Dublin Music book and Fanzine Festival

Dún Laoghaire Music book and Fanzine Festival 2026

Hope Collective and Irish Pop Archive in conjunction with Volume Records and IADT, Dún Laoghaire present Irelands first event Music Book and Fanzine Festival.   It is a completely independent / diy festival gathering a collection of authors, publishers, graphic designers, fanzine writers and musicians to Dun Laoghaire over 2 Saturdays in April.

Part 1 Saturday 18th April, Volume Records, Record Shop Day, Dún Laoghaire, 8-10 pm. Sees John Robb, Boff Whalley and Kevin Dunn in conversation with Michael Mary Murphy (admission €10)

Part 2 The Main Event Saturday 25th April, Carnegie Library, Dún Laoghaire, 10 am-5.30 pm sees a day long event with musicians like Steve Averill (Radiators from Space, Trouble Pilgrims), Peter Jones (Paranoid Visions, Molly Vulpyne Band), Bitzy (The Strougers, Lee Harveys, Deviators), Tara MacLean; book publishers Garry O’Neill, Niall McCormack )both Hi-Tone Books) and  Niall McGuirk (Hope Collective); designer Joolz Denby; authors Paul Charles, Michael McCaughen and John Fleming as well as a host of fanzine editors down through the ages. Tickets €25

Part 1 Saturday 18th April, Volume Records, Dún Laoghaire, 8-10 pm. Tickets €10

Three-person panel discussion on recent books, hosted by Michael Mary Murphy

Boff Whalley – Formerly the lead guitarist for the Chumbawamba, he is now a playwright and an author – But, Life Isn’t like that – Is It? out now on PM Press

John Robb is no stranger to these shores. Whether that is playing in Goldblade or the Membranes or on one of his spoken word tours. His memoir, Punk Rock Ruined My Life, has just been published by Manchester University Press

Kevin Dunn’s new book is part of the Bloomsbury Press 33 1/3 series and tells the story of SLF’s remarkable debut album, Inflammable Material.

He is Professor in the International Relations Department at Hobart and William Smith Colleges, USA. He is author of Global Punk: Resistance and Rebellion in Everyday Life (Bloomsbury 2016), Inside African Politics (with Pierre Englebert; 2013, 2020, and 2026), as well as the award-winning novel, Vicious is My Middle Name (2022). Active in DIY punk scenes since the 1980s, he continues to perform in several bands, runs an independent record label, publishes various zines, and is a regular contributor to the influential DIY punk zine Razorcake.

Part 2 The Main Event Saturday 25th April, old Carnegie Library, Dún Laoghaire, 10 am to 5.30 pm – Tickets €25

10:30 AM – 11:00 AM Opening Remarks

Michael Mary Murphy

Launch of Pop Music Management: Lessons from the Managers of Number One Albums

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM Fanzine Panel

Niall McGuirk (React fanzine), Cian Hynes (Riot 77 fanzine), Rita Hynes (Drogheda fanzine), Ciarán Ryan (Irish ‘zine historian) and DJ MAL (Punc Fanzine).

12:00 PM – 12:30 PM Dublin Punk Authors Panel

Bitzy Fitzgerald, Peter Jones

Dublin musicians and members of the music scene discuss their music memories, their writing process and their love of storytelling. With Bitzy Fitzgerald of The Stougers, and The Lee Harveys, and author of Past the Point of Rescue, and Peter Jones of Paranoid Visions and author of Too Old To Die Young.

12:30 PM – 01:15 PM Dublin Post-Punk Authors Panel

Michael McCaughan, John Fleming

Dublin musicians and members of the music scene discuss their music memories, their writing process and their love of storytelling. With Michael McCaughan, author of Coming Home: One man’s return to the Irish Language and The Battle of Venezuela, alongside John Fleming of the Prongs and author of The Now Now Express.

01:15 PM – 02:15 PM Break

02:15 PM – 03:15 PM Art, Music and Culture Panel

Garry O’Neill, Niall McCormack

A chat with Garry O’Neill, author of Where Were You?: Dublin Youth Culture & Street Style 1950-2000, and Niall McCormack, author of Grand Stuff: Label Art from Ireland.

03:15 PM – 04:15 PM Music, Writing, Art, Life: One-on-one in-depth interviews

Paul Charles, Tara MacLean

Music, Writing, Art, Life: One-on-one in-depth interviews with Paul Charles, booking agent for artists including Tom Waits, Elvis Costello, The Undertones, The Kinks, Van Morrison and author of Hi Love, You Just Dropped Your Glove – A McCusker Mystery. He is joined by Canadian singer/songwriter and best-selling author, Tara MacLean, author of The Song of the Sparrow.

04:30 PM – 05:30 PM The Golden Age of Album Design

Joolz Denby, Steve Averill

The Golden Age of Album Design: Joolz Denby, graphic designer for New Model Army, and Steve Averill, graphic designer for U2.