The Irish Times Winter Nights festival day 5: Dara McAnulty, Gabriel Byrne and John King

The Irish Times Winter Nights festival – a series of stimulating and entertaining online talks and events, supported by Peugeot – concludes on Friday, January 29th.

Here’s the lineup for the final night of the festival:

At 6.30pm 16-year-old Dara McAnulty, award-winning author of Diary of a Young Naturalist, explores his passion for the natural world, in the company of Irish Times journalist Freya McClements..

Winter Nights

At 7.45pm Dubliner Gabriel Byrne 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.

At 9pm 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.

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.

Tuesday night saw Paul Howard and Patrick Freyne discuss the often underestimated art of comedy, while Holocaust survivor Edith Eger spoke to Irish Times columnist Róisín Ingle about Lessons for Living.

On Wednesday, comedian Dara Ó Briain spoke publicly for the first time about his adoption in an interview with Irish Times Political Editor Pat Leahy. Meanwhile MEP Mairead McGuinness told Irish Times columnist Kathy Sheridan about life since landing the big job as a European Commissioner, and Irish-Nigerian author Emma Dabiri spoke to New To The Parish columnist Sorcha Pollak about racism in Ireland and the recent killing of George Nkencho.

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 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 Dairy 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.