7 of the best events coming up this weekend

1. True to Your Heart: Bethany Rutter, Sarah Breen & Emer McLysaght – Town Hall Theatre – Saturday 9th, 17:00

Even when you ‘have it all’, how do you stay true to yourself and what your heart wants?
Big-hearted novels from Emer McLysaght, Sarah Breen and Bethany Rutter ask these questions with warmth and effervescent humour. Moderated by Louise McSharry, an Irish broadcaster and disc jockey known for her work on RTÉ 2fm.

2. The Sound of Paradise: Raymond & Roger Robinson – Town Hall Theatre – Saturday 9th, 20:30

We’re delighted to welcome to the Cúirt centre stage two award-winning poets who have changed the shape of poetry in Britain. Roger Robinson became the first Black British poet to win the 2019 T.S. Eliot prize for his collection A Portable Paradise, and was a co-founder of Malika’s Poetry Kitchen, a hugely influential grassroots poetry collective based in London.

Raymond Antrobus was the first poet to win the Rathbone Folio Prize, and his stunning combination of skills as a performer and literary craftsman have seen his two most recent collections, The Perseverance and All The Names Given, win a host of awards.

Access Options: This event will have ISL interpretation.

3. Fat Activism: Charlotte Cooper – An Taibhdhearc – Sunday 10th, 12:00

What is fat activism and why is it important?

Charlotte Cooper has been writing and thinking about fat for more than 30 years. A true original, her interdisciplinary work in the field defies categorisation. Charlotte has done incredible work in detailing fat activism methods, challenging long-held assumptions that uphold systemic fatphobia and makes clear how crucial feminism and queer theory are to the lifeblood of the fat liberation movement. The second edition of her hugely impactful book Fat Activism was published last year.

Charlotte will be joined in conversation by Irish fat activist and Bloomers co-founder Emily O’Brien.

4. Cúirt Zine Fair – The Cornstore – Saturday 9th, 12 to 16:30, Sunday 10th, 12:30 to 16:30

The Cúirt Zine Fair features a stellar line-up of zinesters, distros, independent presses and artists. Showcasing zines, small presses, prints and comics from across the country, the fair is a chance to get to know the rich and diverse indie press and comics scene here in Ireland. For more information on who will have a stall at this year’s fair, keep an eye on our socials!

5. Staying In: Will McPhail in Conversation – An Taibhdearc – Sunday 10th, 14:00

You will likely recognise Will McPhail’s unforgettable cartoons from the pages of The New Yorker (or your Instagram feeds), where he has amassed a loyal and devoted following.

With his first full-length graphic novel, In, Will follows a city-dwelling illustrator, Nick, and his attempts to shake off the safe, cosy, humdrum world of cafés, artisan beer and freelance gigging, and take hold of what truly matters, deep within his heart. With a keen eye for satire and a surprising emotional punch, In is a unique adventure.

6. We Were Always Here: Seán Hewitt, Gail McConnell, Padraig Regan – The Mick Lally Theatre – Sunday 10th, 17:30

How can we imagine a future when history seems eager to forget us? We’re delighted at Cúirt to welcome to the stage three of Ireland’s greatest talents, who just happen to be three of the finest queer poets at work today. Join Seán Hewitt, Gail McConnell and Padraig Regan as they read from and discuss their work, their inspirations and the importance of a queer history made visible.

7. Navigations: Megan Nolan – An Taibhdhearc – Sunday 10th, 19:00

We’re delighted to bring our festivities at Cúirt 2022 to a close with one of the most talented novelists of recent years. In Megan Nolan’s debut novel, Acts of Desperation, our narrator has fallen into an affair with Ciaran, a handsome older poet, though neither seem capable of living up to the other’s expectations. The book is a deep, engrossing portrait of a toxic relationship, rendered with wit, insight and devastating vitality.