This year SYP Ireland is running all 3 branches of the mentorship scheme, Into, Ahead, and Launch. Introducing our mentors for this year:
SYP Ireland Mentors 2023
Bridget Farrell, Executive Editor of Bullaun Press
Bridget Farrell is Executive Editor of Bullaun Press, the first press in Ireland dedicated to literature in translation, which she founded in 2021. As well as promoting literary translation in an Irish context, Bullaun aims to support translators and foster cultural exchange between Irish citizens and diaspora communities. @bullaunpress, funded by @artscouncil_ie
Joanna Smyth, Marketing and Publishing Operations Director at Hachette IrelandÂ
Joanna Smyth is Marketing and Publishing Operations Director at Hachette Ireland. Joanna completed a Masters in Literature and Publishing at NUI Galway, and joined Hachette Ireland as an editorial assistant in 2010. Joanna has volunteered with Fighting Words, editing two of their short story collections by Transition Year students, and was a Publishing Ireland board member for four years, serving as President from 2020 to 2021.
Polly Nolan, Founder and MD of PaperCuts Literary Agency & Consultancy Ltd.
After almost twenty years commissioning and editing children’s books at some of the UK’s top publishing houses, Polly Nolan moved to agenting in 2013 and quickly built a talented and successful list of clients. In 2020, she started her own agency and consultancy, PaperCuts Ltd, which represents authors writing for children (of 5 to YA) and adults, as well as offering advice to anyone needing help with their work. Always on the look out for a good story, arrestingly told, Polly has a particular love of MG, especially MG that makes people laugh. Find out more at www.papercutsltd.com
Sinéad Creedon, Co-Founding Publisher of Sonder Magazine
Sinéad Creedon is the co-founding publisher of Sonder Magazine, an Irish print literary journal. She has worked in Gill, The Lilliput Press, Titan Books and now works in marketing with Turnaround Publisher Services.
Adrian Bullock, Associate Lecturer and Consultant at the Oxford International Centre for Publishing at Oxford Brookes University & Managing Director, Principal Consultant, Oxford Publishing Consultancy Ltd
Over the past 40 years Adrian Bullock has worked on over 80 textbook development and school projects for national governments and NGOs like the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, UNICEF, UNESCO, Save the Children, the British Council in more than 65 countries round the globe. He is the author of three books: Book production, (2012), Taylor & Francis, The Green Design and Print Production Handbook, (2015), Ilex and Hachette, the online Oxford Dictionary of Publishing, (2019), OUP, co-authored with Chris Jennings and Nicola Timbrell. He has designed and written modules on Eco-publishing, production and distribution, Publishing Leadership, and Managing Publishing Finances for the United Bible Societies Institute of Publishing. He lives and works in Oxford where, in addition to being an Associate Lecturer for Oxford Brookes he is a Supernumerary Fellow of Harris Manchester College in the University of Oxford.
Mariel Deegan, Acting Managing Director at New Island
Mariel Deegan has several years of experience at New Island and other publishing houses. Starting with a marketing focus, her role has grown over the years to encompass all areas of operations and in 2017, she was appointed General Manager and in 2023 as Acting Managing Director. She oversees marketing, finance and sales, as well as having direct responsibility for rights and production management/print buying. She holds a Masters in Publishing Studies from Robert Gordon University, and Bachelors in English and History, and in Communications from Dublin City University. In addition to her work at New Island, she has been a board member of Publishing Ireland and Dublin Book Festival.
Des Doyle, Marketing and Publicity Manager at New Island
Des Doyle joined the New Island team in 2023, following on from 4 years as a senior bookseller and events manager at Hodges Figgis bookstore in Dublin. His previous roles span marketing, event management and journalism. He holds qualifications in these subjects from Dublin Business School and the Fitzwilliam Institute. He reads widely, with an emphasis on non-fiction. His favourite book of 2022 was Three Castles Burning by Donal Fallon.
