Our first annual Festival of Irish Writing was a big hit! We will have video and photos coming soon to this page. We have ambitions to host this again in October 2026.
Dear Butte is proud to present the first annual
Heart in Winter – A Festival of Irish Writing.
Held October 3rd and 4th 2025 in Butte, Montana
Featuring acclaimed Irish writer Kevin Barry discussing his latest book, The Heart in Winter, set in 1890s Butte.
“A wedding of Cormac McCarthy with Flann O’Brien; a western but also the
most Irish of novels; a tragedy written as farce . . . inspiring joy with every
incident, every concept, every sentence.”—The Guardian
“…the Irish writer’s humor and prose magic give the genre’s conventions a
refreshing spin”- Kirkus reviews
“Like all brilliant dramatists, Barry wears the twin masks of tragedy and
comedy with equal grace.” – the Los Angeles Times
Events Include –
The Heart in Winter Clark Chateau Book Club: September 11, 6 p.m., Clark Chateau, 321 West Broadway
Link to Sign Up for the Book Club Here
Oct. 3 at 10 am – Butte Irish History Cemetery Tour: Saint Patrick Cemetery, 2725 Montana Street with the Butte Silver Bow Public Archives
Oct. 3 at 12pm – “Winter Papers,” a discussion of contemporary Irish literature: Kevin Barry & Olivia Smith discuss Ireland’s Arts Annual Anthology, “Winter Papers,” and the state of contemporary Irish arts and writing. The BSB Archives, 17 West Quartz Street
Oct. 3 at 5pm – Irish Literary History of Butte, Happy Hour with John Conlan: The Cavalier Lounge, 100 East Broadway.
OCT. 4 at 7PM – KEVIN BARRY DISCUSSES “THE HEART IN WINTER” AND HIS RESEARCH IN BUTTE THAT LED HIM TO CREATE A UNIQUE IRISH WESTERN. MONTANA TECH AUDITORIUM, 1300WEST PARK STREET.
Link to RSVP Here
THIS EVENT IS FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. YOUR SUPPORT IS VITAL TO OUR WORK.DONATE TO DEAR BUTTE TO HELP US PROVIDE ONGOING LITERARY PROGRAMS FOR OUR COMMUNITY IN THE FUTURE:
Link to Donate Here
This event is sponsored in part by grant funding through the Butte Chamber of Commerce and TBID
Dear Butte is proud to work in partnership with The Butte Silver Bow Archives and Montana Tech
