Encore: Colm Toibin on his early life and running away to Barcelona, Brooklyn and beyond
5/5/202652 min
The Irish novelist has always been open to where life can unexpectedly take him, and the excitement that comes with that kind of freedom.
Colm Toibin's first big move was from rural Ireland to Dublin after his father died when he was young.
Then, it was off to experience the wild hedonism and sexual liberation of post-Franco Spain, a pleasant shock after needing a prescription to buy condoms in Ireland.
Since then, he's journeyed to Sudan, Los Angeles, New York and beyond.
Wherever Colm goes, he keeps a running list in his head of tiny details — observations of seemingly mundane encounters, an offhand comment or the cut of a lady's suit on a train.
Every now and then, these details bubble up in Colm's memory and another of his well-loved novels, like Brooklyn, Nora Webster or The Master, is born.
This episode of Conversations was first broadcast in May 2025, the producer was Meggie Morris and the Executive Producer was Nicola Harrison.
It explores film adaptations, death of a parent, grief, Ireland, homophobia, growing up gay, Catholicism, epic adventure, John Crowley, Nick Hornby, Saoirse Ronan, Domhnall Gleeson, Julie Walters, Dublin, immigrant experience, the Irish immigrant experience, family separation, origin stories, falling in love, books, writers, novels, life-story, family dynamics, reflection, loss, funny, comedy, repression, orgies, condom prescriptions, journalism, foreign correspondents.
Colm's latest novel Long Island is published by Pan MacMillan.
To binge even more great episodes of the ‘Conversations podcast’ with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you’ll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, singers, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.
Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsColm Tóibín· Guest0:00
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Sarah Kanowski· Host0:05
It could be that had a circus come to Colm Tóibín's little town in Ireland when he was growing up, he might have run away with them, and perhaps I wouldn't be speaking with a world-renowned writer today, but a ringmaster or lion tamer. Colm has always been open to where life might take him. He's found excitement in that kind of freedom. And from the sitting rooms of Enniscorthy to the pubs of Dublin, from the wild parties of post-Franco Barcelona to the suburban streets of LA, wherever Colm goes, he keeps a running list of tiny details, observations of seemingly mundane encounters, an offhand comment, or the cut of a lady's outfit on a train. And these details sink down into his subconscious, waiting and ripening until one day they bubble up. Colm sits down at his desk, and another novel is born. His most recent book is a sequel to the highly acclaimed and much-loved Brooklyn. It's called Long Island. Hi, Colm.
Colm Tóibín· Guest1:10
Hi. How are you?
Sarah Kanowski· Host1:11
Did a circus ever come to Enniscorthy?
Colm Tóibín· Guest1:14
Yes, and, and it was very ... And, you know, I would've ended up as a clown, of course.
Sarah Kanowski· Host1:18
[laughs] A clown. Of course.
Colm Tóibín· Guest1:19
Or as a bad trapeze artist, you know? [laughs] Or as, or as the saw-the-woman-in-half team, you know? [laughs] I mean, y- yes, it did, and, and when I, when I'm talking about anything like that that came,