Dalkey Book Festival - Tim Berners-Lee: the most influential inventor of the modern world

19th of June 2026, 6pm, Loreto Abbey, Dalkey

Tim Berners-Lee with Mark Little

The inventor of the Web, Sir Tim Berners-Lee is a different kind of visionary. Born in the same year as Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, Berners-Lee famously shared his invention, the World Wide Web, for no commercial reward. Its widespread adoption changed everything, transforming humanity into the first digital species, launching a new era of creativity and collaboration while unleashing a commercial race that today imperils democracies and polarizes public debate. As the rapid development of artificial intelligence heralds a new era of innovation, Berners-Lee examines the power of technology – both to fuel our worst instincts and to profoundly shape our lives for the better. His memoir This Is for Everyone is an essential read for understanding our times and a bold manifesto for advancing humanity’s future which includes plenty of optimism in the face of the sometimes darker impacts of technology.