THE ARTS COUNCIL has announced the appointment of Colm Tóibín as the Laureate for Irish Fiction 2022-2024. 

He is taking over the laureateship from Sebastian Barry, who followed inaugural Laureate Anne Enright. His three-year term will begin this month. 

The role seeks to acknowledge the contribution of fiction writers to Irish artistic and cultural life by honouring an established Irish writer of fiction, encouraging a new generation of writers, promoting Irish literature nationally and internationally and encouraging the public to engage with high quality Irish fiction. 

“I am honoured to be appointed Laureate. I am proud to follow Anne Enright and Sebastian Barry in establishing a public role for a writer of fiction in Ireland,” Tóibín said. 

“I will do what I can to work with a community of readers so that fiction continues to enrich our lives, allow us to see the world more clearly, or with a deepened sense of mystery,” he said. 

“I will also work with fellow writers and aspiring writers to enhance the role novels and stories play in Irish life.”

In partnership with Libraries Ireland, the Laureate for Irish Fiction with present The Art of Reading, a monthly book club for library book clubs across the country and offered as an online event for readers everywhere on the last Thursday of every month.

The Art of Reading will be hosted by Colm Tóibín.

Over the course of the year, the Laureate will discuss a selection of titles by Irish writers, highlighting outstanding Irish writing and celebrating the reader and book clubs. In some cases, the Laureate will be joined by the featured writer in conversation about their book.

The first online book club event will be available for streaming on Thursday 24 February. In this event, Tóibín will be in conversation with Claire Keegan about her recent book Small Things Like These.