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The Irish Times Winter Nights festival – a series of stimulating and entertaining online talks and events, supported by Peugeot – runs until Friday, January 29th.
Here’s Tuesday’s lineup, the second night of the festival:
At 6.30pm in OK, Let’s Do Their Stupid Idea, two of Ireland’s funniest writers, Paul Howard and Patrick Freyne, will be getting together to discuss the often underestimated art of comedy.
The second event this evening features Holocaust survivor Edith Eger who will be in conversation with Irish Times columnist Róisín Ingle as they discuss Lessons for Living.
On Monday, the festival opened with podcaster and author Blindboy of Rubberbandits talking to Irish Times columnist Hilary Fannin. That was followed by an engrossing talk between Irish Times sports writer Joanne O’Riordan and Irish athletics legend Sonia O’Sullivan. The festival continues all week with internationally renowned guests including Scotland’s first minister Nicola Sturgeon, CNN’s John King, comedian Dara O’Briain and actor Gabriel Byrne in conversation with Irish Times journalists.
Tickets
For tickets, go to irishtimes.com/winternights. A single ticket costing €50 admits ticket holders to all events at the festival. Irish Times digital subscribers can purchase tickets at the discounted price of €25. Just make sure you are signed in before purchase, and the discount will be applied automatically.
The Irish Times Winter Nights festival programme  
Wednesday, January 27th
6.30pm-7.30pm Yes, commissioner With Mairead McGuinness and Kathy Sheridan Co Louth born MEP Mairead McGuinness has been European Commissioner for Financial Stability, Financial Services and the Capital Markets Union since October 2020. She tells Irish Times columnist Kathy Sheridan about life since landing the big job.

Mairead McGuinness, EU Commissioner with responsibility for banking and financial services. Photograph: Stephanie Lecocq/ EPA


7.45pm-8.45pm What white people can do next With Emma Dabiri and Sorcha Pollak Irish-Nigerian author and academic Emma Dabiri explores how, in the fight against racism, white people can move from allyship to coalition. She is in conversation with Sorcha Pollak, Irish Times journalist and writer of New to the Parish.

Irish-Nigerian writer, academic and broadcaster Emma Dabiri. Photograph: Olivia Harris


9pm-10pm Two men in a Zoom With Dara Ó Briain and Pat Leahy Comedian Dara O’Briain and Irish Times Political Editor Pat Leahy met and became friends as student debaters in UCD. They quiz each other about friendship, comedy, middle-aged angst, politics, space and much more.

Comedian Dara O’Briain. Photograph: Alan Betson/ The Irish Times


Thursday, January 28th  
6.30pm-7.30pm Beyond Brexit With Nicola Sturgeon and Fintan O’Toole Scotland’s first minister and leader of the Scottish National Party Nicola Sturgeon talks to Orwell prize winning Irish Times columnist Fintan O’Toole about Brexit, Scottish independence and the state of the union.

Nicola Sturgeon, first minister of Scotland. Photograph: Jeff J Mitchell/AFP/Getty Images


7.45pm-8.45pm Leading through lockdowns With Micheál Martin and Jennifer Bray Micheál Martin became Taoiseach at a time of unprecedented challenges. Irish Times Political Correspondent Jennifer Bray asks him about leadership in a pandemic and his hopes for Ireland in 2021.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin will be in conversation with Irish Times Political Correspondent Jennifer Bray. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill/ The Irish Times


9pm-10pm Is everything going to be alright? With Prof Luke O’Neill and Jennifer O’Connell Professor of biochemistry at Trinity College Dublin, Luke O’Neill, was one of the leading scientific voices to emerge in 2020. Irish Times columnist Jennifer O’Connell picks his considerable brain about the light at the end of our pandemic tunnel.

Prof Luke O’Neill, professor of Biochemistry at Centre for Bioengineering Trinity College Dublin. Photograph: Alan Betson/ The Irish Times/File


Friday, January 29th  
6.30pm-7.30pm A walk on the wild side With Dara McAnulty “When young autistic people are nurtured, miraculous things can happen,” says 16-year-old Dara McAnulty, award-winning author of Diary of a Young Naturalist. The Co Down teenager explores his passion for the natural world, in the company of Irish Times journalist Freya McClements.

Dara McAnulty (16), from Co Down, who won the Wainright Prize for nature writing for Diary of a Young Naturalist


7.45pm-8.45pm Talking with ghosts With Gabriel Byrne and Hugh Linehan Dubliner Gabriel Byrne was one of Ireland’s first movie stars. He talks to Irish Times Arts and Culture Editor Hugh Linehan about his life and times from The Riordans to The Usual Suspects to publishing an acclaimed memoir at 70.

Actor Gabriel Byrne recently released his memoir, aged 70. Photograph: Larry Busacca/Getty Images


9pm-10pm The American dream? With CNN’s John King and Fintan O’Toole Just days after the presidential inauguration of Joe Biden, Washington-based CNN commentator John King talks to Fintan O’Toole about his Irish roots, his Magic Wall and the future of post-Trump America.

CNN Anchor John King will be in conversation with Fintan O’Toole. Photograph: David S Holloway/Getty Images


See irishtimes.com/winternights for full details.