City Hall and various venues, Dublin, Mar 2-6 dublinbookfestival.com

Given that we’ve recently been made a Unesco City of Literature, it makes sense that this year’s Dublin Book Festival, extended from three to five days, is a pretty lively affair.

Appropriately, Dublin’s place in literature is the theme of the opening discussion on Wednesday, which features writers Dermot Bolger and Anthony Cronin and is chaired by Eileen Battersby of this paper.

More than 80 of the country’s leading authors, poets, journalists and thinkers will be flitting in and out over the following five days for readings, debates, interviews and workshops on topics such as politics, business, poetry, fiction, popular fiction, crime writing and children’s writing. There are events for children too.

On Thursday, World Book Day, Mark Little, Shane Coleman, Justine McCarthy, Ken Fox and economist Stephen Kinsella will debate what the new government should do to save Ireland’s economy (gulp!); broadcaster Ryan Tubridy and historian Diarmaid Ferriter will host a public discussion on the lessons that Ireland can learn from its history on Saturday 5th; and Fintan O’Toole, Pat Leahy, Naoise Nunn and Kevin Rafter will debate the need for political reform on Sunday 6th.

Among the other poets and writers scheduled to take part in the festival are Peter Sirr, Gerard Smyth, Iggy McGovern, Jessie Lendennie, Éilís Ní Dhuibhne, Christine Dwyer Hickey, Kevin Power, Paul Howard and Claire Kilroy.

Many of the events are free – and when there is a cover charge it’s usually small.