A little over an hour from Belfast, Ballyscullion Park offers something slightly different this spring. Set within a historic estate in County Derry, its annual book festival returns with a programme built around conversation, writing and the quieter pleasures of time spent well.
This isn’t a large-scale literary event or a crowded city festival. The appeal is in its setting and pace. Talks and readings take place within the grounds of the house, giving the weekend a more relaxed, considered feel. It’s the kind of place where you can move between events slowly, with time to step outside, walk the gardens or simply pause between conversations.
The programme brings together a mix of writers, thinkers and broadcasters, with discussions that range from fiction and memoir to politics, history and contemporary life. You don’t need to plan every hour. Part of the experience is letting the day unfold as it comes.
For those in Belfast, it’s an easy journey and one that feels worth making. A drive out of the city, a change of pace, and a chance to spend a few hours somewhere quieter, centred around books and ideas rather than noise or spectacle.
Ballyscullion Park Book Festival runs across the weekend, with full programme details available online.
