Patricia Forde, New Laureate na nÓg
Patricia Forde, New Laureate na nÓg
IBBY Ireland sends its best wishes to Patricia Forde, Ireland’s new Laureate na nÓg. Patricia is a popular writer, with twenty-four children’s books in English and Irish to her name, with two more launching soon. A former primary school teacher, she has worked in TV, founded the Barboró International Arts Festival for Children and is a former director of Galway Arts Festival, Patricia writes picture books and books for children and tweens. Her picture books and novels have won many awards. IBBY Ireland very much looks forward to working with Patricia and supporting her term as Laureate na nÓg.
Siobhan Parkinson
Siobhan Parkinson
Siobhan Parkinson writes novels, mostly for children and young people. She served as Ireland’s first laureate for children’s literature.
Siobhan has published more than twenty books, mostly for children and young people. Her books have been translated into many languages. She writes in both English and Irish, and translates from German into English.
Siobhan is the commissioning editor and publisher with Little Island, an imprint of New Island Books. She is a former co-editor of Bookbird, the magazine of the international children’s literature organisation IBBY, and former editor of Inis, published by Children’s Books Ireland.
On 10 May 2010, Parkinson was conferred by President of Ireland Mary McAleese as the first ever Laureate na nÓg, a position she held until 2012. In her capacity as laureate she expressed the wish that “every child in the country would have access to a […] library where they could go and find the books that are going to open their minds”.