| Founded | 1973 |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Ireland |
| Headquarters location | Dublin |
| Distribution | Gill (Ireland) [1] Dufour Editions (USA) [2] |
| Publication types | Books |
| Imprints | Brandon |
| Official website | www |
The O'Brien Press is an Irish publisher of mainly children's fiction and adult non-fiction.
The O'Brien Press was founded in 1973 by Michael O'Brien (July 4,1941- July 31, 2022), then a graphic artist. It evolved out of his father Tom´s family-run printing and type-house. Its first publication came in November 1974 with a biography of Peadar O'Donnell and a book by Éamonn MacThomáis. [3] Apart from school books, there was very little publishing in Ireland in the 1970s. The industry was dominated by Britain. In the mid 1970s, Michael O'Brien went to the Frankfurt book fair for the first time in order to land an international contract and managed to sell the rights for 2 books to McGill–Queen's University Press in Canada. The trade became digital in the early 1990s, with the help of Michael s son Ivan O´Brien,. At the same time children's books were started, as there had been no tradition of children's books publishing in Ireland at all, with Under the Hawthorne Tree by Marita Conlon-McKenna. The newer publishers shared experiences in meetings namely John Spillane from Mercier Press, Anne Tannahill from Blackstaff Press and Seamus Cashman from Wolfhound Press.
In 1997, they published Follow your dream by Daniel O´Donnell for commercial reasons.
In 2008, the company survived the financial crisis by turning to Irish tourist books. O´Brien was the first to publish a book on the Wild Atlantic Way.
According to Michael O Brien 4 large conglomerates have offered to buy the publishing house, but tehy wanted to stay independent.
O'Brien published books are regularly shortlisted for the Bisto Book of the Year Awards. As of 2007, no less than 24 books published by the O'Brien Press have won a Bisto Book of the Year Awards.
The O'Brien Press is notable for launching the career of international, bestselling author, Eoin Colfer, publishing the "Benny Books" and The Wish List , and have also published The General by Paul Williams, which was made into a major film by John Boorman in 1998. [4] [5]
It is the only Irish publishing house to have received the prestigious International Reading Association Award.
Brandon is an imprint of O'Brien Press. Brandon Books was independently established in Dingle, County Kerry by Steve McDonogh but subsequently folded when he died. [6] Authors published by Brandon include Gerry Adams, Alice Taylor, Mary Morrissy and Frank McGuinness.
Events from the year 1990 in Ireland.
Events from the year 1956 in Ireland.
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