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Irish Writers
Author biographies courtesy of Irish Writers Online, compiled by Philip Casey, except where marked.
Philip's previously collected poetry and his novel The Fabulists are available for free download. See also his Irish Culture Guide.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T UV W XYZ
Writers with a * beside their names are listed because of a strong connection to Ireland.
Writers with a ** beside their names have been listed by Kennys.
A
- Æ (George William Russell) poet
- *Alioth, Gabrielle novelist & short story writer
- Arthur, Chris essayist
- *Augustin, Michael poet
- Azadeh, Carol short story writer
B
- Baker, Keith novelist
- Banville, John novelist & playwright
- Banville, Vincent novelist & playwright
- Bardwell, Leland poet, dramatist, novelist
- Barrett, Anne screenwriter, playwright
- Barry, Sebastian dramatist, poet, novelist
- Bateman, Colin novelist
- **Beattie, Sean non-fiction writer
- Beckett, Samuel poet, dramatist, novelist and critic
- Behan, Brendan poet, short story writer, dramatist & essayist
- Beirne, Gerard poet, novelist & short story writer
- Bennett, Ronan novelist & scriptwriter
- Berkeley, Sara poet, short story writer & novelist
- *Bhatt, Sujata poet
- Binchy, Chris novelist
- Binchy, Dan novelist
- Binchy, Maeve novelist & short story writer
- Boland, Eavan poet, critic
- Boland, Rosita poet, travel writer
- Bolger, Dermot poet, novelist, dramatist
- Boran, Pat poet, short story writer
- Bourke, Angela short story writer
- Bourke, Eva poet
- Boyne, John novelist & short story writer
- Bowen, Elizabeth novelist & short story writer
- Boylan, Clare short story writer & novelist
- Branley, Mary poet
- Breathnach, Colm file
- Breathnach, Pádraic géarscéalaí & úrscéalaí
- Brennan, Deirdre file/poet
- Brennan, Maeve short story writer
- Brennan, Rory poet
- Brett, Heather poet
- Broderick, John novelist & critic
- Broderick, Sonja poet
- Broe, Christine poet
- Brophy, Catherine novelist and script writer
- Brosnan, Meredith novelist
- Brown, Christy autobiographer, novelist & poet
- *de Laittre Browne, Corinne novelist, non-fiction writer
- Bryce, Colette poet
- Burnside, Sam poet
- Bushe, Paddy poet
- Butler, Hubert essayist
- Byrne, Mairead poet
- Byron, Catherine poet
C
- Cafferky, Tony novelist & playwright
- Callaghan, Louise C. poet
- Callaghan, Mary Rose novelist, short story writer & biographer
- Campbell, Siobhán poet
- Cannon, Moya poet
- Carleton, William novelist and short-story writer
- Carnduff, Thomas poet & playwright
- Carr, Marina dramatist
- Carroll, Paul Vincent playwright & screen writer
- Carson, Ciaran poet & non-fiction
- Cary, Joyce novelist & poet
- Casey, Kevin novelist
- Casey, Philip poet, novelist, dramatist
- Cashman, Seamus poet & editor
- Chapman, Patrick poet
- Cheasty, James playwright & novelist
- Cimino, Glenda poet
- Clamp, Paula novelist
- Clarke, Austin poet & playwright
- Clarkin, Sean poet
- Clear, Christine novelist
- Cleeve, Brian poet & novelist
- Clifton, Harry poet
- Coady, Michael poet
- Coffey, Brian poet
- Colfer, Eoin novelist
- Coll, Mary poet
- Coll Rua, Mael performance poet
- Collins, Michael short story writer and novelist
- Colum, Padraic poet, playwright, short story writer, novelist, & children's writer
- Congreve, William playwright
- Conlon, Evelyn novelist & short story writer
- Connaughton, Shane short story writer, film writer & playwright
- Connolly, John novelist
- Connolly, Kieron novelist
- Connolly, Susan poet
- Considine, June novelist & writer for children
- **Cooke, Emma short story writer, novelist
- *Corrigan, Michael short story writer, novelist
- Cotter, Patrick poet
- Cowman, Ros poet
- Cronin, Anthony poet, novelist & biographer
- Cross, Eric biographer & short story writer
- Cullen, Carmen poet & dramatist
- Cullen, Leo short story writer
- Cully, Kevin novelist
- Cunningham, Peter novelist
- Cunningham, Tim poet
- Curtis, Tony poet
D
- Dáibhís, Bríd file
- Daly, Ita short story writer and novelist
- **D'Arcy, Gordon non-fiction author
- D'Arcy, Margaretta playwright & non-fiction author
