Literary Producer Event Patricia Forde, Richie Conroy, Sadhbh Devlin, Neil Sharpson, Tristan Rosenstock, Andrew Whitson agus Máire Zepf

In Partnership with Children's Books Ireland

Programmed by Children’s Books Ireland with the support of Foras na Gaeilge, this Literary Producer Event will feature a panel of six professional children’s book authors and illustrators in conversation with former Laureate na nÓg, Patricia Forde. Panelists Richie Conroy, Sadhbh Devlin, Neil Sharpson, Tristan Rosenstock, Andrew Whitson and Máire Zepf are artists who represent the top Irish language publishers in Ireland. They will highlight the range of books for children and young people now available, and the breadth of artists delivering readings, workshops and other interactive events. 

If you are a festival, library, or bookshop programmer, this event is for you! All participants are well-versed in artist events as Gaeilge for young audiences of varying size and age; they will discuss their experiences as well as demonstrate what programmers can expect from events like these. Panelists will discuss younger audiences (0–10yrs) in the first half of the session from 10:30am to 11:30 am, and older children (10–14+yrs) in the second half, from 11:30am to 12:30pm. The Literary Producer Event is aimed at those who do not have a working knowledge of Irish and will be delivered primarily in English. 

Refreshments will be served after the event, with time to meet artists and publishers and ask any additional questions. Children’s Books Ireland staff will be on hand to help.

This event is part of a collaborative project between Children’s Books Ireland and Foras na Gaeilge, supported by the Love Leabhar Gaeilge initiative, in partnership with Dublin Book Festival.

Imeacht Léiritheora Liteartha – Taispeántas d’imeachtaí litríochta Gaeilge do pháistí agus do dhaoine óga

Is é Leabhair Pháistí Éireann le tacaíocht ó Fhoras na Gaeilge a shocraigh clár Imeacht na Léiritheoirí Liteartha. Beidh painéal ar a mbeidh seisear údar agus maisitheoir gairmiúla leabhar do pháistí i láthair ag Imeacht na Léiritheoirí Liteartha i gcomhrá le hiar-Laureate na nÓg, Patricia Forde. Is ealaíontóirí iad na painéalaithe Richie Conroy, Sadhbh Devlin, Neil Sharpson, Tristan Rosenstock, Andrew Whitson agus Máire Zepf a sheasann do na foilsitheoirí Gaeilge is fearr in Éirinn. Léireoidh siad an raon iontach leabhar do pháistí agus do dhaoine óga atá ar fáil anois, agus éagsúlacht na n-ealaíontóirí a chuireann léamha, ceardlanna agus imeachtaí idirghníomhacha eile ar fáil – agus leagfaidh siad béim ar an tslí le gach buntáiste is féidir a bhaint as an imeacht ar son na n-ealaíontóirí agus an lucht féachana araon. 

Más cláraitheoir féile, leabharlainne nó siopa leabhar thú, is duitse an t-imeacht seo! Tá eolas maith ag na rannpháirtithe ar imeachtaí ealaíontóirí i nGaeilge do lucht féachana óg de mhéid agus aois éagsúil; pléifidh siad a dtaithí chomh maith le léiriú a thabhairt ar an méid ar féidir le cláraitheoirí a bheith ag súil leis ó imeachtaí den sórt seo. Pléifidh na painéalaithe an lucht féachana is óige (0–10 mbliana d’aois) sa chéad leath den seisiún ó 10:30am go 11:30am, agus páistí níos sine (10–14+ bliana d’aois) sa dara leath, ó 11:30am go 12:30pm. Tá an tImeacht Léiritheoirí Liteartha dírithe ar dhaoine nach bhfuil eolas oibre acu ar an nGaeilge agus is i mBéarla a chuirfear i láthair é den chuid is mó.  

Is tionscadal comhoibríoch é seo idir Leabhair Pháistí Éireann agus Foras na Gaeilge, le tacaíocht ó thionscnamh Love Leabhar Gaeilge.

Cuirfear sólaistí ar fáil i ndiaidh na hócáide, agus beidh am ann bualadh le healaíontóirí agus foilsitheoirí agus aon cheisteanna breise a chur. Beidh foireann Leabhair Pháistí Éireann ar fáil chun cabhrú leat.

Cuid de thionscadal comhoibríoch idir Leabhair Pháistí Éireann agus Foras na Gaeilge is ea an t-imeacht seo, agus tacaíocht aige ón tionscnamh Love Leabhar Gaeilge, i gcomhar le Féile Leabhar Bhaile Átha Cliath.

Patricia Forde is an award-winning writer for children and young people. A former Laureate na nÓg, she is the author of a wide variety of books in Irish and in English including Mise agus an Dragún, An Mac Tíre Deireanach and most recently An Peata Is Fearr.

Sadhbh Devlin is an award-winning picturebook writer. She is bilingual and writes in both Irish and English. Two of her books have been adapted as outdoor story-trails in several stunning locations around Ireland. Her book, An Fia sa Choill was shortlisted for an An Post Irish Book of the Year Award in 2025.

Neil Sharpson is the New York Times best-selling author of Don’t Trust Fish which was the winner of the KPMG Children’s Book of the Year Award. Don’t Trust Fish has been translated into eighteen languages, including Irish as Níl Éisc le Trust. He lives in Dublin with his wife and their two children.

Richie Conroy is an award-winning novelist including the trilogy Dialann Emily Porter (LeabhairCOMHAR). Richie is also a screenwriter and some of his recent credits include the feature film Fran the Man, Crá and Leonard & Hungry Paul. He was the Writer-in-Residence in Dublin City University 2021 and in Maynooth University 2026.

Máire Zepf is an award-winning children’s author of eighteen books, from picturebooks to a young adult verse novels. Her books appear in ten languages worldwide. Her ‘Rita’ series of picturebooks with illustrator Mr. Ando has been adapted for television. She was the first Children’s Writing Fellow for Northern Ireland.

Tristan Rosenstock is an author, an editor, a broadcaster and a bodhrán player. He presents RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta’s flagship arts series An Cúinne Dána as well as Céilí House on RTÉ Radio One. He is literary editor of the monthly magazine Comhar. His début book for young readers Inis Mara was selected for World Book Day 2024, and he has since added two more books to the Inis Mara series. 

Andrew Whitson is an illustrator, author and educator from Belfast. Andrew has created and illustrated well over 40 diverse books, the most recent of which being the popular Molly series with Malachy Doyle, and the award-winning Rita series of picturebooks with Máire Zepf. He has won the Children’s Books Ireland Illustration Award, the RAI Book Award for his Rita series and the IBBY Illustration Award. 

Please note we may be capturing imagery at this event for use on our social media and website.

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