Discover Irish Children’s Books Symposium 2025

Brought to you by Discover Irish Children’s Books with Dave Rudden, YCPE Artist in Residence DCU, and supported by DCU Library

Venue: Cregan Library, St Patrick’s Campus, DCU, Drumcondra, Co Dublin, D09 AW21

Date: Saturday 21st June 2025

Time: 11am to 4.15pm

Tickets: Eventbrite https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/1316439248229?aff=oddtdtcreator

Programmed by Sarah Webb with the support of Dave Rudden and the Discover Irish Children’s Books Symposium Team: Conor Bredin, Ruth Ennis, Eilish Fisher, Lucinda Jacob, Lori Moriarty, Alan Nolan, Sinéad O’Hart, Bex Sheridan and Alison Weatherby

A new symposium for children’s writers and illustrators, as well as teachers, librarians and children’s book enthusiasts.

The Discover Irish Children’s Books Symposium will have a focus on practical information, book trade and publishing news, tips, advice and inspiration for children’s writers and illustrators, and will offer a chance for all attending to meet and chat with a host of Irish and Irish-based children’s writers and illustrators. There will also be break out talks for teachers around using books in the classroom and running book weeks..

A must for anyone interested in creativity and children’s books!

Timetable

Doors Open at 10.45am

10.45am to 11.15am Registration at the Registration and Information Desk

11.15am Welcome

Welcome by Dave Rudden, YCPE Artist in Residence, DCU and Sarah Webb, Discover Irish Children’s Books Team

11.15am to 12.10pm Irish Children’s Books – Where We Are Now and Planning for the Future

What are Irish and international publishers currently publishing and what are they looking for in the future? News from the book fairs - which Irish children’s books are enjoying success abroad and why? Irish children’s book trends, international trends, information about machine learning/AI and artists’ rights – all this and more in a wide-ranging discussion with experienced publishing professionals.

Chaired by Sarah Webb with Gráinne Clear (Editorial Director, Walker Books), Venetia Gosling (Publisher, Children’s Books, Gill Books), Kunak McGann (Rights Director, The O’Brien Press), Matthew Parkinson (Publisher, Little Island), and Tadhg Mac Dhonnagáin (Publisher, Futa Fata).

12.15pm to 1.10pm Working and Making a Living as a Children’s Writer or Illustrator

This panel discussion will highlight all the relevant issues facing Irish and Irish-based children’s writers and illustrators, from events and festivals (and how to navigate pitching yourself to them) to financial supports available for Irish and Irish-based children’s creatives. This chat will be invaluable for anyone working in the field of children’s books and their production in Ireland.

Chaired by Shane Hegarty (Author), with Lori Moriarty (Librarian, Laois Libraries), Aoife Murray (Children’s Books Ireland), Mags Suggs (Author/Illustrator and Illustrators Ireland), and Alan Nolan (Author)

Breakout Session for Teachers

12.15pm to 1.10pm

A Window into Other Worlds: Books in the Classroom

This session will offer guidance to teachers on using Irish and international children’s books in the classroom, and how to find resources.

Chaired by Becky Long (Children’s Books Ireland) with Dave Rudden (Author), Ashwin Chacko (Author/Illustrator and Co-Founder of Illustrators NI), Lucinda Jacob (poet and former DCU Librarian), and Aileen Ivory (School Librarian)

1.20pm to 2.30pm Lunch and Meet Up

Meet and chat to the Discover Irish Children’s Books Team and a host of Irish writers and illustrators. If you have a question or would like information about writing, publishing or maintaining a creative career, we are here to help!

2.30pm to 3.15pm A Choice of Interactive Sessions

a) Three Things I Know for Sure About Writing Novels for Children and Teenagers

A panel of Irish writers share their knowledge and experience about writing, rejection and staying motivated, getting (and staying!) published, and the editorial process.

Chaired by Alan Nolan (Author), with Jen Wallace (Author of Dinosaur Pie), Triona Campbell (Author of A Game of Life and Death), and Eilish Fisher (Author of Fia and the Last Snow Deer, illustrated by Dermot Flynn)

b) Writing and Illustrating Picture Books

Your one-stop shop on how to create a truly great picture book, from initial idea to finished submission (and why you do not need illustrations to submit a picture book text!)

