Welcome

Join us in the vibrant university town of Maynooth for HNS 2026 to explore fact and fiction in the historical novel, focusing a modern eye on a fading world through historical research and creative storytelling. Be a part of the HNS community as you engage with historical novelists. Book a one-on-one session with an agent or a publisher. Enjoy excursions to historic sites, a welcome reception in Pugin Hall and a gala dinner where we will celebrate the winners of our writing competitions.

"When the legend becomes fact, print the legend."

Finding, defining, and authoring the legend

Our keynote speakers and parallel sessions will explore the 'Print the Legend' theme. How do we find the legend, mining archives and other sources for stories that are entertaining yet authentic? How do we define the legend, reviving people and places while avoiding cultural misappropriation? Should we 'equalise' historical fiction by using female or under-represented protagonists? Should we develop the legends that exist in our readers' minds, or invent new ones? Who owns the legend: the historian? The descendants? The reader? Or the novelist?

HNS 2026

Join us in Maynooth for an inspiring exploration of historical storytelling and creative writing.

Meet our keynote speakers, and explore their books...

Profiles of our keynote speakers: Martina Devlin, Essie Fox, John Banville, Vaseem Khan, Katherine Mezzacappa, Kate Nash, Lia Mills, Karen Sullivan and Paula Campbell...

Novel Competition

The First Chapters Category Winners and Runners-Up have been announced and are on the Competition page. The Overall Winner will be announced at the conference gala dinner on 22 August.

Conference Programme

Meet our podcasters

Join Matthew Harffy and Justin Hill as they capture the buzz and atmosphere of HNS 2026 with behind-the-scenes chats, candid interviews with attendees, reports on the sessions and interviews with the fabulous speakers.

Select your parallel sessions now

Check out the full conference programme:

Please note: This is because our rooms have different capacities, so it will help us to match the room to the size of the audience. We won't be enforcing your choices on the day!

Meet our parallel session speakers, and explore their books...

Learn why we are proud to host Irish PEN/PEN na hÉireann...

Find out how we can all make HNS 2026 a more sustainable conference...

Excursions

...

One-on-One Session

...

Become a HNS member

...

Programme

Print the Legend

Overview of the HNS 2026 programme

Thursday 20 August: arrival and registration from 15:00, informal evening gathering at local pub/ restaurant.

Friday 21 August: Registration 08:30-09:30 and 15:00-17:00. Excursions during the day. Cover Critique sessions. Agent & publisher one-to-ones. Evening Welcome Buffet in Pugin Hall, South Campus.

Saturday 22 August: Registration 08:30-09:00. From 09:00 onwards, Plenary and parallel sessions, refreshments provided. Agent and publisher one-to-ones. Evening Gala Dinner, Glenroyal Hotel.

Note: if you do not pre-book for the Friday evening buffet or the Saturday evening Gala Dinner, please make your own evening meal arrangements. There are a number of restaurants within walking distance of Maynooth Campus but advance reservation may be required; North Campus accommodation offers shared self-catering facilities.

Sunday 23 August: 09:00 onwards, Plenary and parallel sessions, refreshments provided. Agent and publisher one-to-ones. Close of conference at 16:40.