An Evening with Maggie O'Farrell: Land

Maggie O'Farrell is returning to Brighton on Thursday, 4 June 2026, for an evening at the Corn Exchange to discuss her new novel, Land. For those who followed the success of Hamnet—which picked up the Women’s Prize for Fiction in 2020 and is soon to be a film starring Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley—this latest project takes a different historical turn. Land is a multi-generational saga set in 19th-century Ireland during the aftermath of the famine. The story, which draws on O'Farrell’s own family history, follows a man involved in the Ordnance Survey as he maps out the Irish landscape. It’s a specific look at how land and identity intersect, presented here in collaboration with Intelligence Squared.

The event is structured as a focused talk without an interval, so the timing is quite precise. Doors open at 18:00, and the conversation begins at 19:00. There is a dedicated Q&A session starting at 20:00, giving the audience about half an hour to ask questions before the event finishes at 20:30. In terms of getting in, there are two main options. You can opt for a 'Ticket Only' for £32.50 or £27.50, or choose the 'Book & Ticket bundle' priced at £50.50 or £45.50. The bundle includes a copy of the novel with an exclusive stamped signature, which you collect at the venue. Just keep in mind there is a £3.50 booking fee for orders made online or over the phone.

The Brighton Dome venue is fully seated and has accessibility facilities available for the evening. It is worth noting for those thinking of bringing younger family members that the event is restricted to those aged 14 and over, and anyone under that age must be accompanied by an adult. Because the book is such a central part of the evening, Waterstones is also involved in the event's organisation. It’s a straightforward setup for anyone interested in historical fiction or the process of tracing family roots through a novel, providing a clear window into O'Farrell's writing process and the specific history of the Irish 19th century.