Irish authors on the books that remind them of Éire

Home is with us everywhere we go, especially in the books we read.

Many books have captured Ireland in both beautiful and heartbreaking ways, whether it's Colm Tóibín's Brooklyn, Rachel's Holiday by Marian Keyes, or Normal People by Sally Rooney.

We recently caught up with An Post Book Award nominees Claire Gleeson, Wendy Erskine, Anna Carey and Carmel Harrington to discuss the books that remind them of home.

Claire Gleeson

"I love Anne Enright’s books; the Christmas shopping scene in The Green Road is one of the most Irish things I’ve ever read. I think no matter how far from home you’ve travelled, it will instantly transport you there."

Claire Gleeson is the author of Show Me Where It Hurts.

Wendy Erskine

"In terms of Belfast, probably Michael Magee’s great Close to Home. I would also maybe say Ripley Bogle by Robert McLiam Wilson. Personally, I like it a lot more than Eureka Street. 

"But there is a way in which Aminatta Forna’s The Hired Man, set in Croatia, also reminded me of home when I read it, in terms of the legacy of conflict."

Wendy Erskine is the author of The Benefactors.

Anna Carey

"Anything by Marian Keyes. She’s an inspiration in many ways, but especially in how she never dilutes the Irishness of her characters. They always feel very firmly rooted in how people in this country talk and relate to each other, which is one of many things I love about her work.

"She was one of the first authors I ever read who wrote about an Ireland I recognised, and it made a big difference to see ourselves reflected in smart, funny, popular fiction. It’s why it’s always been very important to me to set my own books in the Dublin I know.

"I also love Emer McLysaght and Sarah Breen’s Aisling books, which captured a very specific modern Irish vibe in such a funny, likeable and inclusive way."

Anna Carey is the author of Our Song.

Carmel Harrington

"Anything by Maeve Binchy, whose books are authentically Irish. I own an almost complete collection of her novels in hardback, and any one of them will transport me to Ireland within a few pages.

"She has a knack for describing rural Ireland and the characters that live there, in a way that feels like home to me. Maeve said she liked to hold a mirror up to Irish society, and through her one-of-a-kind, warm, and wise voice, she did just that."

Carmel is the author of The Stolen Child.