Books Are My Business: Bridget Farrell, founder of Bullaun Press

Bridget Farrell, Bullaun Press.

Bridget Farrell is the founder of Bullaun Press, the first press in Ireland dedicated to the art form of translation. 

Its first title, I Am Lewy, a translation by Mícheál Ó hAodha of Eoghan Ó Tuairisc’s An Lomnochtán (1977), was published in April 2022. 

Bullaun Press was established on the Aran Islands, where Farrell lived for two years. She is now based in Sligo.

How did you get into publishing?

My dad [Antony Farrell] was a publisher, he set up Lilliput Press, which is still going. All of that was normal when I was a child. 

I never considered doing it myself, it would have seemed a crazy idea. I gradually went back towards it, books and languages were my thing, and I ended up realising this was probably the perfect combination for me. 

I studied French and Russian at Cambridge. I had a particular interest in translation, and I did another translation qualification after that. It was through editing that I got back into the world of publishing but in some ways I never left it.

What is the mission of Bullaun Press?

There are quite a few levels to it. A big one is to have a platform to promote Irish translators who work in literature in translation. 

We are not dealing exclusively with Irish translators but it is good to have a home for Irish-based translators. 

For readers to discover new works in translation is another big one for us.

What does your role involve?

Everything, really, from commissioning to editing, and even though I work on my own, the work is also very collaborative. 

I have someone who helps me with the publicity end of things, social media, graphics, all of that. 

I also work closely with a typesetter and cover designer called Niall McCormack, as well as with proofreaders, copy editors, and a website designer.

What do you like most about your job?

The collaborative aspect of it is definitely up there. Independent publishing, in general, is about people working together. There is a body called Publishing Ireland that brings people together once a year but they also offer training courses during the year. 

There is also a brilliant organisation called Society of Young Publishers — for the second year, I am a mentor for them, helping people who are starting out and want to learn more. 

It is also very exciting — there are so many stages but there is a finished object at the end that you can hold. Creating something is an exciting process. I love working with the translator as well, the final editing and all of that.

What do you like least?

It can dominate your whole life, essentially, which is the case for anyone who runs a business at home.

Tell me about the next book being published by Bullaun Press 

Our second book is Without Waking Up by an Austrian author called Carolina Schutti, and is translated by Deirdre McMahon. 

We have had a lot of fun with it. The author has had books translated into 17 languages and this particular book has been translated into 13 languages. 

She has written many novels and this is the first of her books to come out in English, which is very exciting.

Three book recommendations I recently read 

Little Eyes by Samantha Schweblin, an Argentinian author who lives in Germany. Four of her books have been translated into English by an American translator, Megan McDowell. They’re brilliant.

At the moment, I am actually reading something I’ve been meaning to read for years, The Golden Notebook, by Doris Lessing, which is amazing. I would also have something from Frank O’Connor, because I love his short stories but also you have all his poetry from the Irish.

• Without Waking Up by Carolina Schutti, translated by Deirdre McMahon, published by Bullaun Press is out next month.