Irish literature is winning awards and hearts recently so here are 10 books that you should read if you haven’t already. We will keep updating this list so do bookmark it!
Normal People by Sally Rooney
Sally Rooney has penned 4 novels by now but we think our favourite is Normal People, and this might or might not be because of Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones’ unforgettable perfomance in the adaptation. We love how Sally Rooney writes with such precision, as the book is made up of events that are weeks and months apart, making each scene more emotionally intense. And Rooney did an amazing job portraying the feeling of loneliness, and even if you are no longer are a 20-something college student who sucks at communicating, you will be rooting for, or at least understand, Connell and Marianne. The paperback of Intermezzo is out later this year.
Foster by Claire Keegan
This 88-page novella by Claire Keegan was first published in 2010 but it was re-released in hardback with a gorgeous cover last year, making it a perfect gift. Foster tells the story of a small girl who is sent to live with foster parents on a farm in rural Ireland. While simplistic and can be read in one sitting, we implore readers to really cherish the tale, as Claire Keegan manages to say so much in between the pages. From the portrayal of the daily routines, readers get to experience how little love the girl receives at home, and how much the foster family is giving her. We found out that there was an adaptation titled The Quiet Girl, which we will definitely be watching. We also highly recommend Claire Keegan’s other novella, So Late in the Day.
Confessions by Catherine Airey
A 2025 debut, Confessions follows 3 generations of women’s love story and family secret over the decades, from 1970s to 2020s, with the setting changing from 1974 Donegal, to 2001 New York, to 2018 Burtonport. The stories are interwoven smartly and we love how the women are walking in parallel and that their lives have so many symmetries even after years apart. We also enjoy seeing how even though each woman needs to face their own challenges, life seems to get better for each generation. We look forward to reading more books by Catherine Airey in the future!
Nesting by Roisin O’Donnell
Another 2025 debut, Nesting is currently longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction, and we are so rooting for it as it is a wonderful portrayal of a strong independent woman. Nesting follows Ciara Fay who fled home with her two young daughters even though the future is uncertain, and Roisin O’Donnell did a superb job making readers feel the terror, and hopelessness, and desperation of Ciara. A much needed read for those of us who still blame the victim subconsciously and ask the question of “who don’t you just leave” without second thoughts.
Scenes of a Graphic Nature by Caroline O’Donoghue
Scenes of a Graphic Nature follows filmmaker Charlie’s journey to Cliphim, to seek her Irish roots and learn about her father’s history. Although fictional, the tragic story that Charlie uncovered hopefully helps readers understand that Ireland is more than clichés. The story is also a much-needed commentary on how easy it is for us to be digging up uncomfortable history all in the name of “reconnecting with our roots” without a second thought of the people who are still living in such history. Scenes of a Graphic Nature was released along with The Rachel Incident and Promising Young Women in this series of brand new matching covers last year.
The Boy from the Sea by Garrett Carr
The Boy from the Sea, a new novel that came out this year, tells the story of a boy (Brendan) who is adopted by a fisherman and his tight-knit community. We don’t read too many novels that are narrated in collective first-person, but we definitely agree with Garrett Carr to narrate this story through the perspectives of these Irish villagers, as it helps create the sense of identity. Other than being a great tale about belonging and love, the story also tells of the hardships of the fishing community under the fishing quota regulations. The pacing is slow but the story is charming, the writing excellent, and you definitely feel like you have been transported to a fishing port.
Long Island by Colm Toibin
We were fairly skeptical when we first heard about Long Island. After all, Brooklyn is one of our favourite books, and book-to-movie adaptations, and we were happy with the ending. While we didn’t love to see Eilish feeling lonely even after living in Brooklyn for 20 years, we are definitely glad to follow Eilis as she returns to Ireland for a visit. We are enjoy how the story is also told in the perspective of her best friend Nancy and her ex, Jim. Long Island is perfect for those of us who have left home for a bit too long and feel like they don’t belong to anywhere. We can’t wait for book 3 to come out.
Prophet Song by Paul Lynch
Prophet Song won the Booker Prize in 2023, so of course, we have to check it out. The book is set in a dystopic Ireland but the atmosphere created by Paul Lynch is universal to any place that has suffered through the same suppression. And in this day and age where there are so many horrible things happening around the world that we are desensitized to violence, the claustrophobic environment created by the run-on paragraphs hopefully brings back some empathy in all of us.
Kala by Colin Walsh
Kala was shortlisted for Waterstones’ Debut Fiction Prize in 2023. The story flips between 2003 and present day as three friends tell the story of how their friend Kala disappeared from Kinlough without a trace. The book reads like literary fiction, but also a murder mystery, and it is this combination that makes Kala so gripping. However, you will still definitely want to take the time to enjoy the language used by Colin Walsh, as it is gorgeous, often relying on run-on sentences to drive the emotions.
