Colonsay Book Festival
25th & 26th April 2026
Welcome
The people of Colonsay, like many communities large and small, have always shared a love of books and literature, joining in book groups and participating in fringe poetry sessions at the music festival. At a community meeting in June 2011, the idea of a book festival for the island was tentatively mooted, and ten months later, at the end of April 2012, we were welcoming our first six authors and an eager audience. 2026 marks our 13th Book Festival and we are thrilled to welcome such a great line up to Colonsay for what promises to be another great festival.
“To say this is a
BRILLIANT festival
– simply the best –
is not to say too much…”
Liz Lochhead
Colonsay Book Festival
25th & 26th April 2026
Saturday 26th April 2025
| 12pm Light lunch and refreshments available for purchase |
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| Venue Colonsay Village Hall |
| 1.30pm E.S. Thompson |
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| Author of the Jem Flockhart series of Gothic murder mysteries, Elaine will be in conversation about how her PhD in the History of Medicine has provided fuel for her darkly vivid tales – and will be reading from her latest novel, Underground. |
| 3.00pm Janette Ayachi |
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| Award-winning poet Janette Ayachi will read from her work, including from her latest book, QuickFire, Slow Burning. She’ll explore themes such as heritage, the mystic, nature, lost landscapes, and lost loves. She’ll be joined by sound artist Alanna Craig for a special performance of a piece that reflects a poet’s journeying superstition and identity through her mixed-race ancestry. |
| 4.30pm Coinneach MacLeod |
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| Join Coinneach MacLeod, aka ‘The Hebridean Baker’, in a tour through the makings of a 'A Hebridean Gathering' focusing on Hebridean culture, recipes, Gaelic and storytelling—bringing together the history and traditions of the islands with some foodie inspiration and maybe a song or two! |
| 9pm Film night |
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| Picture - to be confirmed - FREE Venue Colonsay Village Hall |
Individual sessions £12 except where otherwise noted. Tickets for all sessions available on the door.
Sunday 27th April 2025
| 10am Gaelic singing workshop with Coinneach MacLeod |
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| Venue Colonsay & Oransay Heritage Centre, Kilchattan - £5 |
| 12pm Light lunch and refreshments available for purchase |
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| Venue Colonsay Village Hall |
| 1.30pm Caro Ramsay |
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| Caro Ramsay, writer of “intelligent nail biter” crime fiction, will be talking about her award-nominated Anderson and Costello series and her latest in DCI Christine Caplan series, Out of the Dark. Time and nails permitting she may also get to talk about The Killer Cookbook for the Million for a Morgue campaign, uses of her Forensic Medical Science Diploma and acting with the Crime Writing Players. |
| 3.00pm Adam Nicolson |
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| Award-winning nature writer Adam Nicolson will be talking about his passion for Scottish landscape and the myriad of birds that inhabit it. His latest book, Bird School: A Beginner in the Wood, traces his adventure setting up a small shed on the edge of a field and getting to know the birds who inhabit it, and is woven through with philosophy, literature, science and emotion. |
| 4.30pm Ben Macintyre |
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| Ben Macintyre, multi-million copy bestselling author of books including Colditz, Agent Sonya, SAS: Rogue Heroes, The Spy and the Traitor, and Operation Mincemeat, will present the story behind his latest book, The Siege, The Remarkable Story of the Greatest SAS Hostage Drama. |
| 5.30pm Festival closing |
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| Join us in a farewell glass or two…FREE |
“This was a wonderful start to a literary festival that I am sure will become one of the most enjoyable festivals on offer. Everything worked so well and the atmosphere was extraordinarily friendly.”
