Irish-language trailblazer Tadhg Mac Dhonnagáin wins Children's Books Ireland Annual Award 2025
Writer and the founder-publisher at Futa Fata, Tadhg Mac Dhonnagáin is the 2025 recipient of the Annual Children’s Books Ireland Award for his outstanding contribution to children’s books.
The announcement, made at the Children’s Books Ireland International Conference this weekend, recognised Mac Dhonnagáin’s unwavering commitment and passion to the children’s books community through the medium of the Irish language.
Nominated by several of his peers, Mac Dhonnagáin was presented with this prestigious award by Majella Ní Chríocháin the CEO of IMRAM, the Irish Language Literature Festival. Remarking on his stellar work in the sector, Majella detailed Mac Dhonnagáin’s “enormous influence on Irish language publishing, on children’s writers and illustrators and on children’s publishing.”
In 2005, Tadhg Mac Dhonnagáin, an already esteemed writer of books, screenplays and songs, founded the publishing house Futa Fata, specialising in books for children as Gaeilge. His vision was to ensure that Irish language children’s books would be of the same high standard, in terms of writing, design and production as their counterparts in other languages across the world.
With 20 years in the industry, his vision has become a reality. Mac Dhonnagáin has devoted his career to publishing original works in Irish whilst also providing Irish language versions of some iconic children’s books written originally in English and in other languages, from renowned authors such as, Tony Ross, Jeff Kinney, Oliver Jeffers and Julia Donaldson.
As well as raising the profile of the Irish language, specifically in children’s literature, Mac Dhonnagáin has also championed the talent of emerging children’s artists across Ireland. Speaking on these efforts throughout his career, Ní Chríocháin told conference attendees about the “immense support given to writers and illustrators” through workshops and courses, acknowledging artists like Tarsila Krüse, current Laureate na nÓg Patricia Forde, Paddy Donnelly and Muireann Ní Chíobháin.
"His greatest and most valuable legacy is the treasure of wonderful, colourful, brilliantly written and illustrated Irish language books he and the team at Futa Fata have produced for children.”
- Majella Ní Chríocháin the CEO of IMRAM, the Irish Language Literature Festival.
During the Award announcement, Tadhg Mac Dhonnagáin was surprised to be joined by his family and friends who were made aware of this award nomination in the previous weeks, and had all gathered together to be with him and celebrate the deserved win.
Speaking at the presentation Mac Dhonnagáin expressed his delight and gratitude to the audience at the Children’s Books Ireland International Conference, saying; "I’m overwhelmed in a really beautiful way. I feel that this is an Award for the people that I work with in Futa Fata. It’s a really big moment for me because, publishing for children and writing for children is something that is very meaningful to me.”
From just a small HQ in Spidéal, the tenacity of Tadhg Mac Dhonnagáin has meant that Irish language children’s literature is now international. Through Futa Fata, Mac Dhonnagáin has provided a platform for writers who might otherwise have a very limited readership. Over the years, Tadhg has been instrumental in helping young readers, at home and abroad, to love leabhair Ghaeilge.
A leading light in leabhair Ghaeilge and a very worthy recipient of this year’s Children’s Books Ireland Award. In the words of Majella Ní Chríocháin, Tadhg Mac Dhonnagáin’s “greatest and most valuable legacy is the treasure of wonderful, colourful, brilliantly written and illustrated Irish language books he and the team at Futa Fata have produced for children.”
