Laureate na nÓg
Tionscnamh de chuid na Comhairle Ealaíon is ea Laureate na nÓg. Is é Leabhair Pháistí Éireann a dhéanann an tionscnamh a bhainistiú agus a sheachadadh ar son na Comhairle Ealaíon agus tá tacaíocht aige ó Chomhairle Ealaíon Thuaisceart Éireann agus ón Roinn Leanaí, Míchumais agus Comhionannais. Trí onóir a thabhairt d’ealaíontóir a bhfuil bua na ceirde acu mar aon le tiomantas iontach, déanann Laureate na nÓg litríocht do pháistí agus do dhaoine óga a chur chun cinn agus a cheiliúradh. Fágann sin gur spreagadh atá sa Laureate do scríbhneoirí, do mhaisitheoirí agus do léitheoirí óga.
Aims
- To honour an exceptional writer or illustrator of literature for children and young people in the Irish or English language
- To champion literature for children and young people nationally and internationally
- To engage and inspire children, young people and their communities through literature
- To encourage new generations of writers and illustrators
Values
The Arts Council and Laureate na nÓg believe in:
- every child’s right to discover and delight in literature
- work of quality and ambition for children and young people
- writers and illustrators having productive and rewarding careers
- the inclusion of all voices and cultures that make up Ireland today
Background
In 2008, as part of the mid-term review of Partnership for the Arts, the Arts Council led a consultation process to develop a comprehensive vision, strategy and action plan for children’s literature. Central to the resulting policy and strategy was a proposal to establish a children’s laureate, a role which would celebrate children’s literature and its contribution to cultural life. Laureate na nÓg was established in 2010.
Siobhán Parkinson was awarded the honour of being Ireland’s first Laureate na nÓg. Since that time there have been six other laureates – Niamh Sharkey, Eoin Colfer, PJ Lynch, Sarah Crossan, Áine Ní Ghlinn and Patricia Forde. Each has contributed in their own ways to the aims of the programme, and the Laureate is recognised as the highest honour that can be awarded to a children’s writer or illustrator in Ireland.
The eighth Laureate na nÓg, Chris Haughton, was announced in May 2026. His programme is currently underway and will run until April 2029.
