New Island Books Designated Activity Company

What New Island Books Designated Activity Company does

New Island Books Designated Activity Company is an independent Irish book publisher founded in 1992 in Dublin by writer Dermot Bolger, publisher Edwin Higel, and book wholesaler Fergal Stanley. The company publishes a curated list spanning literary fiction, poetry, drama, memoir, biography, history, sport, nature, politics, and social affairs, with sub-brands including the Open Door adult literacy series (novellas by well-known Irish authors such as Roddy Doyle, Marian Keyes, and John Connolly), the Modern Irish Classics reissue line, and Leabhair as Gaeilge Irish-language publications. Its catalog includes established authors such as Mary Lavin, Maeve Brennan, and Nuala O'Faolain alongside contemporary and debut writers. The company operates from a single headquarters at Glenshesk House, Clonskeagh, Dublin, with seven core staff members.

Books are produced in both print (hardback and paperback, priced €6.99–€22.95) and digital (e-book) formats, with all new e-book titles from January 2025 onwards designed for WCAG 2.2 Level AA and EPUB Accessibility 1.1 compliance, making New Island a signatory to the Publishing Accessibility Action Group (PAAG) Accessible Publishing Charter. Print production is FSC-certified, and all products comply with the EU General Product Safety Regulation. Technology is otherwise conventional: the e-commerce platform is a Squarespace storefront, and there are no proprietary digital platforms, APIs, or AI/ML systems disclosed.

New Island generates revenue through one-time unit sales across three channels: direct-to-consumer e-commerce via newisland.ie, distribution through the Irish book trade (Hodges Figgis, Dubray, Eason, Chapters, The Gutter Bookshop, Books Upstairs), and international distribution partnerships with publishers in other territories serving the Irish diaspora. Marketing is conducted through the website, Instagram, email newsletters, in-person book launches and author events at partner bookshops, and earned media coverage. The company receives ongoing support from the Arts Council of Ireland and operates as an independent, board-governed private company with no disclosed external investment.

Name

New Island Books Designated Activity Company

Legal name

New Island Books Designated Activity Company

Website

https://newisland.ie

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

New Island Books is an independent Irish publisher founded in 1992 in Dublin, publishing literary fiction, poetry, drama, memoir, history, and Irish-language works. It sells directly via e-commerce and through Irish bookshops and international distribution partnerships to general readers of Irish literature.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Independent Book Publishing

NAICS

Book Publishers (513130), Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (5131)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro primary industry

Literary & Classics Publishing (MPAJAAAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Genre & Category Publishing (Romance, Mystery/Thriller, Sci‑Fi/Fantasy, etc.) (MPAJAAAB)

Keywords

• Independent book publishing
• Irish literary fiction
• Poetry and drama publishing
• Non-fiction publishing
• Irish language publishing

Headquarters

HQ city

Dublin

HQ country

Ireland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Book Sales: Revenue generated through direct sales of published books including novels, non-fiction, poetry, and drama titles. Books sold as physical copies (hardback and paperback) and digital editions (e-books). Price points range from approximately €9.95 to €22.95 per title.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

New Island Books publishes and sells Irish literary fiction, non-fiction, poetry, drama, and Irish language books under its own imprint. Books are released in print (hardback and paperback) and digital (e-book) formats, with titles sold directly through its e-commerce site and through Irish bookshops, complemented by international distribution partnerships. The publisher operates sub-brands including the Open Door adult literacy novella series, Modern Irish Classics reissues, and Leabhair as Gaeilge Irish language publications.

Product overview

New Island Books is Ireland's premier independent book publisher founded in 1992, publishing a broad range of Irish writing including fiction (novels, short stories, anthologies), non-fiction (memoir, biography, history, sport, nature, current affairs), poetry, drama, and Irish language works. The company operates through its core publishing division supplemented by the Open Door adult literacy series, Modern Irish Classics reissues, and Leabhair as Gaeilge Irish language publications. Books are distributed in both print and digital formats, with ebooks designed for accessibility compliance. The company has approximately seven core staff and operates an online shop for direct sales.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Open Door Series: Adult literacy series of novellas by well-known Irish authors
• Modern Irish Classics
• Leabhair as Gaeilge

Products and services

• Open Door Series

Quantifiable outcome

• Five titles shortlisted for Irish Book Awards in 2025
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Publishing IrelandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew Island is a member of Publishing Ireland and is represented on the Board and Sustainability Committee of Publishing Ireland.
• Independent Publishers GuildcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of the Independent Publishers Guild, an organization supporting independent publishing businesses.
• International Territory PublishersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnerships with publishers in other territories to bring Irish stories to wider audiences around the world.
• The ArkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublished Dream Big - New Plays from The Ark 2019-2025, celebrating thirty years of The Ark, Europe's first children's cultural centre.
• Publishing Accessibility Action Group (PAAG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSignatory to the Accessible Publishing Charter, committing to maximising accessibility of services and products for users with print disabilities.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• And Other Stories: UK-based independent literary publisher of fiction in translation and English-language originals. Comparable indie scale and literary-quality focus with international author roster.
• Galley Beggar Press: Norfolk-based independent literary publisher of fiction and non-fiction, including translated works. Comparable as a small UK indie focused on literary quality over commercial scale.
• Bloodaxe Books: Leading UK poetry publisher with a strong catalogue of contemporary Irish poets. Direct overlap with New Island's poetry publishing and similar indie scale.
• Lilliput Press: Dublin-based independent literary publisher focused on Irish fiction, poetry, memoir, and translated works. Highly comparable niche positioning as a small, literary-focused Irish indie.
• Tramp Press: Irish indie publisher of literary fiction and non-fiction by emerging and established Irish authors. Direct peer in the Irish literary indie segment with a similar author-care ethos.
• Gill Books: Major Irish independent publisher covering Irish history, biography, memoir, current affairs, and fiction. Directly comparable as a fellow Irish indie serving a similar breadth of Irish-interest non-fiction and literary titles.
• O'Brien Press: One of Ireland's leading independent publishers, publishing Irish fiction, non-fiction, children's books, and history titles. Closely comparable in scope, scale, and mission to champion Irish writing through an indie model.
• Dedalus Press: Dublin-based independent poetry publisher with a longstanding catalogue of contemporary Irish poetry. Direct peer in the Irish poetry publishing niche.

Broad incumbents

• Hachette Ireland: Irish imprint of global publisher Hachette. Larger incumbent offering overlapping Irish fiction and non-fiction titles within a much broader portfolio.
• Penguin Random House Ireland: Irish arm of the global trade publishing major. Operates a much broader catalogue across Irish and international titles and competes with New Island for high-profile Irish authors.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/westonoftintown
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/new-island-books

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about New Island Books Designated Activity Company