Cast of thousands at first-ever Dublin Podcast Festival

Makers of hit podcasts ‘Serial’, ‘Welcome to Night Vale’ and ‘An Irishman Abroad’ to guest

The makers of some of the most critically acclaimed international podcasts will visit Dublin in September for the first Dublin Podcast Festival, which announces its full line-up today.

Running from September 19th to 29th, the festival will feature international and homegrown podcasters covering everything from crime to food to music to literature to football, film and comedy.

Among those appearing is Brian Reed of S-Town, the smash hit series from the creators of Serial and This American Life, which has been downloaded more than 40 million times since its release last year.

Other popular podcasts represented at the festival include Welcome to Nightvale and Criminal, while Irish podcasts include Jarlath Regan's An Irishman Abroad (with Roddy Doyle) and The Irish Times' Inside Politics.

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Downloaded or streamed

Podcasts – audio shows, series and documentaries which can be downloaded or streamed to phones and computers – have grown rapidly in popularity in recent years, in the US especially, due to the increased availability of mobile internet access via smartphones and in-car internet-enabled entertainment systems. Research by Nielsen in June showed 40 per cent of the US population has listened to a podcast – up from 36 per cent in 2016.

The festival, which takes place at venues across the city, including the National Concert Hall, Vicar Street and the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, will include headliner shows, live podcasts, comedy showcases, discussions and workshops.