Literature in Ireland

Ireland’s literary heritage

Ireland’s rich literary tradition dates back to early tales of mythical heroes such as Cú Chulainn, and continues right up to prize-winning modern authors such as Anne Enright, Anna Burns and Colm Tóibín.

Literature is most definitely in our blood. Early Irish literature is thought to be the oldest vernacular literature in western Europe, and you can still see examples of Ogham inscriptions on stones in the counties of Kerry, Cork and Waterford. Wherever you go on the island, be it an Atlantic outpost or a thriving modern city, you can connect with plays, poetry and prose, as well as experiencing the landscape, culture and history that inspired the greats.

Dublin: city of literature

Dublin is famous for its vibrant street life and quirky characters, and it has been home to some exceptional writers over the years. In this UNESCO City of Literature, you can almost hear the words of James Joyce, Flann O’Brien and Sally Rooney echo through the streets. The city has produced three of Ireland’s four Nobel Prize winners for literature, and it continues to be a hotbed of creativity.

Pull up a bar stool in one of the city’s famous “literary” pubs such as Davy Byrne’s – immortalised in Joyce’s Ulysses – or join the Dublin Literary Pub Crawl. Explore the Museum of Modern Literary Ireland (MoLI) on St Stephen’s Green, and visit the award-winning WB Yeats exhibition at the National Library, described by the New York Times as “dazzling”.

Seeking out CS Lewis

Belfast’s literary heritage reverberates through its historic streets – this grand Victorian city was the birthplace of The Chronicles of Narnia author CS Lewis. The CS Lewis Tour takes in key locations in the author’s life, as well as exploring some of the influences on his writing.

The landscapes that cradle Belfast are also a source of inspiration – Cave Hill, overlooking the city, is believed to have given rise to Jonathan Swift’s creation of the giant in Gulliver’s Travels. Swift was born in Dublin but was a clergyman in the parish of Kilroot, County Antrim. Push out into County Down and you’ll come across the Mourne Mountains, thought to have inspired Lewis to create Narnia.

Any trip around the island of Ireland uncovers endless places associated with playwrights, thinkers and poets, from small islands to craggy mountains. Who knows what inspiration this land might unlock in you?