"Definitive" Irish Books To Read

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Sorry if a thread like this was made already, I looked a bit and couldn't find one.

Basically I was reading an article about Irish writers the other day and I realised that apart from one or two that we were made to read at school I've read very little by Irish authors. So I was wondering if anyone could recommend what books I should tick of the list first. I'm thinking mainly the "classics" like Yeats, Stoker, Wilde etc. etc. but any books by Irish authors really.

Thanks in advance.

MungBean

Flann O'Brien - Third Policeman, Dalkey Archive, At Swim Two Birds.
Jonathan Swift - Gulliver's Travels

I've had Ulysses for 5 years and haven't plucked up the courage to tackle it but I'll let ya know if I do lol.

Other people might be better able recommend the works of Wilde, Joyce and Yeats. I might join you in your quest and try catch up on Irish works your post just made me realise how little I've read of some of the greatest authors. The next few books I plan on reading are.

Re-read Third Policeman because its brilliant
Dracula - Stoker
Picture of Dorian Grey - Wilde
Ulysses - Joyce (perhaps)
Finnegan's Wake - Joyce (if Ulysses falls through)

Eliot Rosewater

John McGahern's work is probably essential reading here. Amongst Women won the Booker Prize. Most of his work paints a (deservedly) negative picture of Ireland but his last novel, That They May Face the Rising Sun, is more celebratory, and is quite nice for that.

SBWife

While more recent than most listed previously Joseph O'Connor's "Star of the Sea" surely deserves a mention here. I'd also include Kate O'Brian's "Land of Spices" and Maria Edgeworth's "Castle Rackrent".

Denerick

Patrick Kavanagh for both his poetry and his two books (The Green Fool and Tarry Flynn)

You might want to give J.G. Farrel a try. Though not an Irishman, his book Troubles is probably the best book about Ireland written in the last 40 years.

Permabear

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Denerick

Permabear provided a great anthology there, wonderful to see both Burke and Kavanagh listed.

If you're curious about Burke, his collected letters (Especially with regards to Ireland) are a goldmine for insight and eloquence. Don't let the dozen or so volumes put you off...

Hookah

'Bonkie the Great Bank' Blagger by Seamus O'Mulgreavey.

chasmcb

A couple others not yet mentioned;

James Stephens: The Crock of Gold
Sean O'Casey: Juno & The Paycock, Shadow of a Gunman, The Plough & the Stars
Aidan Higgins: Langrishe, Go Down
Eugene McCabe: Death and the Nightingale
Pat McCabe: Butcher Boy
Sean O'Tuama/Thomas Kinsella anthology of Irish verse from 1600-1900, 'An Duanaire, Poems of the Dispossessed'

SBWife

Anne Enright - The Gathering
Maeve Brennan - The Rose Garden: Short Stories - The Holy Terror in particular
Edna O'Brien - The Country Girls

pavb2

Might be speaking too soon, I'm quarter of the way through Thomas Flanagan's Year of the French and so far his attention to detail and story really hold the interest.

(Son of Irish grandparents so I think he's American)

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Thanks for all these guys. I went to the library today, forgot the piece of paper I had them written down on and my mind went completely blank when I got in there. I managed to remember Flan O'Brien though, so I got At Swim-Two-Birds and The Third Policeman. So I'll get started on him for now.

Keep them coming though, I'm going to try and get through as many of them as possible.

Red Hand

Flann O Brien's other great pseudonym was Myles na gCapaleen and his writings in the Irish Times are some of funniest things that an Irish writer has come out with. The Best of Myles is a collection of his column in the Irish Times. Check it out!

He also wrote under the name George Knowall for a Leinster paper and there is a collection of these writings too, but they aren't as good as Sir Myles (the Da).

Permabear

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dr gonzo

Just to add one that came to mind onto Permabears list is the Ragged Trousered Philanthropists. I havent read it myself but ive heard its brilliant and am planning on reading it soon.

I probably shouldnt be posting books i havent read myself but ah sure why not

Bearhunter

dr gonzo wrote: »

Just to add one that came to mind onto Permabears list is the Ragged Trousered Philanthropists. I havent read it myself but ive heard its brilliant and am planning on reading it soon.

I probably shouldnt be posting books i havent read myself but ah sure why not

Couldn't agree more. A truly great book.