Alexander McCall Smith
Colonsay Book Festival
25th & 26th April 2026
2026 Authors
| Mike Berners-Lee |
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| Mike Berners-Lee consults, writes and researches on sustainability and responses to 21st century problems. He is the author of many acclaimed books, including A Climate of Truth, There is No Planet B and How Bad Are Bananas? The carbon footprint of everything. He is a professor at Lancaster University, where his research includes supply chain carbon modelling, sustainable food systems and the environmental impact of ICT. He has made numerous speaking, radio and television broadcast appearances to promote public awareness of sustainability and climate change issues. In February 2025, he was awarded the Planet Earth Award by the Alliance of World Scientists for his work on seeking solutions to environmental challenges. |
| Doug Johnstone |
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| Doug Johnstone is a Scottish crime writer based in Edinburgh, known for his novel Fault Lines (2018) and The Jump (2015), which was shortlisted for the McIlvanney Prize. He published Tombstoning (2006) and The Ossians (2008) with Penguin, earning praise from writers like Irvine Welsh and Ian Rankin. Johnstone is a Royal Literary Fund Consultant Fellow and has taught creative writing at several universities. In addition to writing, he’s a musician, part of the band Northern Alliance. He holds a PhD in nuclear physics and previously worked in military technology. He lives in Portobello with his family. |
| Kirstin Innes |
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| Kirstin Innes lives in the west of Scotland. Her novels include Fishnet, which won The Guardian‘s Not The Booker Prize in 2015 and is currently being adapted for TV by STV, and Scabby Queen, which was nominated for the Gordon Burn Prize and Scottish Novel of the Year. She is an award-winning journalist, former Press & Journal columnist, and has also written extensively for radio, including the BBC Radio 4 documentary Daft Punk Are Staying At My House. Kirstin is currently working on her third novel, The Book of Risk, and adapting Scabby Queen both as a film and a touring musical. |
| Pàdraig MacAoidh/Peter Mackay |
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| Pàdraig MacAoidh/Peter Mackay became Scotland’s national Makar in December 2024. Peter’s poetry is rooted in the language and heritage of the Outer Hebrides and in particular of the Isle of Lewis where he was born in the late 1970s. With his appointment comes further recognition of the role of Gàidhlig/Gaelic culture at the heart of the country’s national identity. He writes in both Gàidhlig and English and his work includes Nàdur De (Some Kind of, 2020) and Gu Leòr (Galore, 2015), published by Acair, and a pamphlet, From Another Island, with Clutag Press (2010). He is currently a Professor in Literature at the University of St Andrews. |
| Andrew Miller |
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| Andrew Miller is an English novelist. Over the past 30 years, he has published ten acclaimed novels which have variously won the James Tait Black Memorial Prize, the International Dublin Literary Award, the Costa Book Awards Book of the Year, the Winston Graham Historical Prize, the Walter Scott Prize for historical fiction and the Highland Book Prize. He has also been twice shortlisted for the Booker Prize. Andrews’ novels have been published in translation in twenty countries. Born in Bristol, he currently lives in Somerset. |
| Ambrose Parry |
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| Ambrose Parry is a pseudonym for a collaboration between Chris Brookmyre and Marisa Haetzman. The couple are married and live in Scotland. Chris Brookmyre is an international bestselling and multi-award-winning author. The Death of Shame marks his 30th published novel. Dr Marisa Haetzman is a consultant anaesthetist of twenty years’ experience, whose research for her Master’s in the History of Medicine uncovered the material upon which their novels are based. |
Past authors
2025
Janette Ayaachi / Ben Macintyre / Coinneach MacLeod / Adam Nicolson / Caro Ramsay / E.S. Thompson
2024
Victoria Bennett / David (D.V.) Bishop / Graeme Macrae Burnet / Eimear McBride / Michael Pederson / Polly Pullar
2023
Louise Gray / Kathleen Jamie / James Oswald / Sarah Thomas / Louise Welsh
2022
John D Burns / Karen Campbell / Martin Edwards / Alex Gray / Andrew O’Hagan / Robin Robertson
2019
Ann Cleeves / Robin A Crawford / Jen Hadfield / Clare Hunter / Sarah Maine / James & Tom Morton
2018
Malachy Tallack / John Glenday / Bathhurst Bella / Lin Anderson / Janice Galloway / A. L. Kennedy
2017
Sue Lawrence / Alexander McColl Smith / Karen Campbell / Jim Carruth / James Hunter / Christine De Luca
2016
Jim Crumley / Julie Davidson / Denise Mina / James Naughtie / Jacob Polley / Hew Strachan
2015
James Buchan / Mary Contini / William Letford / Sarah Maitland / Aline Templeton
2014
Christopher Brookmyre / Lesley Glaister / Andrew Greig / Jackie Kay / Val McDermid / Patrick Richardson
2013
Maggie Fergusson / Tom Pow / Ian Rankin / Angus Peter Campbell / Candia McWilliam / Sara Sheridan
2012
Sophie Cooke / Margaret Elphinstone / Liz Lochhead / James Robertson / Alexander McColl Smith / Kenneth Steven
Colonsay Book Festival
25th & 26th April 2026
Getting here
The island of Colonsay, one of the most remote and most beautiful in the Southern Hebrides, is a 2 hours, 20 minutes sail from Oban, on the west coast of Scotland. South of Mull and west of Jura and Islay, the island is about 8 miles long and 2 wide. Famous for its golden beaches, such as Kiloran and Balnahard, it is home to a wealth of bird, animal and plant life, and has a fascinating history and archaeology. Whatever your interest – walking, swimming, fishing, golf, painting or photography – you will be able to enjoy it here.Find travel and accommodation at Visit Colonsay.
