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What's the most famous book set in each County of Ireland?

  • 10-04-2017 11:24am
    #1
    Azebra
    Registered Users Posts: 2 ✭


    I am looking for the most famous or best book set in each county in Ireland e.g. Ulysses is probably the most famous book set in Dublin. I suppose it can be novels, plays, biography. no rules really.

    Cheers.
    Tagged:


Comments

  • #2
    UsedToWait
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,273 ✭✭✭UsedToWait


    Co. Leitrim - Amongst Women, John McGahern


  • #3
    Joe_ Public
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,023 ✭✭✭✭Joe_ Public


    Think they are two separate, distinct categories there:

    For example most famous literary work set in Co Kerry is probably Peig Sayers. Best is somethign from John B Keane, maybe Sive.

    Most famous from Co Monaghan is The Butcher Boy, having a film made of it, but best by far (imho anyway) is Patrick Kavanagh's epic The Great Hunger.


  • #4
    buck65
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,969 ✭✭✭buck65


    Edna O Brien - The Country Girls , set in East Clare I believe, well Edna is from there so I assume that is the setting.


  • #5
    echo beach
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,252 ✭✭✭echo beach


    Lots of books are set in Donegal but none really stands out as a classic.
    Most famous, or certainly bestselling, is probably the Jim MCGuinness autobiography, Until Victory Always.
    Funniest is No News at Throat Lake by Lawerence Donegal which is an account of his time working on a local paper there.


  • #6
    Joe_ Public
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,023 ✭✭✭✭Joe_ Public


    I liked Donegan's Four Iron In the Soul about his year caddying for a dour Scottish pro, but never got round to the Donegal one.

    I would imagine Friel would be the man there if you take plays into account. I vaguely recall one or two Brian Moore novels set or partly set in Donegal too, loved reading Moore growing up.


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  • #7
    lukegriffen
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 237 ✭✭lukegriffen


    Laurence Donegan's golf book was great, but even better was his book about being a used-car salesman in usa, california dreaming

    this is my tuppence worth
    Longford - Castle Rackrent - Edgeworth , the 1st irish modern novel (Goldsmith was also from Longford region, but never wrote about Ireland)
    westmeath - the bend for home, dermot healy
    monaghan - francie brady aka the butcher boy
    derry - reading in the dark, seamus dean
    sligo - contemporary - there are little kingdoms, kevin barry (otherwise Yeats)
    wexford - you've colm toibin... dervla murphy wrote about practically except wexford
    limerick - angela's ashes
    waterford - molly keane ?
    offaly - marina carr...

    ?????


  • #8
    TICKLE_ME_ELMO
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 23,931 Mod ✭✭✭✭TICKLE_ME_ELMO


    Dancing at Lughnasa would probably be the most well known for Donegal.

    Brooklyn maybe for Wexford, off the back of the film anyway.


  • #9
    Noveight
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,813 ✭✭✭Noveight


    Cork - The Last September


  • #10
    fisgon
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,747 ✭✭✭fisgon


    Antrim (Belfast) - The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearn - Brian Moore, or Fat Lad - Glenn Patterson
    Mayo - Beatlebone - Kevin Barry (there may be others more famous)
    Waterford - Waterford Whispers News :)


  • #11
    Joe_ Public
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,023 ✭✭✭✭Joe_ Public


    Something by Colm Toibin probably be popular for Wexford alright, though my personal choice would be Troubles by JG Farrell

    Tipperary: My Fight for Freedom - Dan Breen


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  • #12
    me_right_one
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,043 ✭✭✭me_right_one


    Westmeath - Valley of the squinting windows


  • #13
    mewe
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,557 ✭✭✭mewe


    lukegriffen wrote:
    westmeath - the bend for home, dermot healy
    The Bend for Home is set in Cavan. You could have also chose a Dermot Healy novel for Sligo. Sudden Times is partly set there.


  • #14
    heathledgerlove
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 114 ✭✭heathledgerlove


    Joe_ Public wrote: »
    Something by Colm Toibin probably be popular for Wexford alright, though my personal choice would be Troubles by JG Farrell

    Tipperary: My Fight for Freedom - Dan Breen


    Read Troubles a few years ago, absolutely loved it ! Setting by the Sea! I was going to say Amongst Women for Sligo, I think some of it is set there, recognized the streets they were driving through certainly


  • #15
    exaisle
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,675 ✭✭✭exaisle


    buck65 wrote: »
    Edna O Brien - The Country Girls , set in East Clare I believe, well Edna is from there so I assume that is the setting.