And for comic value I'd recommend Hugh Leonard's two memoirs, Home Before Night and Out After Dark. Excellent books and a good record of an ordinary childhood back when Dalkey was a working village.

byhookorbycrook

Am picking different types of books ,to widen the scope of the question

The Island Man /An t-Oileánach by Tomas Ó Criomhtain
Irish Fairy Tales -Sineád De Valera
The Irish RM (Somerville and Ross)

wow sierra

Walter Macken was a brilliant Irish writer of historical fiction that you don't hear much about now. I read almost everything he wrote way back in the 80s when I was a teenager but I must get back to reading them again.



Some deal with life on the Islands off the west of Ireland. There's a trilogy Seek the Fair Land, The Silent People, The Scorching Wind dealing with the 1600s (Cromwell), the 1800s(Famine) and the divide between two brothers one who went to WW1 and one who faught in 1916. They are a good way to bring Irish history to life.

I can still vividly remember the depiction of the harsh Island life in them even though its so long since I read them.

patff

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

The Island Man /An t-Oileánach by Tomas Ó Criomhtain

Very stark and sad book I thought, and surprisingly unsentimental. Ghost written by an Englishman if I recall correctly, beautiful book.

wow sierra

patff wrote: »

Very stark and sad book I thought, and surprisingly unsentimental. Ghost written by an Englishman if I recall correctly, beautiful book.

An tOileánach was translated from the original Irish rather than ghost written. Really good book to give the social history of the Islanders - how they lived, what they ate, pastimes, emigration. I really liked the way they "recovered" (stole;)) cargo from shipwrecks and the depiction of the fun on the visits to Dingle etc.

Nhead

James Stephens - The Insurrection in Dublin-his eyewitness account of the 1916 Rising

Brendan Behan - Confessions of an Irish Rebel and The Quare Fellow and everything mentioned by Permabear:D

Mardy Bum

Roddy Doyle- Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha
Edna o Brien- Country Girls

Two great books authentically Irish and modern.

snooleen

Can't go wrong with a bit of Roddy Doyle.

+1 for The Picture of Dorian Gray, great book. And if you want to experience some Joyce without diving into Ulysses, A Portrait of The Artist as a Young Man is a great, really intriguing book which isn't at all difficult to read. Definitely not compared to Ulysses..bane. of my existence. gah.

Enkidu

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

The Island Man /An t-Oileánach by Tomas Ó Criomhtain

I think An t-Oileánach is a very good book, but more for historical reasons and the alien mindset of Ó Criomhthain. Although Flower tries hard I think his translation misses that mindset, the "unmoved observer" type thinking.

I think the best stuff in Irish would be:
(Permabear has already done the English side)

Cré na Cille, by Máirtín Ó Cadhain
Influenced by Joyce (as Ó Cadhain himself said), it is one of the few books that really plays with the language and is a genuinely challenging read. The amount of sources drawn upon here is immense. The poetry of the Bards, the early nature poetry of the Old Irish (monastic) standard, the law texts, the dialects, e.t.c. All are fused into what I can only call "Ó Cadhain" Gaelic, giving linguistics constructions which are enjoyable in and of themselves.

Gile na Gile, Aodhagán Ó Rathaille
One of the finest poems in the language, about the desire for the "true" monarch to sit on the English throne.

Caoineadh Airt Uí Laoghaire, Eibhlín Dubh Ní Chonaill
Very emotional, which is extremely rare for Gaelic poetry. In my opinion the best poem in Gaelic in the modern period.

Pandoras Twist

John Banville is an amazing writer.

Mefisto is one of his I really enjoyed. Quite off the wall but solid writing.

I have to say I don't understand the Ulysses thing. I tried a few times to read it and it's just too incoherent for me to the point were I don't enjoy reading it. If I'm not enjoying it I stop reading. I don't see the point in struggling through a book just to say I read it.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

What's the craic with Ulysses? Is it just that it's really long or is it the style of writing that makes it so hard to read? I remember being put off East Of Eden for a long time because of hoe thick it looked but it wasn't that hard to get through.

Denerick

Pandoras Twist wrote: »

John Banville is an amazing writer.

Mefisto is one of his I really enjoyed. Quite off the wall but solid writing.

I enjoyed 'The Book of Evidence'. A rather beautiful book I have to say. The man has great insight.

Pandoras Twist

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

What's the craic with Ulysses? Is it just that it's really long or is it the style of writing that makes it so hard to read? I remember being put off East Of Eden for a long time because of hoe thick it looked but it wasn't that hard to get through.

