11 Essential Books by Irish Authors That Are Worth Reading

Every country breeds its own distinctive canon of fiction writing. With its rich language, stimulating history, and evocative mythology, Ireland has been the birthplace of some of the most important and enduring works of literature. 

Between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, there’s a combined population of just 7 million, but the island regularly punches above its weight in literary terms. For example, across the 55-year existence of the Booker Prize (the leading award for novels written in English), more than 20 Irish authors have made the shortlist—and five have won.

You’ll find many of those Booker nominees and winners on the list below, which spans 300 years of fiction originating in the Emerald Isle. From imaginary voyages and legendary figures to social dramas and dark familial secrets, there’s something here for everyone to enjoy.

1. Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift (1726)
2. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde (1890)
3. Dubliners by James Joyce (1914)
4. At Swim-Two-Birds by Flann O’Brien (1939)
5. Molloy by Samuel Beckett (1951)
6. The Country Girls by Edna O’Brien (1960)
7. Good Behaviour by Molly Keane (1981)
8. Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha by Roddy Doyle (1993)
9. The Gathering by Anne Enright (2007)
10. Room by Emma Donoghue (2010)
11. Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan (2021)

Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift (1726)

How many authors have lent their name to an entire writing style? The term Swiftian refers to a nuanced and insightful form of satire, and this is the work that defines it. Born in 1667 in Dublin, in what was then the Kingdom of Ireland, Jonathan Swift was an ordained priest and scholar with an Oxford degree, as well as a political activist. Through the fantastical stories in Gulliver’s Travels, Swift skewers human hypocrisy and arrogance with a subtle and razor-sharp wit. Philosophy aside, the novel stands as a hugely enjoyable tale of the titular Gulliver as he travels to a series of weird and wonderful lands. It played a pivotal role in establishing Swift as one of the greatest writers of his era.

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde (1890)

Another Dublin native, Oscar Wilde is remembered as one of the most popular playwrights of his day. His wit was equally legendary, as displayed in countless much-quoted epigrams. Wilde, unfortunately, suffered under the tyrannical homophobia of the times, serving two years in prison for “homosexual acts.”The Picture of Dorian Gray is Wilde’s only novel, a gothic horror charting the story of the hedonistic Gray, who trades his soul for eternal youth. Contemporary critics slammed the book as an affront to common decency. These days, it is rightly considered one of the greatest novels ever written in the English language.

Dubliners by James Joyce (1914)

James Joyce remains a towering figure in the history of literature, not the least of which is due to Ulysses (1922) and Finnegans Wake (1939), his two most daring and daunting novels, which each stand as landmarks of avant-garde writing. Dubliners, an earlier work, is far more accessible—a collection of 15 short stories, all examining the then-current state of Irish culture and radical ideas during the turbulent years of the Irish nationalism movement.  Between 1905 and the time of publication, Joyce submitted his manuscript to no less than 15 different publishers. He had to fight numerous battles against the proposed censorship of his text.

At Swim-Two-Birds by Flann O’Brien (1939)

The term meta might be considered a modern word, but it certainly applies to this mind-twisting novel from the late 1930s that features a series of interconnecting (or not) plot lines. Flann O’Brien (real name Brian O’Nolan) was born in Strabane, County Tyrone. He was a civil servant, playwright, and columnist, in addition to penning sublime works of fiction. At Swim-Two-Birds is presented as a first-person narrative from an unnamed student, but it actually follows three different stories. The first concerns Pooka MacPhellimey, “a member of the devil class”; the second follows John Furriskey, a fictional character created by another fictional character. The last features the legendary character Finn MacCool. All told, the novel is a mad, bad ride from start to finish.

Molloy by Samuel Beckett (1951)

A writer of novels, plays, short stories, and poems, Samuel Beckett is probably best known for his landmark play Waiting for Godot—a metaphysical work whose meaning is still being explored today. His novel, Molloy, was initially written and published in French before its translation to English. It is split into two parts, each with the internal monologue of a different character; first comes the titular Molloy, while the second is Jacques Moran. The novel begins with Molloy explaining that he lives in his deceased mother’s room but does not remember when his mother died or how he came to be there. It’s certainly an absorbing read, but don’t expect a conventional narrative (or anything conventional at all).

