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seasonal · Friday 3 July 2026 · Various 
Mullingar Literary Festival 2026
At Multiple venues in Mullingar · Mullingar, Co. Westmeath
At Multiple venues in Mullingar · Mullingar, Co. Westmeath
Mullingar Literary Festival is a free, three-day celebration of books, writing, and the spoken word that takes over the county town of Westmeath each July. It draws writers, poets, families, and curious readers from across the midlands and beyond, and the atmosphere is more welcoming local gathering than formal literary conference. The festival is only in its second year - its inaugural run in July 2025 was declared a resounding success - and it already carries real ambition, spreading events across several of Mullingar’s best-known venues.
The programme spans author interviews, panel discussions, poetry readings, and hands-on writing workshops for adults and children alike. Venues across the town centre host different strands: the Greville Arms Hotel and Caffrey’s Bar take the evening sessions, while Mullingar Library runs children’s events including story time, a scavenger hunt, and workshops for ages five to twelve. Adult workshops in previous years have covered self-publishing, creative writing tasters, and introductions to the local Inklings writing group.
Mullingar carries real literary weight. James Joyce had family ties to the town and drew on the midlands in his fiction. Oliver Goldsmith grew up nearby at Ballymahon and the rolling Westmeath countryside fed his pastoral imagination. The festival is rooted in that history while making space for contemporary and emerging voices. Expect a literary heritage walk through the town among the weekend’s offerings too.
All events are free to attend. Workshops have limited places and fill quickly, so booking ahead - via the festival website - is recommended if workshops are on your list.
Mullingar is well connected by road and rail. The M4 motorway runs from Dublin to within a few kilometres of the town, and the journey by car from the capital takes roughly an hour. Mullingar railway station sits a short walk from the town centre and is served by regular Irish Rail services on the Dublin Heuston to Westport and Ballina lines; the trip from Heuston takes around one hour and twenty minutes. Bus Eireann also runs services from Dublin and Athlone. Parking is available in the town centre, including at Pearse Street car park.
A long weekend built around the festival is well worth extending into the surrounding area. Mullingar itself has good restaurants, traditional pubs, and easy access to Lough Ennell and the broader Westmeath lakeland. There is more to see in Mullingar and across Co. Westmeath.
Heading to Multiple venues in Mullingar in Mullingar? Westmeath has plenty more to see. Read the Mullingar area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.