- "The earliest recorded Irish writing dates from back in the 7th century and was produced by monks writing in both Latin and Early Irish."
The literature of Ireland, including famous writers, genres, themes, and historical context.
Celtic Mythology: The study of the myths, legends, and folklore of the Celtic people, which heavily influenced Irish literature.
The Gaelic Language: The history and structure of the Irish Gaelic language, which is used extensively in Irish literature.
The Troubles: The historical conflict between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, which has produced a large body of literature and continues to influence Irish society.
The Great Famine: The devastating period of famine and death in Ireland from 1845-1852, which has been depicted in numerous works of Irish literature.
The Literary Revival: The movement to revive and promote Irish culture and literature in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, which produced some of Ireland's most famous writers.
The Big House Novel: A genre of Irish literature that focuses on the lives of the Anglo-Irish aristocracy and their estates, reflecting the social and political changes of Ireland in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
The Abbey Theatre: The national theatre of Ireland, founded in 1904, which has had a significant influence on Irish literature and culture.
The Irish Literary Renaissance: A period of literary and cultural renewal in Ireland from the late 19th to early 20th century, which produced a wealth of innovative and influential works.
The Poetry of W.B. Yeats: The work of one of Ireland's most famous poets, whose themes of Irish mythology and national identity have been central to Irish literature.
The Short Story: The genre of short fiction has a long and rich tradition in Irish literature, with authors such as James Joyce and Frank O'Connor among its most celebrated practitioners.
Contemporary Irish Literature: The recent work of Irish writers, including Anne Enright, Colm Tóibín, and Roddy Doyle, which explores a wide range of themes and styles, reflecting the changing face of Ireland today.
Irish Women Writers: The contributions of Irish women writers to the literary canon, including the work of Edna O'Brien, Eavan Boland, and Maeve Binchy, among others.
Classic Irish Literature: This genre includes ancient Irish literature that was mostly in manuscript form. Some of the classic works include Beowulf, the Book of Kells, the Annals of Ulster, and the Táin Bó Cúailnge.
Irish Mythology: As the name suggests, this genre is all about the myths, legends, and folktales of Ireland. It includes stories like the Children of Lir, the Cattle Raid of Cooley, and the legend of Finn McCool.
Irish Poetry: This genre includes the works of famous Irish poets like William Butler Yeats, Seamus Heaney, and Patrick Kavanagh. Irish poetry is known for its use of symbolism, mysticism, and nature themes.
Irish Drama: Irish drama is characterized by its use of humor, irony, and social commentary. Some of the most famous Irish plays include JM Synge's Playboy of the Western World, Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot, and Brian Friel's Dancing at Lughnasa.
Irish Fiction: This genre includes the works of famous Irish novelists like James Joyce, Irish Murdoch, and Maeve Binchy. Irish fiction is known for its deep characterization, use of vernacular language, and exploration of Irish identity and politics.
Modern Irish Literature: This genre comprises contemporary Irish works that explore issues like immigration, modernity, and globalization. The common authors include Colm Toibin, Roddy Doyle, and Emma Donoghue.
Non-Fiction about Ireland: This genre includes academic works about Irish history, politics, culture, and society. Some famous literary works in this form include Fintan O’Toole's Ship of Fools and Roy Foster’s Modern Ireland.
- "The Irish language remained the dominant language of Irish literature until the 19th century, despite a slow decline which began in the 17th century with the expansion of English power."
- "The latter part of the nineteenth century saw a rapid replacement of Irish by English in the greater part of the country, largely due to the Great Famine and the subsequent decimation of the Irish population by starvation and emigration."
- "The Anglo-Irish literary tradition found its first great exponents in Richard Head and Jonathan Swift, followed by Laurence Sterne, Oliver Goldsmith, and Richard Brinsley Sheridan."
- "Irish literature in English benefited from the work of such authors as Oscar Wilde, Bram Stoker, James Joyce, W. B. Yeats, Samuel Beckett, Elizabeth Bowen, C. S. Lewis, Kate O'Brien, and George Bernard Shaw."
- "A pioneering modernist writer in Irish was Pádraic Ó Conaire, and prominent poets included Caitlín Maude, Máirtín Ó Direáin, Seán Ó Ríordáin, and Máire Mhac an tSaoi."
- "Two novels by O'Brien, At Swim Two Birds and The Third Policeman, are considered early examples of postmodern fiction, but he also wrote a satirical novel in Irish called An Béal Bocht."
- "Most attention has been given to Irish writers who wrote in English and who were at the forefront of the modernist movement, notably James Joyce."
- "The playwright Samuel Beckett, in addition to a large amount of prose fiction, wrote a number of important plays, including Waiting for Godot."
- "Several Irish writers have excelled at short story writing, in particular Edna O'Brien, Frank O'Connor, Lord Dunsany, and William Trevor."
- "In the late twentieth century, Irish poets, especially those from Northern Ireland, came to prominence including Derek Mahon, Medbh McGuckian, John Montague, Seamus Heaney, and Paul Muldoon."
- "Well-known Irish writers in English in the twenty-first century include Edna O'Brien, Colum McCann, Anne Enright, Roddy Doyle, Moya Cannon, Sebastian Barry, Colm Toibín, and John Banville."
- "Younger writers include Sinéad Gleeson, Paul Murray, Anna Burns, Billy O'Callaghan, Kevin Barry, Emma Donoghue, Donal Ryan, Sally Rooney, William Wall, Marina Carr, and Martin McDonagh."
- "Cultural nationalism displayed a new energy, marked by the Gaelic Revival (which encouraged a modern literature in Irish) and more generally by the Irish Literary Revival."
- "Though English was the dominant Irish literary language in the 20th century, works of high quality were also produced in Irish."
- "James Joyce, whose novel Ulysses is considered one of the most influential works of the century."
- "Dramatists Tom Murphy and Brian Friel" were notable Irish playwrights from the 20th century.
- "Edna O'Brien, Colm Tóibín, John Banville, and Sebastian Barry have all won major awards."
- "Influential works of writing continue to emerge in Northern Ireland with huge success such as Anna Burns, Sinéad Morrissey, and Lisa McGee."
- "Irish-language literature has maintained its vitality into the 21st century."