Éilís Ní Dhuibhne announced as Irish Fiction Laureate for 2025–2028

Dublin writer Éilís Ní Dhuibhne has been appointed as the new Laureate for Irish Fiction (2025–2028) by the Arts Council.

She is the author of over thirty books, including the novels The Dancers Dancing, The Shelter of Neighbours, and Fox, Swallow, Scarecrow, amongst others.

Her writing has earned her several literary awards, such as the Pen Award for an Outstanding Contribution to Irish Literature, as well as multiple Oireachtas Awards for her writing in Irish.

The Laureateship aims at highlighting the contribution of fiction writers to Ireland's artistic and cultural life by awarding an established Irish writer. As Laureate, Ní Dhuibhne will encourage emerging authors and promote Irish literature domestically and internationally.

She will be stepping in the footsteps of previous honourees Colm Tóibín (2022–2024), Sebastian Barry (2018–2021), and the inaugural laureate, Anne Enright (2015–2018).

"I am absolutely delighted, very pleasantly surprised, and highly honoured to be offered the Laureateship in Irish Fiction. I feel lucky," said Ní Dhuibhne.

"The Laureateship is mainly a public role. The role allows time for writing—I think that would be essential," she added. "But it’s about reaching out and representing reading and writing, readers and writers. So I am pondering ways of fulfilling this public side of the role and have come up with dozens of ideas."

'The Island of Imagination' will be the central focus of her Laureateship, delving into the question of "what makes a good story?" as well as honouring Irish and other European fiction.