About Banter

Banter is an ongoing series of public interviews, conversations and discussions. We tell stories about this, that and the other.

Since starting out in July 2009, we have covered such topics as books, food, campaigning, photography, mindfulness, farming, Higgs boson, housing, nudge theory, innovation, football, politics, TV, climate change, cycling, new businesses, masculinity, craft beers, running, music festivals, David Bowie, technology, radio, Madonna and much, much more

You’ll find the full cast of the hundreds of previous Banter guests here and podcasts of many of our days out here. There’s also a full rundown of every one of our events to date on the main page.

Banter came into being in the upstairs room of the late, legendary Twisted Pepper in Dublin, but we have also hosted discussions at many Irish and international events and festivals including Web Summit, SXSWBloomOther Voices,  Ballymaloe Literary Festival, The BeatyardThe Big Grill,  Imagine Festival Of Politics & IdeasInternational Literature Festival DublinCruinniú na CáscaCulture NightMake A Move, CastlepaloozaCúirt International Festival of Literarture, Savour Kilkenny, Musictown, First FortnightBurren Winterage FestivalShore Shots Film FestivalElectric PicnicGalway Arts FestivalKilkenny Arts Festival, CultureTECHKinsale Arts FestivalEaragail Arts Festival, GAZE International LBGT Film FestivalMindfieldDarklight FestivalHard Working Class Heroes and Quarter Block Party.

We’ve done Banters in tents, cafes, clubs, halls and pop-up venues. We’ve done them in an artist’s kitchen in Donegal (there was a Picasso on the wall), a pub and hardware shop in Dingle (you could buy a hammer and a pound of nails out front), a thatched cottage in Derry and a former bomb shelter in London. We’ve also Bantered on the city walls in Derry (an event soundtracked by a musketeer letting off a few shots), on the back of a lorry in the town square in Kinsale (and in the town’s beautiful Charles Fort) and in a barn in the heart of the Burren.

If you’re interested in having a Banter discussion at your event or festival, please get in touch.

Banter has also produced and programmed private white-label events for a wide range of Irish and international businesses and we would be happy to talk to you about this if you need more information.