The Linen Hall

07/09/2026

Your Library. Your Legacy. Your Lasting Impact.
This week is Will to Give Week, bringing charities, supporters and professionals across Northern Ireland together to celebrate the lasting difference that gifts in Wills can make.

A gift in a Will doesn’t have to be large to make a difference. After taking care of the people closest to you, even a small gift will have a powerful and lasting impact helping charities such as The Linen Hall continue their work for years to come.

To learn more about how to leave a legacy to The Linen Hall please visit: https://linenhall.com/donate/legacies/

Leave a legacy Your Library. Your Legacy. Your Lasting Impact. Thank you for considering a gift in your will to The Linen Hall Library. Your generosity can help shape the […]

04/09/2026

Abandoned NI: Uncovering the Stories Hidden Within Abandoned Spaces
18th September – 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Free

Abandoned NI is a photography project dedicated to documenting abandoned and forgotten buildings all over Ireland, preserving the stories and histories connected to places often left behind and overlooked.

As part of Culture Night Belfast at The Linen Hall, this talk by Abandoned NI’s Rebecca Brownlie, takes audiences behind some of these fascinating locations in Belfast and across Northern Ireland, uncovering the stories hidden within abandoned spaces and demonstrating how photography can act as a powerful tool for preserving history before these places are lost forever.

To learn more please visit: https://linenhall.com/event/abandoned-ni/

Abandoned NI is a photography project dedicated to documenting abandoned and forgotten buildings all over Ireland, preserving the stories and histories connected to places often left behind and overlooked. Through […]

02/09/2026

Liberty: USA-NI 250 Poetry Jukebox Launch
Wednesday 9th September, 1pm - 2pm, £5.00

The Linen Hall has commissioned ten poets to respond to the 250th anniversary of the American Declaration of Independence as part of a new Poetry Jukebox curation.

The curation broadly explores the theme of migration – home, language, culture, religion, patriotism, protest, freedom, independence, equality, liberty, and unalienable rights.

To launch this edition of the Poetry Jukebox, Curator Maria McManus will chair a discussion with poets Kathleen McCracken, Paul Maddern and others in the curation.

To learn more and to book, please visit: https://linenhall.com/event/liberty-usa-ni250-poetry-jukebox/

The Linen Hall has commissioned ten poets to respond to the 250th anniversary of the American Declaration of Independence as part of a new Poetry Jukebox curation. The curation broadly […]

02/09/2026

Franklin, Hillsborough and the Seeds of Independence
1pm – 2pm, Wednesday, 16 September
£5.00

In this talk, David Orr, Castle and Collections Manager at Hillsborough Castle, explores Benjamin Franklin’s visit to Ireland in 1771, his relationship with Lord Hillsborough and the impact that this had on relations between the colonies and Britain, leading to the American Declaration of Independence in 1776.

This pivotal meeting between two international statesmen laid the foundations for Hillsborough Castle’s key role in backstage diplomacy, a role that continues today.

To learn more and to book, please visit: https://linenhall.com/event/franklin-hillsborough-and-the-seeds-of-independence/

In this talk, David Orr, Castle and Collections Manager at Hillsborough Castle, explores Benjamin Franklin’s visit to Ireland in 1771, his relationship with Lord Hillsborough and the impact that this […]

01/09/2026

Win £500!
Have your Ulster-Scots poem or prose entry with us by 5pm today for your chance to win our creative writing competition, in partnership with the Ulster-Scots Agency.

For full entry details please visit: https://linenhall.com/ulster-scots-writing-competition-2026

31/08/2026

28/08/2026

Deadline For Entry Is Tuesday 1 September 2026 At 5pm!
There will be two competition categories, one for prose and one for poetry.

The winner for each section will receive £500 and one runner-up for each section will receive £250.

To learn more and for full entry guidelines, please visit: https://linenhall.com/ulster-scots-writing-competition-2026/

EVERYBODY KENS A WEE BIT O’ ULSTER-SCOTS AND THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO GET CREATIVE WITH IT! With the support of the Ulster-Scots Agency, The Linen Hall will be hosting […]

26/08/2026

Nourish: Working with the Seasons for Your Wellbeing (Autumn)
25th September, 1pm - 2pm, £6 – £7.50

Join nutritionist Jane McClenaghan for a series of lunchtime sessions exploring the natural cycle of the year to help optimise your nutrition for each season.

To learn more please visit: https://linenhall.com/.../nourish-working-with-the.../


Vital Nutrition

24/08/2026

🏛️ Join in the celebration with European Heritage Open Days (EHOD) 2026, Northern Ireland's annual festival of local architecture, history and culture!

Taking place throughout September, EHOD 2026 offers hundreds of free opportunities to explore hidden gems, discover fascinating stories and enjoy unique experiences across Northern Ireland.

Find out what's on:

📱 Web App: European Heritage Open Days
📖 Digital Brochure: European Heritage Open Days 2026
🌐 Discover Northern Ireland: European Heritage Open Day Northern Ireland | Discover NI
🏛️ DfC EHOD Webpage: European Heritage Open Days | Department for Communities

The Linen Hall will be taking part and offering free tours of the library at 11am and 2pm on Friday 11 September.

To learn more, please visit: https://linenhall.com/event/library-tours-for-european-heritage-open-days-4/

Please note: While all EHOD events are free to attend, some require advance booking to manage numbers.

24/08/2026

The American Declaration of Independence: American and Ulster Contexts, Links and Legacies
Thursday 27th August, 1pm - 2pm, £5.00

The Belfast News-Letter, the oldest continuously published English-language daily newspaper in the world, reported the American Declaration of Independence as a contemporary event. The Linen Hall is privileged to hold the volume of the News-Letter containing the Declaration from August 1776. At this talk marking USA-NI 250 The Linen Hall’s Librarian, Samantha McCombe, will explore the printing of the Declaration, reporting of and reactions to independence, local connections to this momentous period of history, and its enduring influence on The Linen Hall.

To learn more please visit: https://linenhall.com/event/the-american-declaration-of-independence-at-the-linen-hall/

The Belfast News-Letter, the oldest continuously published English-language daily newspaper in the world, reported the American Declaration of Independence as a contemporary event. The Linen Hall is privileged to hold […]