Ahead of the inaugural Dublin Small Press Fair this November, co-founders Tim Groenland and Éireann Lorsung salute a golden age for independent publishing in Ireland.
Irish readers' enthusiasm for new books – particularly those by Irish authors – is well known in our bookshops. Figures from Nielsen BookData, for example, suggest that many of us have spent time in the past year with acclaimed novels by writers like Claire Keegan, Paul Lynch, and Colm Tóibín.
What happens, though, if we recalibrate our sights from the treetops of the bestseller list? Moving toward the diversity of the undercanopy, we encounter a rich network of small and independent publishers, experimental presses, journals, book artists, and zinemakers. These tend to be led by editorial decisions – staying small makes presses a little less answerable to the demands of the sales team, the algorithm, and the shareholder – and often willing to experiment in their choice of writers and forms.
Irish publishing has always depended on these smaller presses to find and support new writers. Lilliput Press recently celebrated its 40th birthday, and O’Brien Press its 50th. The post-crash years saw the arrival of new entrants committed, in different ways, to publishing writing ignored by larger publishers: we have Tramp Press to thank for the emergence of Sara Baume and the return of Mike McCormack, for example, and Skein Press for vital work by writers like Melatu Uche Okorie and Oein De Bharduin.
What happens, though, if we recalibrate our sights from the treetops of the bestseller list?
The literary journal scene in Ireland, too, has been widely and justly lauded. The longevity and success of The Dublin Review and The Stinging Fly has helped to germinate a rich network of journals that now support Irish writing and attract international writers. Several of these journals have also successfully moved into book publishing: Banshee Press’s publication of Gustav Parker Hibbett’s remarkable debut collection High Jump as Icarus Story was nominated for the prestigious T.S Eliot Prize last year (Vona Groarke’s Infinity Pool, published by Gallery Press, is on this year’s shortlist).
The most recent arrivals on the scene are experimenting with different approaches and structures. Bullaun Press, founded by Bridget Farrell in 2021, is the first Irish publisher to focus exclusively on literature in translation, and their selections are already making waves: There’s a Monster Behind the Door, the first of two superb novels by Réunionese writer Gaëlle Bélem, recently became the first book by an Irish press to be longlisted for the International Booker Prize. Macha Press, founded in 2024 and run on the unusual model of an editorial collective, is committed to publishing poetry that is 'experimental and formally hybrid’’ (try Sam Furlong’s recent collection Crowd Work for a fine example).
These presses often struggle to be seen from the heights of the bestseller list, and to compete with the budgets and systemic advantages of the big publishers. They survive in large part thanks to funding from the Arts Council, which plays a key role in enabling this ecosystem to flourish (a recent open letter from small presses in the UK paints a bleak picture of what the prospects for sustainability look like without robust support).
We have set up The Dublin Small Press Fair to celebrate these publishers, and the long tradition of small publishing – from independent publishing, to art books, to DIY zine-making. The fair will feature over 30 presses from Ireland and abroad along with panel discussions, pop-up readings, and exhibitions. We invite readers to dive into the rich forest of independent publishing with us – you might find your new favourite press here.
The inaugural Dublin Small Press Fair takes place at Pearse Street Library on the 28th and 29th of November - find out more here