A long book wouldn't put me off, I read Les Miserables and it was one of the most enjoyable books I've ever read. Ulysses is really incoherent to me anyway. Might be easier to read if I just read every third sentence or something because they don't seem to link. Maybe it gets better after the first bit, but I've just never gotten past the initial "oh god"

Blush_01

Charles Robert Maturin's Melmoth the Wanderer is pretty impressive.

Hermy

Although the author J.P. Donleavy is not strictly Irish I think his novel The Gingerman certainly is worthy of inclusion in any list of Irish books.

P. Breathnach

Thirty posts, and nobody yet has mentioned Jennifer Johnston? Try The Captains and the Kings or How Many Miles to Babylon?

P. Breathnach

wow sierra wrote: »

An tOileánach was translated from the original Irish rather than ghost written...

True, but there was, apparently, a bit of editorial interference by Pádraig Ó Siochfhradha ("An Seabhach").

If you read it, I suggest that you also read "Fiche Bliana ag Fás" to get a different perspective on the life of the Islanders.

Permabear

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teekayd25

A couple of John B. Keane's more famous titles were mentioned but it's also important not to overlook his short story collections. Also the "Letters of . . ." series, like "Letters of a Love-Hungry Farmer", "Letters of a Matchmaker", "Letters of a Successful T.D.", etc.

Bearhunter

One of my favourite ever books is Michael O'Gormon's Clancy's Bulba, a tale of friendship, piles and cockfighting in post-independence Ireland. One of the most enjoyable books I've ever read and hilarious, too. And I'd stick in Puckoon as a definitive Irish book as well.

Wester

I'd add December Bride by Sam Hanna Bell to any list. Given Bell's Ulster-Scots background, some might argue that it's a strange choice for a list of Irish books but there are many traditions on this island and all are worthy of study. In any case, it's a great read centering on the story of a servant girl and her relationship with two brothers on a farm in Northern Ireland. It was made into a movie with Donal McCann in 1990.

http://www.culturenorthernireland.org/article.aspx?art_id=773

Blush_01

Wester wrote: »

I'd add December Bride by Sam Hanna Bell to any list. Given Bell's Ulster-Scots background, some might argue that it's a strange choice for a list of Irish books but there are many traditions on this island and all are worthy of study. In any case, it's a great read centering on the story of a servant girl and her relationship with two brothers on a farm in Northern Ireland. It was made into a movie with Donal McCann in 1990.

http://www.culturenorthernireland.org/article.aspx?art_id=773

Made me cry. (The bit with the grave.)

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

P. Breathnach wrote: »

Thirty posts, and nobody yet has mentioned Jennifer Johnston? Try The Captains and the Kings or How Many Miles to Babylon?

I did "How Many Miles To Babylon?" for my Leaving Cert, absolutely loved it.

I've been trying to get through some of these suggestions but am not making much progress. I tried reading "At Swim Two Birds" while I was away there but it was really hard to get into. It really didn't make a lot of sense. To be fair I only read about 20 pages of it but usually if a book isn't making sense by then it's not for me.

MungBean

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

I did "How Many Miles To Babylon?" for my Leaving Cert, absolutely loved it.

I've been trying to get through some of these suggestions but am not making much progress. I tried reading "At Swim Two Birds" while I was away there but it was really hard to get into. It really didn't make a lot of sense. To be fair I only read about 20 pages of it but usually if a book isn't making sense by then it's not for me.

You should read the third policeman first. It has the same absurd humour as the others but its an easier read and will get you acquainted with his writing style. It did for me anyway.

cml387

The Third Policeman must be one of irish (indeed world) literature's greatest "unknown" works in my opinion.
And he couldn't get it published! He worked some of the ideas into The Dalkey Archive.

Permabear's list reminds me that many of the works mentioned are availble free (and in Kindle format) from Gutenebrg.But you all know that I guess.

drn987

The Journey Home - Dermot Bolger.

Amazed that no one has mentioned this book. To my mind, it's the great Irish novel of the 1980s, and it sums up that decade in Ireland so well. If you remember the 80s, the era of Haughey and heroin and emigration, then you will love this book.

IvyTheTerrible

The Valley of the Squinting Windows by Brinsley MacNamara. A book that was banned, also caused a scandal in the town of Delvin, as some of the residents recognised themselves in some of the unpleasant characters in the novel. A good view of a particular time in Ireland.

