You have probably heard it said that everyone is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day.
True or not, let’s take this opportunity to look more closely at books about all things Irish.
St. Patrick, as it turns out, was NOT Irish, but British. Credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland, St. Patrick’s Day falls on what was thought to be the date of his death. Oh, and spoiler alert: there were no snakes in Ireland.
Northern Ireland was created in 1921, and the southern parts of the area, comprising 26 of the 32 counties, became the Irish Free State around the same time. This area is known politically as the Republic of Ireland, whereas Ireland refers to the island geographically.
A good modern history of Ireland is “We Don’t Know Ourselves: A Personal History of Modern Ireland” by Finton O’Toole (2021), whereas the classic “How the Irish Saved Civilization” by Thomas Cahill (1996) details Ireland’s role in the preservation of knowledge during the Dark Ages.
Thinking about a trip to Ireland? There are many travel books available, including:
“Frommer’s Ireland” (2025).
“Fodor’s Ireland” (2025).
“Rick Steves’ Ireland” (2022).
For other aspects of Ireland’s history look to:
“The Rock from Which You Were Hewn: The Lives and Legacy of Holy Irish Men and Women” edited by Dr. Patrick Kenny and Father John S. Hogan (2024).
“Plentiful Country: The Great Potato Famine and the Making of Irish New York” by Tyler Anbinder (2024).
“One Man’s Terrorist: A Political History of the IRA” by Daniel Finn (2019).
“Tasting Whiskey: An Insiders’ Guide to the Unique Pleasures of the World’s Finest Spirits” by Lew Bryson (2014).
“Irish Fairy Tales and Folklore” compiled by W.B. Yeats originally in the 1800s.
“When You Are Old: Early Poems and Fairy Tales” by W.B. Yeats (this edition 2014).
“Angela’s Ashes” by Frank McCourt (1996).
Ireland has produced many wonderful authors, including Oscar Wilde and James Joyce, and more recently, John Banville, Colm Tóibín and Tana French. To wind up our Irish tour, here are some novels about Ireland, by Irish authors:
“The Lost Bookshop” by Evie Woods (2023). A bookshop on a quiet street in Dublin changes the lives of three strangers.
“Maeve in America: Essays by a Girl from Somewhere Else” by Maeve Higgins (2018). Humorous essays on love, life and becoming an American.
“Milkman” by Anna Burns (2018). Psychological fiction set during The Troubles in the 1970s.
“A Week in Winter” by Maeve Binchy (2012). Binchy’s last book details everyday life in a small Irish town.
“The Sea” by John Branville (2006). A lyrical meditation on grief, childhood and memory.
“The Barrytown Trilogy” by Roddy Doyle (1995). A group of young Irish musicians struggle to bring soul music to Dublin. Basis of the movie “The Commitments.”
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