Pick up a Penguin

The Penguin publishing group announced a new venture in Ireland last week. Ireland is the only major English-speaking market that the group does not have a significant presence in.

The move will start with a small team of five or six editorial staff in Ireland.

“This will place the company closer to the grass roots where we know the markets and the media,” Michael McLoughlin, the managing director of Penguin Ireland, said. “Irish writers want international success as well as domestic. From day one, we will offer the opportunity to Irish authors to be published on an international scale.”

Penguin’s group managing director, Helen Fraser, added: “Ireland has long been a powerhouse for generating English-language bestsellers. To do really well in Ireland, you need a strong presence on the ground.”

The Irish general titles book market was worth euro 66 million last year. This market has grown by about 10 percent each year for the last two years, Penguin said.