Since next Tuesday is St Patrick’s Day I would like to find a good book that takes place in Ireland. I would like it to be set in a real part of Ireland whether a city like Dublin or what they call a county like cork (only two I know). I don’t read a lot so I can only compare to what I like to watch on tv wich is the old show Psych. I’m open to fiction, non fiction, historical fiction, just nothing with horror in it as I hate scary movies. Bonus points if it has comedy in it.
by Papa_G_
25 Comments
Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt.
Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt is a beautiful book
It doesn’t have the same sense of humor as Psych, but the first to come to mind before reading Cork County here are [County Cork mysteries](https://hardcover.app/books/buried-in-a-bog?referrer_id=24134). I can’t say I have a lot set in Ireland to compare it to quality wise, but I enjoyed them as light small town kind of reads.
Dublin is also a county but it has a city. Cork city is located also in cork county.
Sally rooneys books are based in Ireland and would recommend the book “Normal People”.
The Searcher by Tana French is very good (thriller set in remote west coast) or Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan – a novella set in County Wexford
Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan set in Co Wexford
The Secret Scripture by Sebastian Barry set in Sligo
Northern Ireland Night Swimmers by Roisin McGuire
Dublin Roddy Doyle the Barrytown trilogy funny, heart breaking, as Irish as you can get real Dublin wit.
Edna O’Brien’s In the Forest is set in Clare
Alan Murrin’s The Coast Road Donegal
Orchid Blue by Eoin McNamee is about the last hanging in County Down
Hannah Kent The Good People set in Kerry
Morgan Llewellyn wrote a lot of books set in ancient Ireland, like “Finn Mac Cool” (my favorite) and “Bard”.
I really enjoy Dervla McTiernan’s novels, crime/mystery genre.
I’ve recommended this before, but… McCarthy’s Bar, by Peter McCarthy. (Nonfiction/travel) He is a Brit whose family came from Ireland, and he decides to travel around the country, with a rule that if he sees a bar with “McCarthy” in the name, he has to stop for a drink.
It is laugh-out-loud funny. And it’s a really good portrait of Ireland, especially the rural areas.
This Is Happiness by Niall Williams
*The Copper Beech* by Maeve Binchy
Anything by Tana French. So, so good.
Prophet Song by Paul Lynch. No humor in it, I’m afraid, just a prescient tale of burgeoning authoritarianism.
Maeve Binchy’s books are great for an easy, romantic read.
I loved The Hearts Invisible Furies, which is more of a literary pick.
The Commitments is a favorite.
People either love or hate it, but Normal People by Sally Rooney 🙂
The Bee Sting
Skippy Dies is hilarious but also some serious moments.
This is happiness by Niall Williams (on my TBR list, haven’t read it but I heard so many good things about it)
Lark Ascending by Silas House
Dubliners by James Joyce
… actually every book by James Joyce
OP – Definitely Angela’s Ashes. It’s heartbreaking but also so comical.
Make a whole month of it depending on how quickly you read. If you want a really cosy read after Angela’s Ashes then try *Light a Penny Candle* by Maeve Binchy. You’ll pick up some Gaelic along the way 😉 – also, I didn’t know at the time but the main character Aisling – her name is pronounced Ashleen and the town they always mention Dunloaghaire is not Dun/low/hare but Dun/Leery. I love Irish names 💚.
Happy Reading
Normal People by Sally Rooney💔
Milkman by Anna Burns
>Since next Tuesday is St Patrick’s Day
Um, it’s not. Next Tuesday is the 10th. The Tuesday after that (a fortnight from tomorrow) is St Patrick’s Day.
That said, here are some good Irish books:
h{{Suffer Little Children, by Peter Tremayne}} – I’m suggesting the third book in the series, because while the main character is Irish, the first two books take place primarily in Whitby and Rome!
h{{Time of the Child, by Niall Williams}}
Strumpet City by *James Plunkett,* its one of Ireland’s most iconic piece of historical fiction about one of the most important events in Dublin working class history. got a lot of humour, and social commentary, historical realism and super interesting and real characters. you forget that its “historical” because of how real these people feel, particularly the priests. dublin had a huge number of events on it in 2013, and Irish tv’s most expensive and imo best period drama series every created is an adaptation of it.