Facing down the Carnival of Reaction: Tressell Festival Returns - The Labour Party

That’s why the third annual Robert Tressell Festival, taking place in Dublin’s Liberty Hall on Saturday 24th May 2025, is such an important coming together of trade unionists, labour activists, and socialists. 

Following last year’s hugely successful event, this year’s festival promises to be even bigger—bringing together debate, music and drama to celebrate the radical spirit of Robert Tressell, whose seminal novel The Ragged-Trousered Philanthropists launched a million socialists. 

We are especially proud to announce that for our evening session U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders will deliver this year’s Robert Tressell Festival Address. The Tressell Festival is a safe, non-sectarian and inclusive space where all people can come together to discuss how we keep the wheels of progress turning. 

The day sessions of the festival will also celebrate everything the labour movement has to offer—not just industrial strength, but art, culture, and real left-wing and political solutions to the crises we face as working people.   

So if you believe in socialism, solidarity, and enjoy a good day (and night) of debate, drama and song please feel free to join us in Liberty Hall on Saturday 24th May.  

• Day session tickets (doors 11am) are available here 

• Day session ticketholders will be given priority for the evening session. 

• General sale for evening session tickets is Thursday 1st May 2025. 

In solidarity 

Paddy Cole 

Chair of Labour Trade Unionists/Tressell Festival Organiser