SBWife

IvyTheTerrible wrote: »

The Valley of the Squinting Windows by Brinsley MacNamara. A book that was banned, also caused a scandal in the town of Granard, as some of the residents recognised themselves in some of the unpleasant characters in the novel. A good view of a particular time in Ireland.

I though it was based on Delvin?

IvyTheTerrible

SBWife wrote: »

I though it was based on Delvin?

Ah yes of course. I was mixing up small midland towns

Duffy the Vampire Slayer

Eliot Rosewater wrote: »

John McGahern's work is probably essential reading here. Amongst Women won the Booker Prize. Most of his work paints a (deservedly) negative picture of Ireland but his last novel, That They May Face the Rising Sun, is more celebratory, and is quite nice for that.

I couldn't agree more, McGaherns work gives a great insight into life in the west over the course of the late 20th century. As well as the two novels which you mentioned I'd also highly recommend 'The Dark' which I read recently. A very grim novel about a young mans experiences growing up in a similar household to that of 'Amongst Women'.

SBWife wrote: »

While more recent than most listed previously Joseph O'Connor's "Star of the Sea" surely deserves a mention here.

Definitely. Its an excellent novel with some brilliant characterization and one of the most gripping plots I've ever encountered. Its also one of those novels which I find gets better every time I read it as its full of subtle details.

dr gonzo wrote: »

Just to add one that came to mind onto Permabears list is the Ragged Trousered Philanthropists. I havent read it myself but ive heard its brilliant and am planning on reading it soon.

I'm reading it at the moment and although its a brilliant novel by an Irishman, its definitely not an Irish novel. Its set in a south of England coastal town and so far there have been no Irish elements to the plot.

Denerick wrote: »

I enjoyed 'The Book of Evidence'. A rather beautiful book I have to say. The man has great insight.

I loved 'The Book of Evidence'. Unfortunately I couldn't finish 'The Sea', an enormous letdown in my opinion.

Hermy wrote: »

Although the author J.P. Donleavy is not strictly Irish I think his novel The Gingerman certainly is worthy of inclusion in any list of Irish books.

Absolutely. A very funny book, I really must read it again sometime soon.

P. Breathnach wrote: »

Thirty posts, and nobody yet has mentioned Jennifer Johnston? Try The Captains and the Kings or How Many Miles to Babylon?

I have a copy of 'The Captains and the Kings' lying around, must give it a look sometime.


I'd also agree strongly with everyone who has mentioned Flann O'Brien and Joyce.

UnLuckyAgain

Kate O'Brien's Land of Spices is a fantastic read - written soon after the culmination of the 1937 Constitution as far as I remember.

A slightly more nuanced Irish book is Maria Edgeworth's The Absentee. It involves absentee landlords and the attempts at the assimilation of Irish 'bourgeoisie' into English culture. I think that you would have to be quite interested in Irish history to enjoy the book though.

Persiancowboy

Some excellent suggestions in this thread. I'd suggest two particular books/authors that haven't yet been mentioned:

The Butcher Boy by Patrick McCabe .... people are probably familiar with Neil Jordan's film version but the novel is brilliant and is in my opinion McCabe's best work (far superior to some of his more recent novels(.

The Speckled People by Hugo Hamilton. Sadly not enough people are familiar with this Irish/German writer. This book chronicles his childhood in south Dublin during the 50s/60s and is a poignant and brilliantly told story. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

Aglomerado

dr gonzo wrote: »

Just to add one that came to mind onto Permabears list is the Ragged Trousered Philanthropists. I havent read it myself but ive heard its brilliant and am planning on reading it soon.

I probably shouldnt be posting books i havent read myself but ah sure why not

I finished this recently, thought the humour was excellent! (especially in the way characters are named). A good insight into Socialism and the lives of working men and their families.

Hermy

Persiancowboy wrote: »

The Butcher Boy by Patrick McCabe .... people are probably familiar with Neil Jordan's film version but the novel is brilliant and is in my opinion McCabe's best work (far superior to some of his more recent novels(.

Tis a great book but my favourite by far is The Dead School.

navigator

My favourite are
The dead, the last short story in Dubliners
Gulliver's travels
The country girls by Edna O'Brien
Cowboys and indians by Joseph O'Connor
Eureka street by Robert McLiam Wilson

I also appreciated the book about Connemara by Tim Robinson

I'm just reading 'The journey home' by Dermot Bolger

HeadPig

Never really enjoyed The Third Policeman much, anyone explain what they thought was so great about it?