Meet the New Voices presenting at this year's Children's Books Ireland Conference

Jen Wallace

Jen Wallace writes for children and adults and loves running workshops. She has worked extensively with young people as a youth worker, watersports coach, nature guide and mindfulness tutor. She was a Raising Voices Fellow in 2022. Her début middle-grade novel Dinosaur Pie illustrated by Alan O'Rourke, was published early in 2024. 

Emer Ní Scolaí 

Emer Ní Scolaí's début children’s book, Mo Chuid Uirlisí Ceoil (My Musical Instruments), was released in 2023 and her second book, Mo Chuid Rincí Gaelacha (My Irish Dances) was released in Spring 2024. She currently works as a music teacher and is also studying chemistry at University College Dublin. Among Emer’s accomplishments are eight All-Ireland medals for Harp and Harp slow airs. 

Annie Atkins

Annie Atkins is best known for her work as a graphic artist in the film industry, having designed for many Oscar-nominated-and-winning movies, such as Wes Anderson’s Grand Budapest Hotel, Isle of Dogs, and French Dispatch, as well as Spielberg’s Bridge of Spies and West Side Story, and classic children’s films such as the latest Chicken Run and Indiana Jones movies. She has previously written for adults and her début children's picturebook Letters from the North Pole, will be published by Magic Cat in October 2024.

Brían Dungan

Brían Dungan was born in Dublin and he splits his time between his family, his day job in film and television and his passion for writing. As a camera assistant, Brían has worked on television projects as varied as Game Of Thrones, Line of Duty, Derry Girls and Black Mirror. Now turning to novel-writing, Brían aims to be the latest in a long and distinguished line of published authors from his home town of Skerries, where he lives with his long-suffering wife, three daughters and their rescue dog, Ronnie. His début young adult novel Wintour's Game has just been published. 

Zainab Boladale

Zainab Boladale is a journalist, television presenter and public speaker. She was born in Nigeria and raised in Ireland. In 2017, she made her TV debut on RTÉ’s children’s programme, news2day, as the first Afro-Irish woman on Irish TV news. Zainab now travels around the country as a presenter and reporter for Ireland’s long-running factual feature programme, Nationwide. Recently published Braids Take a Day is her début young adult novel.

Méabh McDonnell

Méabh McDonnell was born in Dublin and grew up in Loughrea, Co. Galway. She has worked with the Clare People newspaper as sub-editor and children’s books reviewer. She founded and edits Cinders Magazine and has an MA in journalism. Méabh has always loved nature and folklore and the mysterious ways they intertwine. During lockdown her daily walks through Kylebrack Forest got her wondering if anyone or anything was watching her – perhaps a witch? Her début children’s novel, Into the Witchwood, was published in 2024.

Sean Hegarty

Sean Hegarty is a comedian, actor, content creator, theatre producer and author. But none of these jobs is harder (or more rewarding) than parenting five of the most amazing humans on Earth. With over 100 million video views online, a spot on the live shows of Ireland’s Got Talent and a Christmas Number One on the Cool FM Shazam Chart, Sean is hot property on the Irish comedy scene. His début picturebook, Let me Tell you a Joke, illustrated by Jim Field publishes in September 2024. 

Paul Delaney

Paul Delaney likes to draw pictures, scribble ideas for stories, make stuff look nice on a page and brighten people’s day. Luckily he gets to do all these things as a graphic designer, illustrator and picture book maker. Paul’s three début picturebooks launched this year Says Who?, written by Rachel Emily; and Look Out! Hungry Snake and Look Out! Hungry Lion.

Niamh Garvey

Niamh Garvey is an autistic author from Cork, living with her husband and three neurodivergent children. She follows her autistic special interests wherever they guide her, from nursing to a Diploma in Autism Studies, and has had a life-long love of reading and writing. Her first book for adults Looking After your Autistic Self was published in 2023, and her first book for children Being Autistic (and what that actually means) was published in July 2024.

Eilish Fisher

Eilish Fisher grew up in a 200-year-old haunted farmhouse in the Vermont, but has lived most of her life in Ireland so considers herself both a Vermonter and Irish and she brings the legends and history of both to her writing. She has received both a Words Ireland mentorship and a full Literature Bursary Award from the Arts Council of Ireland. Eilish lives in Co. Wicklow with her partner and son, dog Axel, cat Smudge, and Shadow; a giant, wolfy critter who might be a dog, but is probably something else entirely. Her début Fia and the Snow Deer publishes in September 2024.