Àlex Garrido's 'El diable irlandès' wins Fiter i Rossell and probes migration, housing

Àlex Garrido, from Manlleu, combines a career in literature, teaching and politics. His latest novel, El diable irlandès (The Irish Devil), has won the Fiter i Rossell prize and is due in bookstores around spring; an Andorran publisher will handle publication, still to be confirmed.

The book returns to the crime novel form and opens with the death of a recently awarded writer. A distinctive Mossos d’Esquadra detective, who brings a humorous counterpoint, leads the investigation that eventually takes him to Ballymun, an immigrant neighbourhood in Ireland undergoing regeneration.

Beyond the plot, Garrido addresses a shortage of housing and real-estate speculation, using Andorra as an echoing setting. Above all, he intends the novel as an invitation to reflect on the stigmatization of migrants and the spread of hate speech directed at them.

Garrido says the idea grew from a comment by Donald Trump about expelling all immigrants; although the business sector warned such measures would damage the economy, anti-immigration rhetoric has increased. He attributes much of the growth in hateful discourse to a lack of opportunities, especially among young people, and sees how such narratives take hold in classrooms and are amplified by social networks.

At the same time, Garrido rejects placing all responsibility on social platforms. He argues that left- and centre‑ground policies in Catalonia, Spain, Europe and elsewhere have not always been successful and must reposition and learn from mistakes. He warns against what he calls excessive "bonism"—focusing too much on rights without emphasising integration and the duties that come with it—which, he believes, has helped fuel anti-migrant sentiment.

The novel also examines the errors of those who advocate alternative policies. Garrido, who stepped down as mayor of Manlleu and left party membership in 2023, says he became disillusioned with frontline politics. Working as a teacher made him aware of the current social climate and prompted a return to political engagement, but he intends to remain away from the public spotlight.