The Laureate For Irish Fiction

09/01/2026

Éilís Ní Dhuibhne's Island of Imagination: A Literary Tour of Ireland series is coming to Bantry this July as part of West Cork Literary Festival. She'll be in conversation with Cork writers Daniellle McLaughlin and Mary Morrissy. Can't wait! The Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaíon

We've loved sharing our sneak preview of authors who are coming to West Cork Literary Festival in July. We cannot wait to meet memoirist Jung Chang, novelist Andrew Miller, Laureate for Irish Fiction Éilís Ní Dhuibhne, novelist Patrick Gale, poet Nikita Gill, historian Sacha Coward, poet Jenny Mitchell, novelists Emer McLysaght and Sarah Breen, fitness expert Karl Henry, French author Nolwenn Le Blevennec, children’s author and illustrator Sarah Bowie, publisher and essayist Margaret Busby and so many more.

Tune in tomorrow (Saturday) for a Baker's Dozen 13th announcement because we can't keep a secret!

Our full line-up and schedule will be announced on our website 1 April and priority booking for Festival Friends opens on 8 April. Click link in bio to sign up for our e-newsletter for programme announcements or to join our Friends scheme. Save the dates: 10-17 July 2026

05/01/2026

Join us for an evening with Laureate for Irish Fiction Éilís Ní Dhuibhne in conversation with Oisín Fagan and Roisín O’Donnell.

Tuesday 20 January, 2026 @ 7pm
Swift Theatre, Swift Cultural Centre, Trim, Co. Meath

BOOK YOUR TICKET:

https://meath.spydus.ie/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/WPAC/EVSESENQ?SETLVL=&RNI=22943252

Described as ‘a striking new talent’ (The Times) and ‘a true original’ (Irish Examiner), Oisín’s latest novel Eden’s Shore, set in an era of global upheaval, is an epic and intricate tale of greed, revenge and love. Roisín O’Donnell has been described as a ‘novelist who has powerful news to tell, and an impressive range of narrative gifts with which to tell it (Irish Times). Her novel Nesting (An Post Irish Book Awards Novel of the Year 2025) is the story of one woman’s bid to start over.

This event is brought to you by the Arts Council’s Laureate for Irish Fiction programme in partnership with Meath Libraries.

This event is free but booking is essential.

16/12/2025

12/12/2025

Ireland’s three Literature Laureates Patricia Forde (Laureate na nÓg), Éilís Ní Dhuibhne (Laureate for Irish Fiction) and Vona Groarke (Chair of Poetry) will come together to celebrate Irish women writers with musical responses from Doireann Ní Ghlacáin.

Join us for a wide-ranging conversation, chaired by arts journalist Paula Shields.

Friday January 30 2026, 18:30
Pearse Street Library, Dublin 2

This event is free, but booking is essential.

BOOK NOW: https://buytickets.at/theartscouncilanchomhairleealaion/1965618

This event is brought to you by the Arts Council and Dublin UNESCO City of Literature.

This event is part of Brigit Festival 2026: Dublin Celebrating Women.

08/12/2025

The Island of Imagination: A Literary Tour of Ireland Laureate for Irish Fiction Éilís Ní Dhuibhne in conversation with Oisín Fagan and Roisín O’Donnell

Tuesday 20 January, 2026 @ 7pm
Swift Theatre, Swift Cultural Centre, Trim, Co. Meath

Join us for an evening with Laureate for Irish Fiction Éilís Ní Dhuibhne in conversation with Oisín Fagan and Roisín O’Donnell. Described as ‘a striking new talent’ (The Times) and ‘a true original’ (Irish Examiner), Oisín’s latest novel Eden’s Shore, set in an era of global upheaval, is an epic and intricate tale of greed, revenge and love. Roisín O’Donnell has been described as a ‘novelist who has powerful news to tell, and an impressive range of narrative gifts with which to tell it (Irish Times). Her novel Nesting (An Post Irish Book Awards Novel of the Year 2025) is the story of one woman’s bid to start over.

This event is brought to you by the Arts Council’s Laureate for Irish Fiction programme in partnership with Meath Libraries.

This event is free but booking is essential. Booking will be live from January 5, with booking link to follow.

03/12/2025

The Island of Imagination: A Literary Tour of Ireland

The Laureate for Irish Fiction Éilís Ní Dhuibhne is embarking on a literary tour of Ireland on a journey of exploration to highlight the literature emanating from around the country. There will be a series of free events in your local library or bookshop or as part of a literary festival. We hope you will join us for some brilliant conversations between the Laureate and her guest writers as they discuss their latest books.

Stay tuned for updates on all of the upcoming events. Event details will be shared here and also on the Arts Council’s Events page and in the Laureate for Irish Fiction newsletter (sign up here: https://artscouncil.ie/developing-the-arts/flagship-programmes/laureate-for-irish-fiction/)

02/12/2025

24/10/2025

Laureate For Irish Fiction Craft Talk to MA students of Creative Writing at Trinity College today. Two hours of getting into the nuts and bolts of crafting a short story. Thanks to for hosting us and to the students for a wonderfully engaged session.

24/10/2025

For day 7 of our Laureate for Irish Fiction Éilís Ní Dhuibhne shared one of the Irish books she's going to read next.

'Celia De Fréine’s short story collection, Even Still (Arlen House 2025) is next on my list.'

23/10/2025

For Day 6 of our Laureate for Irish Fiction Éilís Ní Dhuibhne shared a book set in Northern Ireland.

'Jan Carson, Quickly While They Still Have Horses (Penguin 2024). The foibles and traits of ordinary people, mostly in the North, are satirically, accurately, and hilariously delineated. She has such a vivid imagination!'

22/10/2025

For Day 5 of our Laureate for Irish Fiction Éilís Ní Dhuibhne shared an Irish book that she bought in an Irish book shop.

'Mary O’Donnell, Walking Ghosts (Mercier, 2025). Great collection of short stories, which I bought in the Maynooth bookshop.'