Murder One, Ireland’s International Crime Writing Festival, returns to Dublin from the 15th – 18th October 2026.
Featuring a host of bestselling and internationally renowned crime-writing stars, Murder One, Ireland’s International Crime Writing Festival, returns to Dublin from the 15th – 18th October 2026 for its 9th year with a whole host of not to be missed events, readings and masterclasses taking place in Dun Laoghaire’s DLR Lexicon Library & Cultural Centre.
Supported by the Arts Council, DLR Libraries, and the Culture Programme for Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union 2026, the festival features international crime writing talent and special guests, including Ardal O’Hanlon, Andrea Mara, Jane Casey, Jo Spain, T.M. Logan, Harriett Tyce (who featured on series 4 of the Traitors UK), Dave Rudden, and Catherine Ryan Howard to name but a few.
Whether you have a passion for crime writing or just love to lose yourself in a gripping thriller, Murder One will keep you hooked this October.
Murder One
After a packed day for schools, the festival kicks off on Friday, 16th October with festival founder Vanessa Fox O’Loughlin, who is also the founder of Writing.ie and Chair of the Society of Authors, and who writes adult and YA crime as bestseller Sam Blake. Vanessa will be hosting a session focused on creating the perfect submission package for literary agents, discussing what’s hot and what’s not in publishing at the moment, and the most common mistakes new authors make. This will be followed by an invaluable session with three literary agents from the legendary Darley Anderson Agency: Clare Wallace, Jade Kavanagh and Lucy Irvine.
Covering not just crime, but a full range of genres, including children’s books, fantasy, horror and speculative fiction as well as commercial fiction, they have incredible advice for new authors. After lunch at 1.30pm, best-selling author Dave Rudden will hold a masterclass on world building techniques which, while key in fantasy, is essential in all areas of fiction. Dave Rudden will be followed by Professor Henry Sutton, who will be back to discuss plot following his brilliant sold-out workshop last year.
Crime Writers at Murder One
On Friday at 6pm, Irish actor, writer and comedian, Ardal O’Hanlon, will reveal the secrets behind his new mystery series featuring celebrity gardener Finn O’Leary, as he chats to bestselling author and journalist Edel Coffey.
Day two features Sam Blake, Cecelia Ahern, Mary Watson and Kitty Murphy who come together to discuss the new landmark short story collection, FEAR, published in support of Women’s Aid and featuring thirty-two of Ireland’s women crime writers. At 2pm, in Keeping it in the Family, authors Carmel Harrington, Edel Coffey, Michelle McDonagh and Jen Bray will discuss how relationships are often the core of drama. At 4pm, discover many ways to murder with authors Rosemary Hennigan, Gill Perdue and Dr. Marie Cassidy. Saturday’s lineup concludes with power trio Jane Casey, Andrea Mara and Catherine Ryan Howard, discussing missing persons, from one dark twist to another.
Sunday Events at Murder One Crime Writing Festival
After a free event packed with readings, Sunday brings another action-packed afternoon. At 1pm, genre busters Dave Rudden and Aisling Rawle discuss what drives them to write and why the stakes are always high, with writer and journalist Tanya Sweeney. At 3pm, RTE’s Rick O’Shea will be joined by Danish novelist Christian Jungersen and acclaimed Italian crime writer, Antonio Lanzetta, to discuss how landscapes shape literary tension. This is also a free event, funded as part of the Culture Programme for Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union 2026.
Then Catherine Ryan Howard, Leodora Darlington and T.M. Logan talk with Brian McGilloway about brilliant opening lines. The festival programme concludes at 7pm on Sunday evening with ‘The Greatest Twist’. Bestsellers Harriett Tyce and Jo Spain discuss with William Shaw how they come up with their brilliant twists and how they bring these moments so brilliantly to the page.
This year, for the first time, all the festival events on Saturday and Sunday will feature Irish sign language interpretation.
Children’s Events at Murder One Crime Writing Festival
The children’s events are a very important part of Murder One, and Thursday, 15th October sees three special sessions take place in the library for children from local schools. Alison Weatherby will host the ‘How to get away with Murder’ workshop which will focus on how to create the nail-biting, edge of your seat mystery stories you love! Emily Hourican will hold a session focused on ‘Character is Plot’ to show how the two are intertwined, and bestselling author Kevin Moran will host a session ‘Crafting a Mystery’, showing the key ingredients that make up a spooky mystery!
With free events featuring readings on Saturday and Sunday mornings, and Dubray’s onsite bookshop, there is something for everyone at Murder One at the Lexicon this autumn!
Tickets for all the events are on sale now. Visit www.murderone.ie to book and for further information or follow Murder One Festival on socials today – Bluesky (@murderonefest.bsky.social) Facebook (@MOneCrimeFest) or Instagram (@MurderOneFest). Sign up for the Murder One newsletter to get advance notice.
See here for Meet the Authors of Crime Fiction on Writing.ie.
