Fintan O'Toole

Fintan O'Toole (born 1958) is a columnist, literary editor and drama critic for The Irish Times. He has written for the paper since 1988. O'Toole was drama critic for the New York Daily News from 1997 to 2001 and is a regular contributor to The New York Review of Books. He is an author, literary critic, historical writer and political commentator, with generally left-wing views. His recent books have focused on the rise, fall and aftermath of Ireland's 'Celtic Tiger'. He has been a strong critic of political corruption in Ireland throughout his career.

O'Toole was born in Dublin, grew up in a working-class family and was educated at University College Dublin.

In 2011 he was named one of "Britain's top 300 intellectuals" by The Observer, despite not being British or living in Britain.

In 2012 and 2013 O'Toole was a Visiting Lecturer in Irish Letters at Princeton University, and contributed to the Fund for Irish Studies Series.

O'Toole was born in Dublin on 16 February 1958 and educated at Scoil Íosagáin and Coláiste Chaoimhín in Crumlin (both run by the Christian Brothers) and at University College Dublin, where he studied English and Philosophy. He became drama critic of In Dublin magazine in 1980. He joined the Sunday Tribune on its relaunch by Vincent Browne in 1983 and worked as its drama critic, literary editor, arts editor and feature writer. From 1986 to 1987 he edited Magill magazine. He joined The Irish Times as a columnist in 1988 and his columns have appeared twice-weekly ever since. He took a sabbatical in 1990-1991 to work as Literary Adviser to the Abbey Theatre. In 1994 he was one of the presenters for the last season of BBC TV's The Late Show. From 1997 to 2001 he was drama critic of the Daily News in New York. In 2011 he was appointed as literary editor of The Irish Times.

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