Wicklow Author Eilish Fisher Shortlisted for Prestigious Carnegie Medal

Wicklow author Eilish Fisher has been shortlisted for the 2026 Carnegie Medal for her verse-novel debut, Fia and the Last Snow Deer. Drawing on Irish mythology and her deep connection to nature, Fisher crafts a lyrical fantasy about Fia and her magical snow-deer, Solas, on a quest to save their village from eternal winter.

The hugely-talented Wicklow-based author Eilish Fisher has been shortlisted for the 2026 Carnegie Medal, one of the most prestigious awards in children’s and young-adult literature.

Fisher’s book, Fia and the Last Snow Deer, has been recognized for its lyrical storytelling and imaginative fantasy rooted in mythic Irish tradition.

Fisher, is no stranger to literary acclaim. She holds a master’s degree in early medieval Irish history and literature, as well as a doctorate in medieval English literature.

Her verse-novel debut has already captured the hearts of readers and critics alike, winning the Senior Children’s Book of the Year at the 2024 An Post Irish Book Awards.

On what inspired the book, Fisher said, “I was on a really beautiful frosty morning walk in the hills around Glenmalure Valley, and I began wondering: would it have been similar to what was going on in the rest of Europe? Humans are humans, whether it is in the ice age or now: we all have the same feelings and emotions, the same collective concerns for survival.”

Fia and the Last Snow Deer tells the story of Fia and her magical snow-deer, Solas, as they embark on a desperate quest to save their village from eternal winter.

Fisher described the novel as a kind of “advent calendar,” a return to a primal winter — a “time for staying still and being inside.” She added, “If I can give children that sense of quiet and cosiness, I would feel that is a job well done.”

She also explained why she chose the verse-novel form: “You have to be so careful with every word you choose … in verse you have to be succinct and sparse. But there is … a huge amount of freedom in the form … it is incredible being able to play with it.” Fisher believes verse helps young readers engage more deeply, giving them “space to play a role in the storytelling … by allowing them to imagine what they are not being told.”

Being shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal places Fisher alongside the best children’s and young-adult authors in the English-speaking world.

For Wicklow and the wider Irish literary community, her success highlights the country’s rich storytelling tradition and brings pride to local readers.

The Carnegie Medal longlist and subsequent shortlist provide a significant platform for authors, helping their work reach readers across the globe.

With her nomination, Fisher’s work is poised to inspire a new generation of young readers with tales of magic, adventure, and Irish myth.

Fisher’s recognition is a testament to the power of lyrical storytelling and the enduring appeal of Celtic-inspired fantasy, and it reinforces Ireland’s place on the map of world-class children’s literature.