- Davison, Philip novelist, playwright & script writer
- Davitt, Michael file
- Dawe, Gerald poet & critic
- de Freine, Celia poet, dramatist & screenwriter
- de Paor, Louis file
- Deane, John F. poet and novelist
- Deane, Seamus poet, novelist & critic
- Deeley, Patrick poet
- Deevy, Teresa playwright
- Delaney, Frank
- Delanty, Greg poet
- **Derham, Roger novelist & publisher
- Devlin, Anne short story writer, playwright & screenwriter
- Devlin, Denis poet
- Devlin, Martina novelist
- Dillon, Eilís novelist
- Donaldson, Moyra poet
- Donleavy, JP novelist, dramatist, non-fiction writer & autobiographer
- Donnelly, Neil playwright
- Donoghue, Emma novelist & playwright
- Donovan, Gerard poet & novelist
- Donovan, Katie poet, essayist & novelist
- Dorcey, Mary poet & novelist
- Dorgan, Theo poet
- **Doughty, Anne novelist
- Doyle, Mogue novelist
- Doyle, Paddy autobiographer
- Doyle, Roddy novelist, dramatist & filmwriter
- Doyle, Rose novelist
- Duffy, Katherine poet
- Dunne, Catherine novelist
- Durcan, Paul poet
- Dwyer Hickey, Christine Novelist
E
- Edgeworth, Maria novelist
- Egan, Ann poet
- Egan, Desmond poet
- Ellis, Conleth poet & novelist
- Ennis, John poet
- Enright, Anne short story writer, novelist
- Evans, Martina poet & novelist
F
- Faller, Kevin poet & novelist
- Fallon, Padraic poet
- Fallon, Peter poet & publisher
- Fanning, Gerard poet
- Farrell, Bernard playwright
- Fiacc, Padraic poet
- Fitzgerald, Anne poet
- **Fitzgerald, Garret journalist, politician
- Fitzmaurice, Gabriel poet, essayist, anthologist & children's writer
- FitzPatrick Simmons, Janice poet
- *Flanagan, Thomas novelist & critic
- Flynn, Leontia poet
- Flynn, Mannix novelist & playwright
- Foley, Catherine novelist & journalist
- Foster, Aisling novelist
- French, Tom poet
- Friel, Brian short-story writer & playwright
G
- Gallagher, Owen poet
- Galvin, Patrick poet, playwright & autobiographer
- Gébler, Carlo novelist, travelwriter, children's writer and screenwriter
- Gebler, Ernest novelist, playwright and screenwriter
- Givans, Ray poet
- Glavin, Anthony short story-writer & novelist
- Golden, Frank poet & novelist
- Goldsmith, Oliver playwright, novelist, poet, essayist, dramatist
- Graham, Brendan novelist
- Granier, Mark poet
- Greacen, Robert poet & autobiographer
- Gregory, Lady Augusta playwright & folklorist
- Gregory, Jarlath novelist
- Grennan, Eamon poet & critic
- Groarke, Vona poet
H
- Hamilton, Hugo short story writer, novelist
- Hanley, Gerald novelist
- Hanley, James playwright, short story writer & novelist
- Hanna, Davoren poet
- Hardie, Kerry poet
- Harding, Michael dramatist & novelist
- Harrs, Norma novelist, short storywriter & playwright
- Harte, Jack poet, short story writer, and novelist
- Harte, Lara novelist
- (Le Marquand) Hartigan, Ann poet & dramatist
- Hartnett/Ó hAirtnéide, Michael/Micheál poet/file & translator
- Harvey, Francis poet & playwright
- Haverty, Anne novelist
- Hayes, Katy short story writer, dramatist & novelist
- Hayes, Trudy short story writer, dramatist
- *Hayman, Carole novelist, short story writer, TV dramatist
- Healy, Dermot poet, short story-writer & novelist
- Healy, Randolph poet
- Heaney, Seamus poet, essayist & dramatist
- Hewitt, John poet
- Higgins, Aidan novelist & autobiographer
- Higgins, Kevin poet & editor
- Higgins, Michael D. poet
- Higgins, Rita Ann poet & playwright
- **Hobbs, Eddie economist
- Hogan, Desmond short story-writer and novelist
- Hughes, Declan playwright
- Hughes, John poet
- Hutchinson, Pearse poet, translator
I
- Iremonger, Valentin poet, translator, playwright & editor
J
- Jankowsky, Peter translator & essayist
- Jenkinson, Biddy file
- Johnston, Denis playwright
- Johnston, Fred poet
- Johnston, Jennifer novelist & playwright
- Jones, Marie playwright
- Jordan, John poet, short story writer & essayist
- Jordan, Neil novelist, short story writer & film-maker
- Joyce, James poet, novelist & playwright
- Joyce, Trevor poet
- Judge, Michael novelist & playwright
K
- Kavanagh, Patrick poet, & novelist
- Keady, Walter novelist & short story writer
- Keane, John B. poet, novelist & dramatist
- Keane, Molly novelist & dramatist
