24 Irish writers, 24 European languages: Literature Ireland and Conor Horgan’s Súil Amach/An Outward Eye brings contemporary Irish literature to the European Parliament in Brussels.
Literature Ireland and award-winning photographer Conor Horgan celebrate the international reach of Irish writing with a major new exhibition opening on 8 September as part of Cultúr 2026
As Ireland holds the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, Literature Ireland will celebrate the extraordinary international reach of contemporary Irish writing with Súil Amach | An Outward Eye, a major new exhibition opening at the European Parliament Building in Brussels on 8 September 2026, as part of Cultúr 2026: Sharing Ireland’s Culture, the cultural programme for Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
Conor Horgan
Supported by Culture Ireland and developed in collaboration with award-winning Irish visual artist, photographer and filmmaker Conor Horgan, Súil Amach | An Outward Eye brings together portraits of 24 contemporary Irish writers alongside a unique library of their work representing all 24 official languages of the European Union. Through photography and literature, the exhibition celebrates Ireland’s rich literary culture and the remarkable journey Irish writing makes across languages, borders and cultures.
Taking inspiration from the Irish proverb “An té a bhíonn siúlach, bíonn scéalach” – “Those who travel have stories to tell”, the exhibition explores the journeys made by Irish stories and the role of translation in carrying those stories into the hands of new readers throughout Europe.
“Literature Ireland’s remit is to bring the best of Irish literature to the world, primarily through translation. Súil Amach celebrates the great wealth and diversity of contemporary Irish writers working today and acknowledges the many European partners who help bring Irish writing to readers right across Europe through skilled translations and expert publishing. Through Conor Horgan’s 24 evocative and striking photographic portraits, we want to offer those who work in the Parliament at the heart of Europe an insight into some of the Irish faces who create our stories, poems and novels. The Súil Amach pop-up library is an invitation to readers to enjoy some of Ireland’s books in their own languages. We are enormously proud of this beautiful photographic and literary exhibition, and grateful to all those who helped make it happen.” Sinéad Mac Aodha, Literature Ireland
Súil Amach/An Outward Eye
The exhibition features 24 writers selected for their distinctive voices and international reach: John Banville, Kevin Barry, Sara Baume, Garrett Carr, Jan Carson, Mary Costello, Naoise Dolan, Anne Enright, Wendy Erskine, Seán Farrell, Elaine Feeney, Nicole Flattery, Vona Groarke, Louise Kennedy, Ferdia Lennon, Paul Lynch, Louise Nealon, Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin, Doireann Ní Ghríofa, Tadhg Mac Dhonnagáin, Micheál Ó Conghaile, Darach Ó Scolaí, Elske Rahill and Colm Tóibín.
Personal or Creative Significance
Rather than traditional studio portraits, Conor Horgan photographed each writer in a setting that holds personal or creative significance, from homeplaces and landscapes to everyday urban spaces that reflect their imaginative worlds. Before photographing each subject, Conor read some of their work, allowing the writer and their writing to inform his approach to each portrait.
The project began several years ago as a collaboration between Literature Ireland and Horgan, beginning with Belfast writer Wendy Erskine. What started as a series of author portraits gradually developed into a much more ambitious project, capturing writers who were already widely translated internationally alongside those Literature Ireland believed were on the cusp of greater international recognition.
For Conor Horgan, Súil Amach | An Outward Eye builds on an award-winning career spanning photography, visual art and filmmaking. His portrait commissions have included Vogue UK, Harper’s & Queen, Condé Nast Traveller, Elle Magazine, The Sunday Telegraph, BBC, ITV and RTÉ, as well as the official portrait of President Mary Robinson.
“This commission has been an absolute labour of love, and one which has grown into an entirely new body of work. Meeting and engaging with many of the best writers on the island has been a joy and an honour, and working with Literature Ireland has become a significant and very rewarding collaboration for me.” Conor Horgan
https://www.literatureireland.com
https://www.irelandculture2026.eu
Conor Horgan photograph (c) Kate Swift
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