Historical Fiction Set in Ireland

Submitted by Tara on March 17, 2011 - 12:06pm

Celebrate Saint Patrick's Day all year long! If you are in the mood for a historical novel set in Ireland, the library has many titles ready to wet your whistle. Even when set against the realities of social and political turmoil, the love and laughter of the Irish people shine through.

Reading in the Dark by Seamus Deane
Venetia Kelly's Traveling Show: A Novel by Frank Delaney
The Dead Republic by Roddy Doyle
The Yellow House: A Novel by Patricia Falvey
Dubliners by James Joyce
The Wild Irish: A Novel by Robin Maxwell
My Dream of You by Nuala O'Faolain
Only the River Runs Free by Bodie Thoene
Love and Summer by William Trevor
The Fall of Light by Niall Williams

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Comments

Submitted by Gabi on April 29, 2012 - 2:43pm.

If you're interested in reading about Ireland during World War II, or the 'Emergency' as it was known in neutral Ireland, you might enjoy A Parachute in the LIme Tree by Annemarie Neary, just published by The History Press Ireland. Great story, vividly told, about a fascinating period when the country felt itself under threat of invasion from either side. Highly recommended. Available in paperback or e-book. Published in Ireland/UK but we got the e-book through Amazon.

Submitted by Anonymous on August 28, 2011 - 1:31pm.

This is a "good enough" list but not comprehensive of the best of historical fiction set in Ireland. Plus it missed mentioning the new novel of ancient Ireland, Bending The Boyne. This fresh take de-constructs Irish myth in a setting with bang-on accuracy of detail, and won the Next Generation Indie Award 2011 for historical fiction.

Perhaps the 2012 list will be more accurate?

Submitted by Tara on August 28, 2011 - 2:30pm.

Thank you for your comment and sharing your love of the book Bending of the Boyne. Unfortunately, the Denver Public Library does not own this book. If you feel we should, I recommend submitting a Purchase Request through Request It. Because we don't own the book, it is unlikely to appear in any blog lists, this year or next. One of the major purposes of our blogs is highlighting the material that the Denver Public Library owns and that our customers can easily obtain.

Once again, thanks for reading the blogs and keeping me on my toes!