- Keegan, Claire short story writer
- Keenan, Brian novelist & autobiographer
- Kell, Richard poet
- Kelly, John novelist
- Kelly, Maeve novelist & short story writer
- Kelly, Rita file
- Kennedy, Conan novelist & non-fiction writer
- Kennelly, Brendan dramatist, poet & novelist
- Kenny, Adrian novelist, short story and travel writer
- Kerr, Michael autobiographer
- Keyes, Marian novelist
- Kiely, Benedict novelist and short-story writer
- Kiely, David M. fiction and non-fiction writer
- Kiely, Kevin novelist and poet
- Killeen, Ger poet
- Kilroy, Claire novelist
- Kilroy, Thomas playwright and novelist
- King, Noel poet and short-story writer
- Kinsella, Thomas poet, translator and anthologist
L
- Laird, Nick novelist & poet
- Langan, Brian novelist
- Lavin, Mary short story writer & novelist
- Leland, Mary short story writer & novelist
- Lendennie, Jessie poet & publisher
- Leonard, Hugh playwright
- Levine, June novelist and non-fiction writer
- Leyden, Brian short story writer, novelist & memoirist
- Liddy, James poet
- Liddy, John poet
- Logue, Antonia novelist
- Longley, Michael poet
- Lucy, Sean poet
- Lynch, Brian poet, dramatist & screenwriter
- Lynch, Liam dramatist & novelist
- Lynch, Thomas poet & essayist
M
- MacAnna, Ferdia novelist
- MacCarthy, Catherine Phil poet
- MacFhearghusa, Pádraig file
- MacGreevy, Thomas poet, critic & art historian
- MacIntyre, Tom poet, dramatist and fiction writer
- MacKenna, John short story writer and novelist
- MacLaverty, Bernard short story writer, novelist & filmwriter
- MacMahon, Bryan short story writer, novelist & dramatist
- MacNeice, Louis poet, translator, critic, playwright
- MacUistin, Liam úrscéalaí & drámadóir
- Mhac an tSaoi, Máire file
- Macken, Walter dramatist, novelist & short story writer
- Madden, Aodhan dramatist & short story writer
- Madden, Deirdre novelist
- Maguire, Aisling short story writer & novelist
- Mahon, Derek poet & translator
- Malone, Martin short story writer & novelist
- Marcus, David editor translator novelist & short story writer
- Martin, Emer novelist
- Mathews, Aidan poet, short story writer, playwright and novelist
- Maude, Caitlín poet & dramatist
- Maxton, Hugh poet and essayist
- McAuley, James J. poet & dramatist
- McBreen, Joan poet
- McCabe, Eugene playwright, short story writer and novelist
- McCabe, James poet
- McCabe, Patrick novelist
- McCann, Colum short story writer & novelist
- McCardle, J. Ardle novelist
- McCarthy, Thomas poet, novelist
- McCloskey, Molly short story writer
- McCormack, Mike short story writer & novelist
- McDonagh, Martin dramatist
- McDonagh, Philip poet
- McDonagh, Terry poet, dramatist
- McFadden, Hugh poet, editor
- McFadden, Roy poet
- McGahern, John short story writer, novelist & dramatist
- McGinley, Patrick novelist
- McGowan, Joe short story writer, novelist
- McGrath, Eamonn novelist
- McGuckian, Medbh poet
- McGuinness, Frank poet & dramatist
- McIntyre, Hazel novelist & memoirist
- *McKiernan, Ethna poet
- McKinney, Blánaid short story writer & novelist
- McLaverty, Michael short story writer & novelist
- McLoughlin, Nigel poet
- McLoughlin, Thomas playwright
- McNamee, Eoin novelist, short story writer
- McNulty, Ted poet
- McPherson, Conor (var.MacPherson) playwright & film maker
- Medbh, Máighréad poet
- Meehan, Paula poet, dramatist
- **Millar, Sam novelist & short story writer
- Mills, Billy poet
- Mills, Geraldine poet & short story writer
- Mills, Lia novelist
- Mitchell, Gary dramatist
- Molloy, Frances novelist
- Molloy, MJ playwright
- Monaghan, Sean novelist
- Monahan, Noel poet
- Montague, John poet, novelist & essayist
- Montague, Mary poet
- Mooney, Martin poet
- Mooney, Matt poet
- Moore, Brian novelist
- **Moore, Dermod essayist
- Moore, George novelist, playwright & essayist
- Moran, Stephen editor & short story writer
- Moriarty, John poet & philosopher
- Moriarty, Sinead novelist
- Morrison, Danny novelist & playwright
- Morrissey, Sinéad poet
- Morrissy, Mary novelist, short story writer
- Moxley, Gina playwright
- Muldoon, Paul poet
- Mulkerns, Helena short story writer
- Mulkerns, Val short story writer & novelist
- