Kilkenomics 2025 boasts an electric lineup for this year's festival

The world’s first festival of economics and comedy, Kilkenomics, returns to Kilkenny next month with an electric lineup of economists, comedians, journalists and cultural thinkers — all determined to make sense of money, markets and human behaviour with insight, irreverence, and a healthy dose of laughter.

Over one extraordinary weekend, more than 50 shows across Kilkenny’s most atmospheric venues will bring together some of the brightest minds in global thought and the sharpest voices in Irish and international comedy.

The 2025 festival features a remarkable cast including: economists, analysts and thinkers: Fintan O’Toole, Paschal Donohoe, Noah Smith, Mark Blyth, Peter Frankopan, Marla Dukharan, Pippa Malmgren, Eric Lonergan, Brendan Greeley, Simon Kuper, Mehreen Khan, Filippo Gaddo, Cormac Lucey, Carole Nakhle, Seán Keyes, Jennifer Raffoul, Emma Waldron Chen, Ciarán Murray, Eleni Yitbarek, and Dan Davies.Comedians and commentators:Dylan Moran, Kevin McGahern, Karl Spain, Colm O’Regan, Aideen McQueen, Barry Murphy, Fiona Frawley, Kyla Scanlon, Jennifer Moroney-Ward, and festival co-director David McWilliams.

Together they’ll take audiences through economics’ biggest questions — from geopolitics and inequality to crypto, AI, climate and culture — with wit and insight that only Kilkenomics can deliver.

Highlights of this year's festival include:• How Countries Get Rich? — with Marla Dukharan, Filippo Gaddo, Aideen McQueen, Ilya Gridneff and Eleni Yitbarek.• The End of the Dollar? — with Eric Lonergan and Brendan Greeley.• The New Silk Roads — featuring historian Peter Frankopan, journalist Simon Kuper, economist Carole Nakhle and Dr. Dale Mudenda.• Economics of Superintelligence — exploring the impact of AI with Seán Keyes, Emma Waldron Chen, Jennifer Raffoul and Ciarán Murray.• Crypto vs Fiat: Currency Wars — a witty look at money’s next frontier with Brendan Greeley, Pippa Malmgren, Peter Ryan and Ciarán Murray.• Leprechaun Economics: How Ireland Blew its Pot of Gold — with Peter Ryan, Jennifer Moroney-Ward, Cormac Lucey, Fintan O’Toole and David McWilliams.From world affairs to personal finance, no topic is too big — or too ridiculous — for Kilkenomics’ blend of humour and insight.

Now in its 15th year, Kilkenomics transforms Kilkenny into a live arena of ideas — from the Set Theatre to the Watergate, Cleere’s, the Hole in the Wall, and beyond. The festival’s signature mix of stand-up comedy, public debate, and unscripted discussion breaks down the walls between expert and audience.Founded by economist and broadcaster David McWilliams and producer Naoise Nunn, Kilkenomics has become one of Ireland’s most distinctive cultural events — celebrated for making economics accessible, human, and unexpectedly funny.

The festival runs from November 7 to 9 November and  tickets and passes are now available  at www.kilkenomics.com•