The Country Girls by Edna O’Brien (1960)

As the first in a trilogy of novels by Edna O’Brien, this story follows two young girls named Caithleen Brady and Bridget Brennan as they travel from the safe, closeted environment of their country convent school to pursue a life in the big city. The many twists and turns experienced by these two contrasting characters make for a wonderful read, and the novel was considered very progressive for its time. O’Brien’s exploration of social and sexual issues from a woman’s perspective brought censorship from some religious leaders, but didn’t prevent her work’s enduring popularity. A television adaptation was filmed in 1983, directed by Desmond Davis.

Good Behaviour by Molly Keane (1981)

Molly Keane’s novel kicks off in the early years of the 20th century and tells the story of the upper-class St. Charles family, as seen through the eyes of their daughter, Aroon. It’s an engrossing tale of repression, willful ignorance, and societal stigma. Of particular delight is Keane’s ability to conjure vivid characters—a serial-cheating father, emotionally detached mother, and gay brother, for instance—through Aroon’s observations. Keane herself was born in Newbridge, County Kildare. There are certainly autobiographical elements on display in Good Behaviour, which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 1981. The BBC adaptation, which aired in 1983, turned the book into a three-part mini-series.

Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha by Roddy Doyle (1993)

Born into a middle-class family in Dublin, Roddy Doyle is a novelist, dramatist, and screenwriter of immensely popular and critically well-received works. Set in the fictional suburb of Barrytown, Dublin, in 1968, Paddy Clarke charts the story of the eponymous protagonist—a spirited 10-year-old boy—and his relationships with his younger brother, working-class parents, and classmates over the course of several life-altering months. The novel won the Booker Prize during the year of its publication. Doyle wrote four additional novels set in Barrytown, three of which have been adapted for film, with screenplays by the author himself, including the celebrated 1991 musical-comedy, The Commitments.

The Gathering by Anne Enright (2007)

Anne Enright holds the distinction of being the first-ever Laureate for Irish Fiction, a post which she occupied from 2015 to 2018. The Dublin native has won several awards for her work, including Irish Novel of the Year for The Green Road and the Carnegie Medal for The Forgotten Waltz. In 2007, The Gathering garnered the most esteemed prize of them all: the Booker. The plot centers on Veronica, one of eight surviving siblings who gather in Dublin for the wake of their brother, Liam. As Veronica reflects on their shared childhood in a search for the reason behind Liam’s death by suicide, dark family truths begin to emerge.

Room by Emma Donoghue (2010)

Donoghue made a bold narrative choice for this intense yet sobering novel. Room is told through the eyes of 5-year-old Jack, who is held prisoner in a small enclosure along with his mother. Inspired by the shocking real-life sexual abuse case of Josef Fritzl, this harrowing read was longlisted for the 2011 Orange Prize, shortlisted for the Booker, and won the Commonwealth Writer’s Prize. In 2015, a film adaptation starring Brie Larson scooped four Academy Award nominations. Larson was the only one who walked away with Oscar gold, earning the Best Actress award for her heart-wrenching performance in the film.

Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan (2021)

This is a novel about doing the right thing and being counted upon, a lesson that feels especially pertinent in modern times. The story, which is based on the real-life controversy surrounding Ireland’s Magdalene laundries, revolves around Bill Furlong, who works as a coal merchant in 1980s Ireland. When Bill begins to suspect that everything is not going well at a local convent, he faces personal and social pressure to not become involved. The convent, as Bill finally uncovers, is acting as a de facto workhouse where vulnerable young women are abused. Claire Keegan’s novel won the Orwell Prize for Political Fiction and was shortlisted for the Booker. An adaptation starring Cillian Murphy and Matt Damon hit theaters in the UK in late 2024.

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