Journalist and author Colm Toibin

Irish journalist and author, Colm Toibin, today receives an honorary degree from the University of Ulster at its summer graduations.

Mr Toibin, whose novels and non-fiction writings range from and exploration of homosexual identities to life along the Irish border during the Troubles, has been awarded a Doctor of Letters (DLitt) degree in recognition of his contribution to contemporary Irish literature.

Born in Enniscorthy, Co Wexford in 1955, the second youngest of five children, he spent a number of years in Spain following his graduation from University College Dublin in 1975 before returning to Ireland and a career in journalism.

He edited the monthly news magazine Magill from 1982-85 and has continued to work as a journalist both in Ireland and abroad. He also achieved a high reputation as a literary critic.

His time in Spain inspired his first novel, The South, and his non-fiction work, Homage to Barcelona. In all he has written five novels, the latest The Master, a fictional account of parts of the life of author Henry James. He published a collection of short stories, Mothers and Sons, in 2006.

Other work includes editing a book on Paul Durcan, The Kilfenora Teaboy and the Penguin Book of Irish Fiction. With Carmen Callil he wrote The Modern Library: The 200 Best Novels in English since 1950 and further works include a collection of essays, Love in a Dark Time: Gay lives from Wilde to Almodovar and a study of Lady Gregory, Lady Gregory’s Toothbrush.

He has twice been nominated for the Booker Prize, one of the world’s most prestigious literary awards.

Mr Toibin has also been visiting professor at Stanford University and the University of Texas and has also lectured at several other universities, including Boston College and New York University.

For further information, please contact:

Press Office, Department of Communication and Development
Tel: 028 9036 6178
Email: pressoffice@ulster.ac.uk