Teresa Daly, Publisher at Gill Books
Teresa Daly has worked in publishing for almost 20 years, initially in various marketing and publicity roles for Gill Books before becoming a Commissioning Editor and Publisher. As Publisher of the Gill Books imprint Teresa has oversight of a list that encompasses biography, entertainment, politics, current affairs and humour. She thrives on working with authors and the publishing team to bring ideas to life that inspire readers all over Ireland. Bestselling authors she works with include Francis Brennan, John Creedon, Judge Gillian Hussey, and Emer McLysaght and Sarah Breen of the hugely popular ‘Aisling’ fiction series.
Nidhi Zak/ Aria Eipe, Editorial Director at Skein Press
Deirdre Nolan has worked in publishing for over twenty years with companies such as New Island and Gill Books while publishing the best of Irish authors including Maeve Binchy, Dermot Bolger, Gary Murphy, Keelin Shanley, Barry Geraghty and The Daly Dish. Last year she joined Bonnier Books and set up Eriu, named for the Irish sovereignty goddess. Eriu is a home for fiction, non-fiction and children’s books that have a connection to Ireland while being published to a worldwide audience. With Eriu, her first book, Every Day is a Fresh Beginning by Aoibhin Garrihy, went straight to number one, and she has acquired memoirs from legendary footballer Liam Brady, former Irish Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan and comedian Tadhg Hickey, as well as literary titles from Charleen Hurtubise (The Polite Act of Drowning), Molly Hennigan (The Celestial Realm) and Miriam Mulcahy (This is My Sea).
Sarah Davis-Goff, Co-Founder of Tramp Press
Sarah Davis-Goff is co-founder of Tramp Press, which publishes Mike McCormack, Sara Baume, Mona Eltahawy and Doireann NÃ GhrÃofa. Their authors have won and been nominated for everything from the Goldsmiths Prize to the Dublin International Literary Award to the Booker Prize. Sarah’s own second novel, Silent City, is to be published in 2023 (Tinder Press / Flat Iron). She lives in Dublin.Â
Deirdre Nolan, Publishing Director at Eriu
Â
Deirdre Nolan has worked in publishing for over twenty years with companies such as New Island and Gill Books while publishing the best of Irish authors including Maeve Binchy, Dermot Bolger, Gary Murphy, Keelin Shanley, Barry Geraghty and The Daly Dish. Last year she joined Bonnier Books and set up Eriu, named for the Irish sovereignty goddess. Eriu is a home for fiction, non-fiction and children’s books that have a connection to Ireland while being published to a worldwide audience. With Eriu, her first book, Every Day is a Fresh Beginning by Aoibhin Garrihy, went straight to number one, and she has acquired memoirs from legendary footballer Liam Brady, former Irish Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan and comedian Tadhg Hickey, as well as literary titles from Charleen Hurtubise (The Polite Act of Drowning), Molly Hennigan (The Celestial Realm) and Miriam Mulcahy (This is My Sea).
Laura Cassidy, Editor & Publisher at Banshee Press
Laura Cassidy is publisher and editor at the literary journal and small press Banshee, where along with her co-founders she was named a 2021 Bookseller Rising Star. Twice shortlisted for Irish Small Press of the Year at the British Book Awards, Banshee is supported by the Arts Council of Ireland and Cork City Council. Work published by Banshee has been awarded and shortlisted for multiple prizes, including the An Post Irish Book Awards and the Edge Hill Prize. Laura’s novels for young adults were published by Penguin Ireland and she is a recipient of literature bursary awards from the Arts Council and Kildare County Council. From Kildare, Laura is now based in Cork city.Â
Fiona Murphy, Head of Communications at Gill Books
Fiona Murphy, Head of Communications for Gill Books has been working in publishing for 15 years, working in the London and Dublin offices of Penguin Random House before moving to Gill Books in 2021. She has honed her skills as both editor and publicist working on everything from literary fiction, poetry and essays to cookery books, sports titles and translated fiction. Her favourite part of the job is the variety of books and authors she gets to work with as well as the collaborative nature of the work. She’s never happier than when exploring a new world via the books she works on and has developed unexpected and sometimes brief passions for subjects as diverse as professional cycling, pickling and DIY.