Fintan O’Toole
Journalist, Author of Heroic Failure, Expert in Politics & Culture, Visiting Lecturer at Princeton University
why book fintan?
- Fintan O’Toole won the 2024 Robert B. Silvers Prize for his inclusive political commentary
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He has written 25 books, blending journalism, history, and cultural analysis with global relevance
- Fintan received the Orwell Prize for his in-depth analysis of Brexit and its cultural implications
“Having Fintan O’Toole as our keynote speaker was an absolute privilege — insightful, engaging, and wonderfully entertaining from start to finish. His perspective on Ireland’s economic and social journey resonated perfectly with our audience. Huge thanks to the team at Personally Speaking for making it all so seamless — professional, responsive, and a pleasure to work with every step of the way.”
Chris Burge CEO Spark Crowdfunding
Biography
Fintan O’Toole is one of Ireland’s leading public intellectuals, working at the crossroads of politics, history, and literature.
He writes with clarity and insight about how decisions—brave or bad—change lives. He uses journalism, literature, and theatre to explore this powerful idea.
As a columnist for The Irish Times since 1988, Fintan also contributes to The New Yorker, The Guardian, and The New York Review of Books. He teaches at Princeton University as the Leonard L. Milberg lecturer in Irish Letters.
His writing bridges culture and politics, urging people to think critically about power, identity, and progress. He believes in universal human potential, shaped by the choices we make. Fintan helps audiences understand their role in shaping society.
Fintan has written 25 books, including bestsellers on Irish identity and Brexit. Some of his books include White Savage: William Johnson and the Invention of America (2005), After the Ball (2003); Shakespeare is Hard but so is Life (2002); The Irish Times Book of the Century (1999); A Traitor’s Kiss: The Life of Richard Brinsley Sheridan (1997); The Lie of the Land: Selected Essays (1997); The Ex-Isle of Erin (1996) and Meanwhile Back at the Ranch (1995).
He won the Orwell Prize and European Press Prize for his political commentary.
In 2024, he received the Robert B. Silvers Prize for “inclusive political commentary.”
Currently, he is writing the official biography of Seamus Heaney, deepening his lifelong engagement with Irish literature.
His talks combine deep historical knowledge with modern political insight.
Fintan’s lectures leave people with a clearer understanding of the world and their own agency within it. His unique ability to explain complex ideas sets him apart.
He draws from literature, journalism, and cultural criticism to make connections that inform, inspire, and provoke thought.
Topics
Politics
Brexit, Trumpism, Democracy. Fintan brings his insight and opinions on how the global political landscape is shaping our decisions, society and culture, and he explores how we can collectively and individually make a difference.
Society
Living a dignified life. The minimum set of conditions needed to create this life. Education, healthcare, agency, empowerment.
Globalisation
The lessons learnt from Ireland’s history of globalisation.
Curiosity
Ideas start from a place of curiosity. Insatiably curious from a young age, Fintan believes that everyone has the right to information to help them make decisions. Is curiosity something we can learn, and why should we? Does the digital era help or hinder curiosity? What are we basing our decisions on? Fintan discusses these and more in this stimulating and thought-provoking keynote.
Fintan O’Toole
Resources
Books
“I would like to thank you for your contribution to the fourth Foundation Forum ‘Global recession: Europe’s way out’. Your introduction in the plenary started a very lively conversation in the workshop ‘Joint actions to tackle the recession’. Your skillful and concise summary of that debate was highly appreciated by conference participants: during the second day of the conference many referred back to your earlier interventions.”
Jorma Karppinen, Director, Eurofound
testimonials
“Having Fintan O’Toole as our keynote speaker was an absolute privilege — insightful, engaging, and wonderfully entertaining from start to finish. His perspective on Ireland’s economic and social journey resonated perfectly with our audience. Huge thanks to the team at Personally Speaking for making it all so seamless — professional, responsive, and a pleasure to work with every step of the way.”
Chris Burge CEO Spark Crowdfunding
“I would like to thank you for your contribution to the fourth Foundation Forum ‘Global recession: Europe’s way out’. Your introduction in the plenary started a very lively conversation in the workshop ‘Joint actions to tackle the recession’. Your skillful and concise summary of that debate was highly appreciated by conference participants: during the second day of the conference many referred back to your earlier interventions.”
Jorma Karppinen, Director, Eurofound
“Fintan O’Toole was unforgettable. It was a brilliant event. Capacity, audience, and it could have gone on all night. Inspirational and thought-provoking. We will certainly want him back when the new book comes out.”
Ann Luttrell, Programmer, Triskel Arts Centre
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