Octocon, the National Irish Science Fiction Convention, begun as a project in 1989, was first held in 1990, and is held (almost) annually over a weekend in October. It has mostly been staged in Dublin, but for four years was in the university town of Maynooth and the 2026 edition is running in Cork. It was not held in 2003, or in 2014, when Ireland hosted that year's Eurocon, Shamrokon, in Dublin. The convention was virtual in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and in October 2022 the first hybrid convention was held both at Croke Park convention centre and online, and 2023 and 2024 at both the Gibson Hotel in East Wall, and online.
History
The convention was initiated by members of the Irish Science Fiction Association in 1989, and named by artist Peter McCanney, who created the convention's first logo. The first convention was in the Royal Marine Hotel in Dublin in 1990 with Terry Pratchett as the first Guest of Honour. In 1995, advertised Guest of Honour Mary Gentle had to cancel at the last minute, and Kim Newman was appointed in her place.
The two years where Ireland hosted Eurocon were 1997 and 2014. In 1997 the convention was in Dublin Castle and became the largest Octocon to date. In 2014 there was no official Octocon and instead the usual organisers were involved in running Shamrokon in August.
2003 was the first year to miss holding the event. Over the years there have been a few one day conventions. The first was 1998 and the next was 2019 when Ireland hosted Dublin 2019 Worldcon. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020 was held entirely online. It remained online in 2021. The first hybrid event was held in Croke Park in 2022. In 2025 the convention was in person for 1 day and on line for the next day.
While the convention is mostly held in Dublin, 2004 saw it move to Maynooth, County Kildare, where it remained for the next 3 years before returning to Dublin again in 2008. 2026 saw the convention move to Cork (city). 2027 is expected to be held in Waterford.
The Golden Blasters were first awarded in 2009.
Conventions + Year Guests of HonourLocation Date Ref 1990 Terry PratchettRoyal Marine Hotel, Dun Laoghaire 13–14 October 1990 1991 Geoff RymanRoyal Marine Hotel, Dun Laoghaire 4–6 October 1991 1992 Orson Scott CardRoyal Marine Hotel, Dun Laoghaire 16–18 October 1992 1993 Storm ConstantineRoyal Marine Hotel, Dun Laoghaire 30–31 October 1993 1994 Robert HoldstockRoyal Marine Hotel, Dun Laoghaire 1–2 October 1994 1995 Kim NewmanRoyal Marine Hotel, Dun Laoghaire 14–15 October 1995 1996 Brian StablefordRoyal Marine Hotel, Dun Laoghaire 11–13 October 1996 1997 – Eurocon Harry HarrisonDublin Castle, Dublin 25–27 October 1997 1998 - Octocon Lite James WhiteRoyal Marine Hotel, Dun Laoghaire 10 October 19981999Robert RankinRoyal Marine Hotel, Dun Laoghaire 9–10 October 19992000Michael Marshall SmithRoyal Dublin Hotel, Dublin 21–22 October 20002001Anne McCaffreyRoyal Marine Hotel, Dun Laoghaire 13–14 October 20012002China MiévilleRoyal Marine Hotel, Dun Laoghaire 19–20 October 20022003 - no event 2004Tanith LeeGlenroyal Hotel, Maynooth 16–17 October 20042005Charles StrossGlenroyal Hotel, Maynooth 15–16 October 2005J. G. JonesGlenroyal Hotel, Maynooth 14–15 October 20062007Alastair ReynoldsGlenroyal Hotel, Maynooth 13–14 October 20072008Ken MacLeodRoyal Dublin Hotel, Dublin 18–19 October 20082009Mike Carey Fan Guest Dave LallyCamden Court Hotel, Dublin 10–11 October 20092010George R. R. MartinCamden Court Hotel, Dublin 16–17 October 20102011John HigginsCamden Court Hotel, Dublin 15–16 October 20112012Liz WilliamsCamden Court Hotel, Dublin 13–14 October 20122013Richard K. Morgan and Gail SimoneCamden Court