50 for 50 - Supporting Arlen House for its 50th birthday

Arlen House – Ireland’s leading independent literary publisher – is celebrating 50 years this month (September 2025) with a lively list of new Irish literature and an energetic programme of public events.

One of the highlights of this anniversary year is the landmark anthology, Washing Windows V: Women Revolutionise Irish Poetry, 1975–2025, the largest anthology of Irish women poets ever published. Plus many collections of poetry, short fiction, creative non-fiction and literary criticism, both in English and as Gaeilge. Two books have won international book prizes in 2025: Blood Atlas won the O'Shaughnessy Prize in the US this April, and Teanga don Tost won an ACIS Book Prize in Savannah, Georgia in February.

Arlen House has a long, healthy and respectful relationship with Foras na Gaeilge and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland. Sadly, the Arts Council/An Chomhairle Ealaíon has rarely offered appropriate support over the past 50 years. Thus, with little state subsidy and books sales insufficient to meet its operating costs, Arlen House needs our support. We are asking you to consider taking part, and suggest one of these ways:

1) Join the €50 for 50 campaign, donating €50 to help finance the press and to ensure that it continues to produce high quality literature into the future.

2) Purchase an Arlen House book this autumn. Books are widely available since they are distributed in Ireland by Argosy, and internationally by Syracuse University Press.

3) Request your local library to order an Arlen House book.

4) Write an encouraging post on social media.

5) Share widely.

You can make your donation by clicking the link. All money raised will go straight to Arlen House.

We would be grateful for your support.

Nessa O’Mahony

Eavan Casey