Colm Tóibín reflects on his tenure as Laureate for Irish Fiction

In this video, Colm Tóibín looks back on his three-year tenure as Laureate for Irish Fiction (2022–2024). The Laureate for Irish Fiction is an initiative of the Arts Council. 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; • encouraging the public to engage with high-quality Irish fiction. The inaugural Laureate for Irish Fiction (2015–2018) was Anne Enright. Sebastian Barry was the second Laureate for Irish Fiction from 2018 to 2021. Colm Tóibín was announced as the third Laureate for Irish Fiction in 2022.