Colonsay Book Festival
25th & 26th April 2026
Latest news
2026 INITIAL LINE-UP
Dec 5, 2025The Colonsay Book Festival is delighted to announce the line-up for its 2026 Festival. The outstanding cohort of writers and authors appearing at the latest edition of the festival on 25 and 26 April 2026 are: Andrew Miller, Pàdraigh MacAoidh, Mike Berners-Lee, Ambrose Perry, Kirstin Innes, and Doug Johnstone. Further details of the programme will be announced in the New Year. In the meantime, discounted early-bird tickets for what promises to be an entertaining weekend go on sale as from today. Book them here.
2025 INITIAL LINE-UP
Dec 8, 2024The Colonsay Book Festival is delighted to announce the bright lights of the line-up for its 2025 Festival. The initial seam of award-winning writers and authors appearing at the latest edition of the festival on 26 and 27 April 2025 are confirmed as: Janette Ayachi, Ben Macintyre, Coinneach MacLeod, Adam Nicolson, and Caro Ramsay. Further programme details will be released in due course. Early-bird tickets for what promises to be an entertaining weekend go on sale as from today. You can book them here
PROGRAMME CHANGE
March 24, 2024Sadly, ES Thomson is not now able to join us this year (though she is on a promise for another year…).We are pleased to announce however that David (DV) Bishop has agreed to assume the mantle (or should that be dagger?) of award-winning historical thriller writer at our wee festival.You can still buy weekend passes here – or individual tickets for author slots on the door.
2024 INITIAL LINE UP ANNOUNCED
December 12, 2023The Colonsay Book Festival is delighted to announce the core group of authors for its 2024 Festival. The initial raft of award-winning writers and authors appearing at this “wee gem of a festival on a jewel of an island” on 27 and 28 April next year are confirmed as: Victoria Bennett, Graeme Macrae Burnet, Eimear McBride, Michael Pederson and Elaine (E.S.) Thomson. Further programme details will be released in due course. Early-bird tickets for what promises to be a stimulating, engaging and thought-provoking weekend go on sale as from today. You can book them here.
PROGRAMME CHANGE
April 13, 2023As many of you may already know, in last few days CalMac have drastically changed Colonsay’s ferry timetable until mid May.However we can confirm that the Festival is going ahead. Friday’s ferry from Oban on 28th April is still timetabled, but Sunday 30th’s ferry back to Oban has been cancelled. Disappointingly, CalMac cancelled the Sunday ferry in the full knowledge that Festival is taking place. Foot passengers may be able to return to Oban by rib on the Sunday (please contact us for details). Passengers with cars will need to travel on the Monday service back to Oban.Sadly Bernard Maclaverty has had to withdraw from the Festival because of this disruption, but we are delighted that Zoe Strachan will join the author line up in his stead.
INITIAL LINE-UP ANNOUNCED
January 13, 2023The Colonsay Book Festival is delighted to announce the opening line-up for its 2023 Festival. The initial raft of award-winning writers and authors appearing at this “wee gem of a festival on a jewel of an island” on 29 and 30 April this year are confirmed as: Louise Gray, Kathleen Jamie, Bernard MacLaverty, Sarah Thomas and Louise Welsh. Further programme details will be released in due course, but tickets for what promises to be an engaging and thought-provoking weekend go on sale as from today.For the first time in twelve years, sadly, we’ve had to revise event ticket pricing to reflect the inevitable increases in costs we’ve seen over that time. Individual author sessions will now be £12, with a full weekend pass for all six sessions at £60 – but the ‘early bird’ weekend pass is just £55 if booked before the end of February. You can book it here.
EARLY BIRD EXTENSION
January 31, 2022Early Bird booking for this year’s Colonsay Book Festival has been extended until midnight on 15th February. As Covid rules are likely to remain in force we anticipate requiring contact details from everyone attending the festival. Using Early Bird booking is an easy way of logging your contact details and getting a discount on the ticket price. Book it here.
