The Irish Magazines

Tolka is a biannual literary journal of non-fiction, featuring essays, reportage, travel writing, auto-fiction, individual stories, and writing that transcends traditional categories. The journal publishes work that is formally diverse and encourages writers to push the creative boundaries of non-fiction.

Named after the Tolka river, derived from the Irish word "tolga" meaning to overflow or flood, Tolka aims to provide a platform for an overflow of new forms and styles of writing.

The journal has published some of the most innovative contemporary Irish writers, including Eimear McBride, Brian Dillon, Roisin Kiberd, Niamh Campbell, and Nidhi Zak/Aria Eipe. It also strongly supports new writers and writing from around the globe.

Tolka is a print journal, with some pieces also available online, emphasizing quality design and finishes to create a visually appealing publication.

The journal prioritizes a proactive approach to diversity and inclusivity to address structural inequalities and imbalances in cultural representation. It promotes work by writers who are underrepresented in the arts due to socio-economic background, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, family status, age, or disability.

Tolka is edited by Liam Harrison, Seán Hayes, and Catherine Hearn, and is proudly supported by the Arts Council. Contributing editors include Madeline Arkins, Chloé Duane, Martin Schauss, and Caoihme White. In 2024, Brian Robert Moore serves as the translator-in-residence. The journal is designed by Sarah McCoy.