Eriu bags memoir from Cork comedian Hickey

Eriu, the Dublin-based imprint of Bonnier Books UK, has acquired A Portrait of the Piss Artist as a Young Man, a memoir from comedian Tadhg Hickey which tackles his addiction to alcohol.

Publishing director Deirdre Nolan acquired world all language rights directly from the author, with publication in the UK and Ireland in hardback, trade paperback, audio and e-book scheduled for 7th September 2023.

The publisher says: “Tadhg Hickey has experienced the wonderful highs of sell-out comedy gigs all around Ireland and the UK; writing, acting and directing his own TV shows and having his viral sketches gaining global critical and media acclaim, but he has also tackled a crippling addiction to alcohol.”

Hickey said: “What a joy it was to talk about myself non-stop for 300 pages. You just don’t get that kind of stage time in stand up. I tried to write this book as I’d tell you a story if you were sitting beside me, so if you like your stories mad, bad, sad and glad: snuggle up.”

Nolan said: “I’m delighted to be publishing this remarkable memoir of Twitter sensation, comedian and all-round great guy Tadhg Hickey. While the book is hilarious in parts – think Trainspotting but set in Cork – it’s also a deeply moving, unflinchingly honest and redemptive story of what happens when life goes wrong and addiction takes over, and how recovery from this terrible illness is always possible.”