President Michael D. Higgins announced that Barry would succeed previous Laureate Anne Enright for a three year term.

The Laureate for Irish Fiction was established by the Arts Council and acknowledges the contribution of Irish fiction wrtiers to Irish art and culture. It is is run in partnership with University College Dublin and New York University.

Speaking at the event, Barry said: “I am delighted by this great honour, all the more delightful for having been decided by such a tremendous team of judges. And Anne Enright, the first laureate, has set a very high bar. It’s a joyous moment, after 40 years of work. Mere longevity has given me a clear and wide perspective on the ‘fabulous generations’ now at work in Ireland. It is no burden to assert, to as many people as possible in as many places as possible, that we live in a golden age of prose writing in Ireland. And I am really happy to be the ambassador of this rather stupendous reality for a few years."

Sheila Pratschke, Chair of the Arts Council, said: "Sebastian Barry is a writer of profound humanity and grace. Over the past four decades, he has produced a body of work that is testament to his passion for, and commitment to, literature and writing. We very much look forward to how he will shape the role of Laureate and engage with readers and writers over the next three years."

Before the end of the year, Hot Press spoke in-depth with Sebastian Barry, who shared his experiences as a writer and his battles with depression, amongst other things. You can read the full interview here: htopress.com/sebastian-barry

President Michael D Higgins @PresidentIRL announces Sebastian Barry as the new Laureate for Irish Fiction 2018–2021 #artIreland pic.twitter.com/5F5IDEJWGz

— Arts Council Ireland (@artscouncil_ie) February 8, 2018

It’s now ‘piercingly real’ says new @LaureateFiction #sebastianbarry pic.twitter.com/PIVyM8AbJA

— Sinéad Crowley (@SineadCrowley) February 8, 2018