Eriu lands ‘remarkable’ memoir by former Irish chief medical officer Holohan

Eriu, the Dublin-based imprint of Bonnier Books UK, has acquired We Need to Talk, a memoir by former Irish chief medical officer, Dr Tony Holohan.

Publishing director Deirdre Nolan acquired world all language rights from Marianne Gunn O’Connor. We Need to Talk will be published in the UK and Ireland on 21st September 2023 in hardback, audio and e-book. 

Holohan served as chief medical officer in Ireland for 14 years, but only really became known to the public during the Covid-19 pandemic, the publisher says, adding: “During this time his remarkable leadership skills came to the fore and he became the public face of the pandemic, helping to steer the nation through the biggest public health crisis in Ireland’s modern history.

“However, while dealing with the most serious pandemic in a century in his professional life, he was also enduring challenges at home. His beloved wife of 25 years, Emer, was battling cancer, and died in February 2021. This remarkable book reflects on these experiences and inspires us to have those difficult conversations that ultimately make life more meaningful."

Holohan said: “The responsibility of leading Ireland’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic coincided with the most challenging time of my personal life. Writing this book has given me the time to reflect on this and the many difficult, sometimes painful, personal and professional conversations that I had to have.”

Nolan added: “It is a privilege to publish Dr Holohan’s story, and there are few people that I hold in higher regard.”

Gunn O’Connor added: “Few of us are really tested in life in the way that Dr Tony Holohan was. We might ask ourselves how we would do if faced with a challenge on this scale. He led the country’s response to Covid-19 with bravery, compassion and integrity.”