Fingal Festival of History Celebrates a Decade of Discovery
Returning for its tenth year in 2026, the Fingal Festival of History is offering an expanded programme of free events that highlight the people, places and stories that have shaped Fingal, Ireland and the wider world.
The Fingal Festival of History is celebrating its 10th year with an expanded programme of events taking place from Saturday 26th September to Sunday 11th October 2026, with 19 free events scheduled across the county's library network and heritage venues.
A highlight of this year's festival is History at the Library Day, taking place on Saturday 3 October at The Carnegie, North Street, Swords. Reflecting Ireland's Presidency of the Council of the European Union, a number of talks will explore Ireland's historical links with Europe and the EU.
Marking a decade of celebrating local, national and international history, the programme features a diverse range of topics, including the disappearance of Agatha Christie, Ireland's involvement in the American Revolution, the Kennedy family's connections with Ireland, Éamon de Valera's powers of negotiation, Ireland after the 1921 Anglo-Irish Treaty, fashion and social history, the diaries of Eleanor Cobbe Corbally, the 1926 Census, family history research, Balbriggan Harbour, Kenure House and Demesne, The Old Schoolhouse in Clonsilla, and the La Mancha Murders in Malahide.
The festival will also include two guided heritage tours, with Clonsilla & Porterstown Heritage Society hosting a tour on Sunday 4 October and another hosted by Rush Tourism on Sunday 11 October.
All events are free to attend, although advance booking is recommended as places may be limited. The full programme is available online at www.fingal.ie/fingallibraries, with printed copies of the Festival of History brochure also available from Fingal libraries.
The festival will also see the release of Fingal Studies 7, the latest edition of Fingal's local history journal. Dedicated to preserving and exploring the county's rich heritage, this year's volume features articles on cyclist Harry Reynolds, St George's School Balbriggan (1859-2014), the La Mancha Murders on the centenary of the tragedy, St Fintan's Cemetery in Sutton, the Balrothery Poor Law Union, and a range of other historical topics.
Relaunched in 2024 after a nine-year absence, Fingal Studies is now published annually, with each new edition released coinciding with the Fingal Festival of History. Further information is available at www.fingal.ie/fingalstudies.
