Liam Mac Cóil is an Irish language novelist, a critic, and an essayist.

Career

Born in Dublin in 1952, Liam Mac Cóil lives in the Gaeltacht of Ráth Cairn, County Meath. Before becoming a full-time writer he worked for a time at An Coiste Téarmaíochta. He is presently co-editor of the literary annual Bliainiris and director of the publishing house Carbad. He has written six novels as well as a writer's journal, Nótaí ón Lár (Notes from the Centre). Early in his career, he published two translations from the Welsh, Tiocfaidh Lá (original title: Daw Dydd, a selection of writings by Welsh-language activist Ffred Ffransis) and Saibhreas Chnoic Chaspair (Trysor Bryniau Caspar, a young-adult novel by John Selwyn Lloyd). In 2010 he published a work of personal reflections on the composer Charles Villiers Stanford titled An Chláirseach agus an Choróin. His work has also appeared in the publications Comhar, Feasta and Aimsir Óg.

Awards and nominations

Mac Cóil's debut novel, An Dochtúir Áthas, was shortlisted for the Irish Times Literature Prize for Fiction in 1995, becoming the first Irish-language novel to be so recognised. His third novel, Fontenoy, won the Gradam Uí Shúilleabháin (an annual prize for Irish-language books) in 2006.

Published novels

Other published work