The Laureate For Irish Fiction

18/09/2025

President of Ireland / Uachtarán na hÉireann Michael D. Higgins, this afternoon presented Éilís Ní Dhuibhne with the Laureate for Irish Fiction medal to mark her appointment as the fourth Laureate.

During her three year term from 2025 – 2028 she will deliver an annual public lecture and craft talks to students of creative writing in third level colleges as well as a host of free events around the country for the general public and all those interested in Irish literary fiction and writing.

Keep following for details of all of her Laureate activities.

📸: Maxwells Photography

17/09/2025

We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all who attended Éilís Ní Dhuibhne’s first event as Laureate for Irish Fiction. It was a wonderful evening in the National Library.

An extra special thanks to Niall MacMonagle, Brian O’Donnell + all the staff at the National Library of Ireland, and of course, our Laureate; Éilís Ní Dhuibhne.

📸: Barry Cronin https://www.barrycronin.com

16/09/2025

Éilís Ní Dhuibhne’s first public event as Laureate for Irish Fiction kicked off tonight with a chat with Niall MacMonagle about her writing career and what she wants to do as Laureate during her three year tenure.

16/09/2025

Éilís Ní Dhuibhne's first public event as Laureate for Irish Fiction kicks off wirh a chat with Niall MacMonagle about her writing career and what she wants to do as Laureate during her three year tenure. The Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaíon National Library of Ireland Libraries Ireland Éilís Ni Dhuibhne

03/09/2025

Listen back to former Laureate, Colm Tóibín, as he discusses 'Ship in Full Sail: The Laureate Lectures and Other Writings' on Today with Claire Byrne.

Colm Tóibín, Author

02/09/2025

It's publication week for 'Ship in Full Sail:  The Laureate Lectures and Other Writings' by Colm Tóibín.  

Published by Gallery Books, Michael Cronin writes in the Irish Times, Sat 30 Aug:  

'Keen readers of Tóibín’s fictional work will find interesting insights into the genesis of many of his most     important works, such as the sight of Justice Declan Costello in full regalia in 1983 in the Four Courts     preceded by a tipstaff providing inspiration of The Heather Blazing. Throughout Ship in Full Sail there is     a sense of a writer who continually surrenders to an intense and vital curiosity about the worlds he has     experiences and the worlds he has invented.  When Tóibín touches on political and social matters he is     animated by a seriousness that resists the moral high tone of the goodly and the godly but is sustained     throughout by an unwavering belief that what writers must always do is hold cant to account....'

Congratulations to our former Laureate, who also publishes his novella 'A Long Winter' this week.

02/09/2025

It's publication week for 'Ship in Full Sail: The Laureate Lectures and Other Writings' by Colm Tóibín.

Published by Gallery Books, Michael Cronin writes in the Irish Times, Sat 30 Aug:

'Keen readers of Tóibín’s fictional work will find interesting insights into the genesis of many of his most important works, such as the sight of Justice Declan Costello in full regalia in 1983 in the Four Courts preceded by a tipstaff providing inspiration of The Heather Blazing. Throughout Ship in Full Sail there is a sense of a writer who continually surrenders to an intense and vital curiosity about the worlds he has experiences and the worlds he has invented. When Tóibín touches on political and social matters he is animated by a seriousness that resists the moral high tone of the goodly and the godly but is sustained throughout by an unwavering belief that what writers must always do is hold cant to account....'

Congratulations to our former Laureate who also publishes his novella 'A Long Winter' this week.

30/05/2025

Wishing Colm Tóibín a very happy 70th birthday today!

We're also pleased to note that he will be awarded an Honorary Degree from the University of Oxford on 25 June. Congratulations!

📸: Patrick Browne (Brownes Photography)

09/05/2025

Finally, a big thank you to Brian Lavery, Deputy Chair of The Arts Council, who chaired our selection panel!

Currently a manager at Google leading European e-commerce partnerships, Brian brings a wealth of experience from senior roles at AccuWeather, Twitter, Vodafone, and McKinsey & Co. Earlier in his career, he worked as a journalist and independent arts critic. He also chaired the board of The Ark, and served as a treasurer on the board of BirdWatch Ireland.

The Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaíon