Irish Times Winter Nights festival starts on January 24th. Here’s the schedule

The 2022 Irish Times Winter Nights online festival takes place from Monday, January 24th to Thursday, January 27th, with a host of high-profile guests including authors, politicians and sports stars in conversation with Irish Times journalists.

Supported by Peugeot, the festival will run over four evenings. The final line-up for this celebration of conversation, culture and ideas contains a lively mix of guests with plenty to say.

On opening night, Monday, January 24th, we will be joined by Minister for Justice Helen McEntee, economist and Irish Times columnist David McWilliams, and Galway epidemiologist Dr Mike Ryan of the World Health Organisation.

Others on the bill include Irish-born DJ and author Annie Macmanus, paralympic medalist swimmer Ellen Keane, Armagh poet and Paul McCartney confidant Paul Muldoon, and rugby legend Brian O’Driscoll. In a dream pairing, O’Driscoll will be interviewed by Ross O’Carroll-Kelly creator Paul Howard.

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International guests joining us for Winter Nights include American playwright and commentator Bonnie Greer, author and comedian David Baddiel, and writer and feminist Caitlin Moran. Following the huge success of his memoir, We Don’t Know Ourselves, which was named Irish Book of the Year in 2021, Irish Times columnist Fintan O’Toole will be interviewed by Arts and Culture editor Hugh Linehan.

Among the other hosts are Irish Times writers and editors Jennifer O’Connell, Róisín Ingle, Sorcha Pollak, Patrick Freyne, Jennifer Bray, Kathy Sheridan, Cliff Taylor and Joanne O’Riordan.

This year’s festival builds on the hugely successful Summer Nights series last June and the first Winter Nights festival, which ran in January 2020. The full programme is below.

How to Get Tickets

For tickets, go to irishtimes.com/winternights. A single price of €50 admits ticket-holders to all events. Irish Times digital subscribers can purchase tickets at the discounted price of €25 – just make sure you are signed in to your Irish Times account when booking and the discount will be automatically applied.

All events will be recorded and in the week following the festival, attendees will receive an email with a link so you can catch up on anything you miss, or watch back an event.

Ticket holders will be sent instructions by email with a link to the festival on the afternoon of Monday, January 24th.

The Irish Times Winter Nights programme in full

Monday, January 24th

6.30pm

State of the Nation

With Helen McEntee and Jennifer Bray

Minister for Justice Helen McEntee talks to Irish Times political correspondent Jennifer Bray about new legislation, the pandemic and the changing face of Irish politics.

7.45pm

The Post-Pandemic Economy

With David McWilliams and Cliff Taylor

What’s next for the Irish and global economy? Author and economist David McWilliams speaks to Irish Times columnist Cliff Taylor about the Great Resignation, the housing crisis and the economic challenges ahead.

9pm

Our Man in The WHO

With Dr Mike Ryan and Jennifer O’Connell

Dr Mike Ryan of the World Health Organisation is an eminent and trusted voice on the pandemic. He talks to Irish Times columnist Jennifer O’Connell about vaccine equity and navigating a global pandemic.

Tuesday, January 25th

6.30pm

Across the Water

With Bonnie Greer and Sorcha Pollak

Chicago-born author and playwright Bonnie Greer went viral in 2019 when she declared that “Ireland owes the UK nothing” during a Brexit debate on the BBC. The commentator talks politics, race, feminism and culture with journalist and podcast host Sorcha Pollak.

7.45pm

On the Record

With Annie Macmanus and Patrick Freyne

Irish Times columnist Patrick Freyne talks to the acclaimed BBC Radio 1 DJ and author popularly known as Annie Mac. Macmanus and Freyne discuss late nights in Ibiza, her debut novel Mother Mother and her hit podcast, Changes.

9pm

Jews Don’t Count?

With David Baddiel and Hugh Linehan

Comedian, children’s author and presenter David Baddiel talks to Arts and Culture editor Hugh Linehan about how in a time of heightened awareness of minorities, Jews don’t count as a real minority – and why they should.

Wednesday, January 26th

6.30pm

Going for Gold

With Ellen Keane and Joanne O’Riordan

From Clontarf in Dublin, Ellen Keane became a Paralympic champion at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games, winning gold in 100m SB8 Breaststroke. She talks to Irish Times sports columnist Joanne O’Riordan about her life in and outside the 50m swimming pool.

7.45pm

In Bod We Trust

With Brian O’Driscoll and Paul Howard

Irish rugby legend and sports pundit Brian O’Driscoll is a hero to many, including Irish Times columnist Ross O’Carroll-Kelly. O’Driscoll talks to Ross creator Paul Howard about his sporting life.

9pm

We Don’t Know Ourselves

With Fintan O’Toole and Hugh Linehan

Award-winning Irish Times columnist Fintan O’Toole’s latest book, We Don’t Know Ourselves, won An Post Irish Book of the Year in 2021. This astute chronicler of Irish life talks to Hugh Linehan about his decades of covering Ireland’s social, cultural and political evolution.

Thursday, January 27th

6.30pm

Poetry, McCartney and Me

With Paul Muldoon and Róisín Ingle

Acclaimed Co Armagh poet Paul Muldoon talks to Irish Times columnist Róisín Ingle about his life in poetry, Northern Ireland, America, his love of music and his five years exploring Paul McCartney’s ouvre for bestselling book, The Lyrics.

7.45pm

More Than a Woman

With Caitlin Moran and Kathy Sheridan

Bestselling author and influential feminist Caitlin Moran’s latest book, More Than a Woman, is full of her trademark common sense, wit and irreverence. She talks to Irish Times columnist Kathy Sheridan about middle age, parenthood and her writing life.