Dún Laoghaire Rathdown Poetry Now festival, now in its 14th year, begins on Thursday and runs until Sunday, and features poets and speakers from India, Lithuania, the US, UK and Slovenia as well as some of the best contemporary Irish poets, including the winner of the 2008 Irish Times Poetry Nowaward, Harry Clifton, who reads with Tomas Venclova, one of the most unique and important poets in Europe today.

American poet Frank Bidart reads with Toma Šalamun from Slovenia and Irish poet Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin. Younger poets include Valzhyna Mort from Belarus, Adam Foulds and Paul Batchelor from the UK, and Colette Bryce from Northern Ireland. Other poets taking part include Sujata Bhatt from India, Carol Ann Duffy from Scotland (who also leads a childrens event), Ellen Hinsey from the US, Ian Duhig from the UK and Irish poet Paddy Bushe.

The festival, curated by Belinda McKeon, honours Seamus Heaney on his 70th birthday. It also includes poetry workshops and discussions, a childrens poetry reading and a dedicated schools' programme, a debate on the competing worlds of Irish poetry, and the announcement and presentation of The Irish TimesPoetry Now Award for the best collection of poetryin 2008, as well as the Rupert and Eithne Strong Award for best first collection in 2008. www.poetrynow.ie