Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with 32 Books by Irish Authors
Looking to add a little green to your reading list? In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, here’s a list of books by Irish writers from every county in Ireland. I haven’t read all these yet, but it would be a fun project! (My family lives mostly in Louth). So, if you’re wondering what to read for St. Patrick’s Day, this list of Irish writers by county will keep you busy.
Leinster
- Carlow: The Cold Eye of Heaven by Christine Dwyer Hickey
- Dublin: Ulysses by James Joyce
- Kildare: The Sea and the Silence by Peter Cunningham
- Kilkenny: House of Splendid Isolation by Edna O’Brien
- Laois: The Uninvited by Dorothy Macardle
- Longford: The Bogman by Walter Macken (born in Galway but this book explores Longford’s rural life)
- Louth: The Spinning Heart by Donal Ryan
- Meath: The Good People by Hannah Kent (though Australian, the book is set in Meath, heavily researched for cultural accuracy)
- Offaly: The Story of Lucy Gault by William Trevor
- Westmeath: The Fourth Estate by Conor O’Clery (international journalist originally from Westmeath)
- Wexford: Brooklyn by Colm Tóibín
- Wicklow: The Light of Evening by Edna O’Brien (County Clare native, but often inspired by Wicklow)
Munster
- Clare: Ghost Light by Joseph O’Connor
- Cork: The Blackwater Lightship by Colm Tóibín
- Kerry: The Children of Lir by Michael Scott
- Limerick: Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt
- Tipperary: The Secret Scripture by Sebastian Barry (while Barry himself hails from Dublin, the novel is set in Tipperary and Sligo)
- Waterford: The Woman Who Walked into Doors by Roddy Doyle (although from Dublin, his wife’s family roots in Waterford inspired part of his work)
Connacht
- Galway: Star of the Sea by Joseph O’Connor
- Leitrim: Reading in the Dark by Seamus Deane (Donegal born, with characters inspired by Connacht regions)
- Mayo: The Green Road by Anne Enright
- Roscommon: Amongst Women by John McGahern (McGahern’s novels often depict life in Roscommon and Leitrim)
- Sligo: The Barracks by John McGahern
Ulster
- Antrim: Milkman by Anna Burns
- Armagh: The Twelve by Stuart Neville
- Cavan: The Butcher Boy by Patrick McCabe (while technically from Monaghan, McCabe’s works often explore Cavan-like rural settings)
- Derry: Eureka Street by Robert McLiam Wilson
- Donegal: This is Happiness by Niall Williams
- Down: Where Are We Now? by Glenn Patterson
- Fermanagh: The Hill Bachelors by William Trevor (set in border counties)
- Monaghan: The Dead School by Patrick McCabe
- Tyrone: Cal by Bernard MacLaverty
If you want to explore classic Irish literature, be the first on the block to read hidden literary gems from Ireland or find the perfect St. Patrick’s Day book, this list of Irish writers from every county in Ireland is a great place to start. There’s a little of everything here, from well-known Irish novelists to emerging Irish authors.
Have you read any of these books by Irish writers? Which county’s author are you most excited to explore? Share your thoughts in the comments and discuss the best Irish books to read this year!
Lá Fhéile Pádraig sona daoibh! (Happy St. Patrick’s Day!)
Bonus: Here’s my Goodreads list of books set in Ireland, are by Irish Authors or are otherwise connected to Ireland.