Hotel, Dublin 12–13 October 20132014 – No Octocon, per above & * 2015 Maura McHugh and Emma NewmanCamden Court Hotel, Dublin 9–11 October 20152016 Rhianna Pratchett, Diane Duane and Peter MorwoodCamden Court Hotel, Dublin 14–16 October 20162017 Dan Abnett and Nik Vincent AbnettCamden Court Hotel, Dublin 6-8 October 20172018Pat Cadigan and Colleen Doran Crowne Plaza Hotel, Blanchardstown 19 - 21 October 20182019 - 1-day due to August Worldcon in DublinDiane Duane, Peter Morwood, Ruth Frances Long, Peadar Ó Guilín Crowne Plaza Hotel, Blanchardstown 13 October 20192020 Michael Carroll (and fan GoHs Helen and Philippa Ryder) Virtual due to pandemic 9 - 11 October 20202021 No GoHs Virtual due to pandemic 1 - 3 October 20212022 Michael Carroll (and fan GoHs Helen and Philippa Ryder) Croke Park Convention Centre, Dublin & online 15 - 16 October 20222023Sarah Rees BrennanThe Gibson Hotel, Dublin7-8 October 20232024Ruth Frances LongThe Gibson Hotel, Dublin5-6 October 20242025No GoHThe Maldron Hotel, Dublin and Online11-12 October 20252026 C.E. Murphy and Adrian Tchaikovsky Clayton Hotel, Cork 3-4 October 2026
Shamrokon, a Eurocon, was run 22 to 24 August 2014, at the Doubletree by Hilton, Dublin, with guest authors Michael Carroll, Seanan McGuire, Andrzej Sapkowski, translator Ylva Spångberg and artist Jim Fitzpatrick. Unlike 1997, this was not an Octocon.
Golden Blasters The Golden Blasters are the National Irish Science Fiction Awards for short science fiction, fantasy or horror films. Submissions can and have come from anywhere in the world, and the winners are selected by audience vote and a panel of judges.
The awards now include the Golden Blaster, The Silver Blaster and the award for the best script.
+ Year Golden BlasterSilver BlasterBest Script2009 Silent City (Director Rurairi Robinson)2010Übermensch (Directed by Simon Temple and written by Daniel Poole)The Astronomer's Sun (Written and directed by Simon Cartwright & Jessica Cope)He Knows by Stuart Creque2011 Hai In Mano Il Tuo Futuro! (Directed by Enrico Maria Artale)Hai In Mano Il Tuo Futuro! (Directed by Enrico Maria Artale)Wet Rot by Stuart Creque2012 Shoreditch Slayer (Directed by Simon Levene)CRYO (Directed by Luke Doolan)This Vehicle Has Been Checked For Sleeping Children by John BurdeauxHonourable mentions: Pet by Eoin O’Faolain and The Vox-Warrior Princess by Fiona Mustard.2013Locked Up (Written and directed Jane Eakin)Sleepworking (Written and directed by Gavin Williams)An Bean Sidhe by Eoin O'Sullivan2014ON/OFF (Directed by Thierry Lorenzi)Steadfast Stanley (Directed by John Kim)The Borders of the Imagination (Written by Benjamin A Friedman)Honourable mentions: Once A Hero by Neil Chase and The Almost Dead by Stanley B Eisenhammer2015C.T.R.L (Directed by Mariana Conde)The Detectives of Noir Town (Directed by Andrew Chambers)The Dirty Naturals: Where's my Bunny (Written by Derek Willis)2016The Way Back (Directed by John Carlin)They Will All Die In Space (Directed by Javier Chillon)Message through the Stars (Written by Vijay Varman)2017Einstein Rosen (Directed by Olga Osorio) Einstein Rosen (Written by Olga Osorio) 2019 Gryphon Animo, directed by Matthew MaloneyGryphon Animo, directed by Matthew Maloney Recurse (written by Lucas Vossoughi)
In 2018 it was decided to have a "Best of best" award given in place of the usual structure. The overall winner was the 2017 Einstein Rosen short film.
In 2019 the founder of the Golden Blasters, John Vaughan, stepped down from managing the award for reasons of ill health. While a new team was appointed, the Golden Blasters did not appear in the convention's schedule following the pandemic.
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