    I thought it was set in "the big city", ie, Dublin, but that Cait and Baba were from (presumably) east Clare...


  • #16
    Water John
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 21,808 ✭✭✭✭Water John


    Tipp Knocknagow, Charles Kickam.
    Cork The Tailor and Ansty, Eric Cross. Come what may, Donal Og Cusack
    Best short story; My First Confession, Sean O Faolain.


  • #17
    Joe_ Public
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,023 ✭✭✭✭Joe_ Public


    heathledgerlove wrote: »
    Read Troubles a few years ago, absolutely loved it ! Setting by the Sea! I was going to say Amongst Women for Sligo, I think some of it is set there, recognized the streets they were driving through certainly

    Troubles is indeed a brilliant novel. I am inclined to think The Siege of Krishnapur is even better.


  • #18
    Xenji
    Registered Users Posts: 11,506 ✭✭✭✭Xenji


    For Mayo, maybe Ruby Flynn by Nadine Dorries.


  • #19
    KJ
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,053 ✭✭✭KJ


    Any suggestions for Louth?


  • #20
    Wyldwood
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,162 ✭✭✭Wyldwood


    Water John wrote: »
    Best short story; My First Confession, Sean O Faolain.

    Frank O'Connor surely?


  • #21
    Joe_ Public
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,023 ✭✭✭✭Joe_ Public


    KJ wrote: »
    Any suggestions for Louth?

    Best can do is Thomas Kinsella - The Tain


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  • #22
    cml387
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,493 ✭✭✭cml387


    The Valley Of The Squinting Windows is non specific as to the location, but is supposed to be Delvin.


  • #23
    Water John
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 21,808 ✭✭✭✭Water John


    Sorry for Frank O'Connor. Brainfart.

    Yes, the author worked in the bank in Devlin.

    The Midnight Court, By Brian Merriman, surely a shout for County Clare.


  • #24
    Das Kitty
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 17,231 Mod ✭✭✭✭Das Kitty


    Galway: Cre na Cille, Mairtin O Cadhain


  • #25
    Water John
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 21,808 ✭✭✭✭Water John


    Maybe, rather than just Peig, the group of writers on the Blaskets should be considered for the reflection of a people and a whole way of life. Kerry.


  • #26
    goose2005
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,798 ✭✭✭goose2005


    Kildare - A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
    Mayo - The Wild Irish Girl


  • #27
    goose2005
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,798 ✭✭✭goose2005


    Kildare - A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
    Mayo - The Wild Irish Girl


  • #28
    goose2005
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,798 ✭✭✭goose2005


    KJ wrote: »
    Any suggestions for Louth?

    A Mad and Wonderful Thing by Mark Mulholland


  • #29
    Terrontress
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,903 ✭✭✭Terrontress


    For Derry, what about Cal by Bernard McLaverty?

    I felt sick for a week after reading it.


  • #30
    goose2005
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,798 ✭✭✭goose2005


    Down - Orchid Blue by Eoin McNamee?


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  • #31
    TCDStudent1
    Registered Users Posts: 3,019 ✭✭✭TCDStudent1


    Roscommon: The Secret Scripture


  • #32
    mylittlepony
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 531 ✭✭✭mylittlepony


    The Twelve (The Ghosts of Belfast) by Stuart Neville


  • #33
    Teamhrach
    Closed Accounts Posts: 188 ✭✭Teamhrach


    Donegal: 'Caisle?in ?ir'


  • #34
    cml387
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,493 ✭✭✭cml387


    "The Blackwater Lightship" by Colm Tobin (excellent book by the way) is most definitely Wexford.


  • #35
    PressRun
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,196 ✭✭✭PressRun


    John Banville has said that the setting of his novel The Sea is based on Rosslare.


  • #36
    Oops69
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,477 ✭✭✭Oops69


    Limerick ; Angela's Ashes , what else ......of course i should qualify this as Limerick city maybe before I Get a bashing from eFFIN or somewhere in the county.


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  • #37
    idnkph
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 669 ✭✭✭idnkph


    KJ wrote:
    Any suggestions for Louth?


    Wild goose lodge. Set in reaghstown.
    The book as always is much better than the movie. But the movie has lots of locals in it so worth a watch.
    It's a true story too.


  • #38
    bobbyss
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,263 ✭✭✭bobbyss


    Galway
    The Playboy of the Western World?
    Across the Bitter Sea- Eilish Dillon?
    Famine trilogy of Walter Macken?


  • #39
    Harry Angstrom
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,351 ✭✭✭✭Harry Angstrom


    The Dork of Cork. A little-known gem from Chet Raymo.


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