Founder of Brandon Books, Steve McDonagh died this week after a short illness.

McDonagh, 61, founded Brandon Books in 1982, in Dingle, Co. Kerry where he lived for many years.

Brandon has been a leading imprint in Ireland since 1982.

They have established an international reputation for fiction and non-fiction and have enjoyed a colourful and often controversial history.

Many of the books Brandon publish, particularly their fiction, have considerable international rights potential.

Although they are a small company publishing only about fifteen titles a year, many of the bestselling books ever published in Ireland have been published by Brandon.

Some of their authors include Neil Jordan, Gerry Adams and Ken Bruen.

Brandon Books published Sinn Fein president's 2003 memoirs of the peace process, called "Hope and History: Making Peace in Ireland."

Adams, in a statement, expressed his condolences to McDonagh's family.

“Steve was deeply committed to free speech and against censorship as well as a fine writer himself and a very good poet," he said.

McDonagh penned several books himself.

McDonagh's latest book, "Barack Obama: The Road from Moneygal" traced the heritage of Obama's lineage.