The Dublin Festival of History, which debuted last year and enjoyed packed audiences, returns on 26 September–8 October. There seems to be a voracious interest in history matters among the general public. Chalke Valley History Festival kicked it all off in the UK in 2011 and has now grown to a week-long series of lectures and events, including a ‘living history through the ages encampment’. Carlow’s annual History Festival of Ireland started in 2012. And of course History Ireland has been bringing lively debates to public lecture halls and festivals (including the Electric Picnic) with its Hedge School format since 2010. Indeed, the Hedge School has become a key element of these burgeoning Irish history festivals.
The Dublin Festival of History brings historians, academics, bestselling history writers and novelists to Dublin Castle and public libraries across the city. Aimed generally at anyone with an interest in history and who enjoys reading history for pleasure, this year’s festival will welcome Hew Strachan, Alison Weir, Richard Evans, David Dickson—and the list goes on. Celebrating history in all its glorious eras, genres, geographies and nuances, this festival aims to become an annual feature in Dublin’s autumn festival season. Witness the interest and attendances at Decade of Commemorations events in this country and it’s no surprise that these new history festivals are taking off and packing them in. History is the new rock ’n’ roll . . .