Meath to host opening event of national literary series at Trim’s Swift Centre
A major national literary series will open in Meath this month as Laureate for Irish Fiction Éilís Ní Dhuibhne hosts an in-conversation event at the Trim Library & Swift Cultural Centre.
It is being run in partnership with Meath Libraries, with advance booking required through the Arts Council’s events page.
The session at the Swift Theatre marks the first stop on Island of Imagination: A Literary Tour of Ireland, a new Arts Council initiative exploring contemporary Irish writing and showcasing work emerging from every county.
The free public event will shine a spotlight on Meath’s literary talent, featuring acclaimed local writers Oisín Fagan and Roisín O’Donnell as panellists.
Ms Ní Dhuibhne, who was appointed Laureate for Irish Fiction for 2025–2028, is one of Ireland’s most distinguished writers and the author of more than 30 books. Her work spans fiction, memoir, folklore scholarship and literary criticism.
Trim-based author Oisín Fagan, whose novels and short stories have earned international praise, was recently announced as the Arts Council UCD Writer in Residence for 2026.
Meanwhile, fellow panellist Roisín O’Donnell — whose debut novel Nesting became a Sunday Times bestseller in 2025 — won the An Post Irish Book Award for Short Story of the Year and has been named among the Observer’s Ten Best New Novelists.
The event will take place on Tuesday, January 20 at 7pm.