Why Colm Toibin ran away with the circus — to Barcelona, Brooklyn and beyond

May 29, 2025

Colm Toibin, an acclaimed Irish novelist known for works like Brooklyn and Nora Webster, shares his adventurous life journey. He reflects on moving from rural Ireland to the liberating chaos of post-Franco Spain. Colm discusses how personal loss and family dynamics fuel his storytelling, revealing the poignant memories that shape his novels. He contrasts the cultural richness of Los Angeles with his Irish roots, while also pondering the tension between creative desires and conventional careers. Expect insights laden with humor and nostalgia!

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ANECDOTE

Barcelona's Post-Franco Freedom

After university in Dublin, Colm moved to Barcelona inspired by friends' glamorous lives and the city's cultural freedom post-Franco. - He experienced a vibrant, liberated life with concerts, great sex, and exploration, contrasting with conservative Ireland.

insights

INSIGHT

Outsider Limits in Spain

Colm realized he couldn't fully belong in Spain as an outsider lacking citizenship and family ties. - This outsider status and limited career advancement prompted his return to Ireland.

question_answer

ANECDOTE

Condom Prescriptions Expose Repression

Contraception was banned in Ireland in the 1970s, leading Colm to humorously test doctors by requesting condom prescriptions with outrageous stories. - The experience exposed societal repression and hypocrisy in Ireland's sexual politics.

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Reflections of Childhood and Family Ties

01:33 • 19min

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Journey of Words and Identity

20:54 • 16min

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Reporting from the Heart of Famine and Politics

37:06 • 2min

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Echoes of Loss and Literary Creation

39:33 • 9min

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Cultural Reflections on Love and Life in LA

48:06 • 3min

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Reflections on Alternate Life Choices

51:01 • 2min

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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 was produced by Meggie Morris. Conversations Executive Producer is Nicola Harrison. Presented by Sarah Kanowski.

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.

He was in Australia as a guest of the Wheeler Centre, RMIT, Melbourne Writers Festival and Sydney Writers Festival.

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.

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