On 2 October 2026, the National Library of Ireland hosted its second annual ‘Ballybeg Goes Global’ event, which explores how one of Ireland’s greatest playwrights continues to inspire audiences around the world. This year, scholars and performers gathered at the NLI to explore how Brian Friel’s work has travelled across languages, cultures, and theatrical traditions.
Source: National Library of Ireland
The celebration took place in two parts. The afternoon seminar, Brian Friel and the Global Audience, brought together academics exploring Friel’s work and its reception in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United States and beyond. It was chaired by Declan Kiberd, Professor Emeritus at the University of Notre Dame, whose scholarship has helped shape international understanding of Friel’s contribution to literature, theatre and cultural life.
Dr Maria Gaviña-Costero (Universitat de València) contributed to the event with her presentation “The Multiple Geographies of Brian Friel’s Theatre in Spain.” You can read more about Brian Friel’s theatrical representations on Spanish stages in Gaviña-Costero’s book El Teatro de Brian Friel: Bailando entre la Ficción y la Memoria.
