We’re kicking off Reading Ireland Month on World Book Day so to celebrate I’d love to know what your favourite Irish books are!

I’ve whittled my favourite Irish novels down to a Top Five, which hasn’t been easy and could change by the weekend, but here they are:

Reading in the Dark by Seamus Deane

This lyrical semi-autobiographical novel set during the Troubles is a beautiful meditation on the damage family secrets can do and the joy and pain of growing up.

Good Behaviour by Molly Keane

I only read Good Behaviour last year, but Molly Keane’s hilarious, painful and dark tale of the unforgettable Aroon St Charles became an instant favourite.

Emily’s Shoes by Dermot Bolger

Dermot Bolger’s thoughtful tale of a lost boy who grows up to be a man with a shoe fetish is a lot more moving than the subject matter would suggest.

Tender by Belinda McKeon

Tender is one of the best books I have read about relationships and love, charting the tumultuous friendship and romance between two students at Trinity College in the 1990s.

The Butcher Boy by Patrick McCabe

Grim and darkly hilarious, The Butcher Boy charts Francie Brady and his ill-fated feud with Mrs Nugent through to an unforgettable conclusion in this shockingly intimate portrait of a disturbed mind.

Interestingly, two of my Top Five have only been read in the last two years, which should give you some idea of how much I liked them.

Have you read any of my favourites? What are yours?

Ireland Month Irish Literature The 746 #begorrathon18 #readireland18 belinda mckeon dermot bolger Emily's shoes good behaviour irish literature molly keane patrick mccabe reading in the dark seamus deane tender the butcher boy worldbookday