A love letter to Irish Fiction

Can we talk about Irish fiction? Over the last few years I have gravitated towards Irish authors more and more. Clichè enough I think that Sally Rooney was my introduction to Irish writers and it sparked me to read more. I am delighted to hear she has a new novel on the way, I preordered that as soon as I found out and I’m now on count down until it arrives at the end of next month! I love the way Irish authors that I have read so far so effortlessly construct dialogue, the way they convey humour, but, most of all I love how seemingly unpretentious they are.

In 2023 we saw the most Irish writers to ever be longlisted for the booker prize (4/13) which is an amazing achievement in itself. I did read that there has been better funding in the arts and wonder whether this might be part and parcel of that. I really enjoyed the winner The Prophet Song and implore everyone to read.

I’ve felt less and less inspired by American fiction, and I’m not sure whether it is because I’m gravitating towards the wrong books or whether it is because Irish fiction is so strong at the moment, it takes risks, It feels new.

Of course there will be an Irish novel I don’t love but right now I’ve not come across it. Really looking forward to reading more this year. If you have any you could recommend then send them my way!

Some of my favourite reads:

1. The Bee Sting by Paul Murray

   This was the book I was routing to win from The Booker Prize. This is a story of a family saga told from firstly the two teenage children’s point of view and then of the parents. I enjoyed that it reminds you that before you were born your parents had their own life, their own experiences and struggles. The book jumps between past and present when written from the POV of the parents which really gives you a rounded experience to how they have become the person that they are. Murray builds a world which you just fall into and become a fly on the wall. It was really great story telling and just went places I really never could have predicted. The ending was sudden, for how long the book was it really slammed shut on the last page.

   

2. The Lesser Bohemians by Eimear McBride

   I listened to this book on Audible and it was a fantastic way to immerse myself in the story. I loved the rhythm that McBride read in, it was almost lyrical. I know had i read this book in a physical form I wouldn’t have had the same experience. Her writing is intense, and there were moments where I had to rewind and relisten to make sure I was fully absorbing and understanding but I didn’t find this frustrating. I enjoyed reading/listening to a story told in a totally different way to what I’ve experienced before. The story follows an Irish student studying in London who gets involved with a much older man. Usually a story that I would not be interested in the slightest I became obsessed with their relationship. Routing for them as a couple, routing for them to heal each other. It was just totally unexpected the way I felt about this book when a story about two lovers with a very clear power dynamic does not appeal to me in the slightest.

   

3. Sunburn by Chloe Michelle Howarth

   I spoke about this really recently after we picked it as our December/January read. You can read about that here. I found this book incredibly nostalgic. I saw someone put this in the historical fiction genre, which made me feel all the feelings. It is set in the 90’s I’m not sure whether that is too soon to be classed as historical fiction or if I’m just much older than I realised. Howarth did an amazing job of capturing both the boredom and excitement of being a teenager. She wrote amazingly capturing how teenagers feel when they first fall in love. Lucy the protagonist realises she is different from her friends when she falls for her friend Susannah, set in a small catholic irish town we witness first hand how hard it must be for Lucy to be her true self.

I’ve already got a long list of what I want to read next….!