Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom The British Poet Laureate is an honorary position appointed by the monarch of the United Kingdom on the advice of the Prime Minister. The role does not entail any specific duties, but there is an expectation that the holder will write verse for significant national occasions. The origins of the laureateship date back to 1616 when a pension was provided to Ben Jonson, but the first official holder of the position was John Dryden, appointed in 1668 by Charles II. On the death of Alfred, Lord Tennyson, who held the post between November 1850
Laureate na nÓg Laureate na nÓg Laureate na nÓg is a position awarded in Ireland once every two years to a distinguished writer or illustrator of children's books. It was set up by the Arts Council of Ireland in 2010. It is intended "to engage young people with high quality children's literature and to underline the importance of children's literature in our cultural and imaginative life". Siobhán Parkinson was the first Laureate. Niamh Sharkey (Niamh Ní Shearcaigh) is the incumbent Laureate na nÓg. Siobhán Parkinson, described by "The Irish Times" as "one of Ireland's foremost children's writers", was announced as the first holder