris Floyd.

7:50 - 8:45pm

  • The OrangeryQuelling Dissent
    • Fintan O’Toole and Steven Pinker debate free speech and protest laws.
  • The RookeryPerformance on the Page and Off
    • Eimear McBride and Fiona Shaw discuss the craft of writing and acting.

8:45pm (Book Signings)

  • In Talk Venue – Steven Pinker, Eimear McBride.

9:30pm (Live Music)

  • The RookeryVillagers (Live Performance)
    • A mesmerizing show from Mercury Prize-nominated indie folk artist Conor O’Brien.

Borris 2025 - Saturday