Eoin Colfer is an Irish author of children's books. He was born in Wexford on the South-East coast of Ireland in 1965, where he and his four brothers were brought up by his father (an elementary school teacher, historian, and artist of note) and mother (a drama teacher). He developed an interest in writing in primary school, inspired by history and gripping Viking stories.
Colfer earned his degree from Dublin University and began teaching primary school in Wexford. He and his wife spent four years (1992–1996) working abroad in Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, and Italy. His first book, Benny and Omar (1998), was inspired by his time in Tunisia and has been translated into numerous languages. A sequel followed in 1999, paving the way for his breakout success with the Artemis Fowl series in 2001. Following the massive success of the series, which has sold over 25 million copies and been translated into 40 languages, Eoin left teaching to focus entirely on writing.
The Artemis Fowl series includes eight novels, several companion books, and a 2019 spin-off trilogy, The Fowl Twins. In 2020, Walt Disney Studios released an Artemis Fowl movie adaptation on Disney+.
Colfer's other works include The Wish List, The Supernaturalist, the Legends series, and Half Moon Investigations, which was adapted into a successful BBC television series. He has also written the WARP series and crime novels featuring Irish bouncer Daniel McEvoy. In 2009, he wrote And Another Thing…, the final installment in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy series, entrusted by the Douglas Adams estate.
Collaborations like the picture book Imaginary Fred with Oliver Jeffers and the graphic novel Illegal with Andrew Donkin and Giovanni Rigano have garnered critical acclaim. Recent works such as Global (2021) and Beanie and the Banshee (2024) continue to cement his reputation as a master storyteller.
For adult readers, Colfer's Highfire (2020) introduced a new fantasy world featuring a vodka-drinking, Flashdance-loving dragon in a Louisiana bayou. A former Children’s Laureate of Ireland, Eoin proudly keeps his laureate medal close at all times—even in the bath.