lou's library

For an island this small, the Irish truly excel at creating masterful art. It took me a couple of semesters of studying English to realise that so many of the authors we were discussing were actually Irish, not British (a fact my professors hardly ever mentioned, it always felt to me as though most of them were happy to thrown them in with the British). Perhaps it’s the geographical isolation, the grey skies and green meadows or something else entirely (it might have something to do with the exceptional arts funding in Ireland), but the Irish seem brilliant at writing in general, but moving (read: usually devastating) stories in particular. So it’s high time I share some of my favourite books by Irish authors with you!

Kala by Colin Walsh

I spotted Kala in a bookshop in Prague and was immediately drawn in by the cover: a photograph showing two people in a meadow, with one of the faces scribbled out with a pen. Then I read the synopsis and realised it’s set in a smallish town on the Irish West Coast, and that was all it took for me to know this book was coming home with me. Kala is a thriller revolving around the mystery of Kala, then a young girl, disappearing. Her group of friends dismantle over the mystery, and the novel takes place years later when they all return to their home town. It’s a gripping story, but I would argue it is more than that. Unlike a lot of thrillers, this isn’t just plot, plot, plot, but there’s a depth to this novel that I found intriguing. The writing is beautiful, and it does feel like a very Irish book to me, if this makes sense. Colin Walsh crafted these characters so well, and although he did lose me a bit at the end (some parts of the solution just didn’t sit quite right with me), I thoroughly enjoyed Kala, not least because of its Irish setting and believable characters.

Beautiful World, Where Are You? by Sally Rooney

I mean, I had to, right? Sally Rooney is the Irish author of the moment, after all. And rightly so, in my humble opinion. But while everyone and their mother (including myself) always goes on about Normal People (understandable, given it is a perfect novel), may I recommend Beautiful World, Where Are You? It revolves around four people, some of which are friends, and their struggles growing up in contemporary Ireland. Because it’s a Sally Rooney book, these are some of the most emotionally complex characters you’ll stumble upon, like ever. But the reason I’m recommending this particular book by her is that this is the novel in which I felt it being set in Ireland most acutely. Alice, one of the protagonists, moves to a house by the coast, and the image of her in that house seared itself into my brain. She’s a writer and something about her sitting in that gorgeous house all by herself trying to make sense of her thoughts seems deeply Irish and beautiful to me. It’s a story full of angst and anxiety and oh my god, so much Weltschmerz! It’s my second favourite Sally Rooney novel and while I know a lot of people didn’t enjoy it that much, I still think it’s underrated and gorgeous.

The Green Road by Anne Enright

A couple of years ago I was on the hunt for more Irish literature (having realised I was missing out by not making sure I was reading enough Irish authors) and someone recommended Anne Enright to me. So I bought The Green Road on a whim, because you have to start somewhere, am I right? And boy, am I glad that I did. It’s a stunning novel set in the Irish countryside, centring on a family reuniting at their mother’s house for Christmas. But before we get to witness them all interact, we meet each of the characters on their own, in their daily lives, witnessing their thoughts and behaviour and getting to know them a little bit. And I simply loved getting to witness them all come together, and to see the family dynamics kick in. Suddenly, these characters became human in their desperate attempts to make this Christmas work, despite their feelings and disputes and history with one another. It’s such a simple story and yet so packed with emotion and a lingering sadness I couldn’t shake the entire time I was reading The Green Road. It’s a deeply moving story, and I cannot wait to read more of Anne Enright’s work!

The Rachel Incident by Caroline O’Donoghue

I listen to Caroline O’Donoghue’s podcast Sentimental Garbage religiously. If she posts an episode about a topic I have never heard of, chances are I’ll be listening anyway, because I love the way she expresses her views and think her persepctive is very often unusual and yet relatable. So, when The Rachel Incident blew up online, I had to get my hands on it. It’s a story of two friends living together in Cork as they are trying to navigate the messiness of slowly becoming adults. It’s a love story, yes, but to me, their friendship really was the focal point of the story. If you’ve ever been a poor university student, or just a poor young person, really, you will find parts of yourself in this novel, and I think that is one of its biggest drawing points. It’s as though Caroline O’Donoghue looked into the brains of adolescents and turned their thoughts and emotions into a narrative. She clearly spent a lot of time and energy to craft the two protagonists, Rachel and James, and their messy complexities make this story so compelling and beautiful. There’s so much emotion in this novel, but it also touches on important issues such as abortion rights in Ireland. If you’re into characters who are by no means perfect but very much unfortgettable, then I would highly recommend giving The Rachel Incident a go!

I hope you liked these recommendations and if anyone has any more stellar Irish books or authors to share, please do so! If you need more book recommendations, I have a post about books that will make you cry, or perhaps you would like to hear my thoughts on Intermezzo by Sally Rooney? Happy reading!