Chaired by Mags Suggs (Author/Illustrator), Shane Hegarty (Author of The One and Only You, illustrated by Ben Mantle), Ashwin Chacko (Author/Illustrator of Wild City)

c) Creating a Brilliant Literacy or Book Week in the Classroom or Library and How to Make the Most of Author or Illustrator Visits

We hear from librarians, authors, and teachers on what works best in the library or classroom, how book events have changed and evolved over the years, and how they might need to change and evolve in the future.

Chaired by Dave Rudden, with Becky Long (CBI), Alex Dawson (Author), Eve McDonnell (Author), Aileen Ivory (School Librarian) and Conor Bredin (Teacher)

3.20pm to 4.15pm

Plenary Session

The Anatomy of a Monster: How a Novel is Created with Author Pádraig Kenny and his Editor, Gráinne Clear

Chaired by Deirdre Sullivan (Author)

Pádraig Kenny will discuss the writing and publication journey of his very special book, Stitch, with his editor, Gráinne Clear. From the initial pitch to the editing process, this will be an in-depth look at how a book is built and brought to life.

4pm Close

About Discover Irish Children’s Books

The aim of Discover Irish Children’s Books is to highlight and celebrate Irish children’s books. They are an active team of children’s authors, illustrators, booksellers, librarians and teachers, and they run regular campaigns and events to highlight Irish children’s books for all ages.

Check out the website for more details: https://discoveririshkidsbooks.ie/

Speaker Biographies (more to come)

Triona Campbell is a two-time Emmy-nominated producer and winner of two Kidscreen Awards. She is the creator of Ireland’s first TV series on video games Gamer Mode and a producer on the ground-breaking and iconic UK teen drama Sofia’s Diary. Her second Teen/YA thriller, The Traitor in the Game, was nominated for the 2024 An Post Book of the Year Awards.

Venetia Gosling has worked in children’s publishing for more than 25 years. She joined Gill Books in 2022, where she is Publisher of the Children’s list. She has edited and published many award-winning and bestselling titles for children and young adults, and commissions across all children’s categories.

Lucinda Jacob is an award-winning Irish children’s writer, poet and librarian with extensive experience of bringing children’s creativity to life in the classroom. Her poetry books include Hopscotch in the Sky and I Am the Wind, edited with Sarah Webb and illustrated by Ashwin Chacko.

Pádraig Kenny is a middle grade author from Kildare. He has published six novels for children, and his work has been translated into over a dozen languages.

Becky Long holds a BA in English Studies, an MPhil in Children’s Literature, and a Doctorate in Irish Children’s Literature from Trinity College Dublin. She has worked with Children’s Books Ireland in various capacities, including as a Book Doctor, since 2016, and is currently Education Outreach Manager there. She also lectures on children’s literature in Trinity College Dublin.

Kunak McGann is Rights Director at The O’Brien Press where she has worked in publishing for more than twenty years, her role evolving to include commissioning and early development of titles, contract management and overseeing the sub-licensing of hundreds of titles worldwide. She is the author of a number of non-fiction books including Red Rover, Red Rover! and Everything is Mnásome.

Aoife Murray holds an MPhil in Popular Literature from Trinity College Dublin and worked in public relations before joining Children’s Books Ireland in 2011 where she works as Programme and Events Manager.

Dave Rudden is DCU's 2025 Artist-in-Residence, and the author of the award-winning Knights of the Borrowed Dark trilogy. The first in his new horror series for 9 + year olds, Conn of the Dead, is out now.

Margaret Anne Suggs is an illustrator and author whose most recent book, The Dandelion’s Tale – An Allegory of Migration (Graffeg), was nominated for the Yoto Carnegie Medal in Illustration. She is a Director for Illustrators Ireland and Administrator of the Silent Book Collections for IBBY Ireland. She is on the 2026 Jury for the Hans Christian Andersen Awards. An archive of Margaret Anne’s illustration work is held in the National Library of Ireland.

Sarah Webb is an award-winning Irish children’s author and creative writing teacher. She is also Events Manager at Halfway up the Stairs children’s bookshop in Greystones, Co Wicklow. Her books include Blazing a Trail: Irish Women who Changed the World, illustrated by Lauren O’Neill, and I Am the Wind: Irish Poems for Children Everywhere, co-edited by Lucinda Jacob and illustrated by Ashwin Chacko, both winners of Irish Book Awards. Her latest novel for children is The Weather Girls.

Discover Irish Children's Books Symposium Sat 21 June 2025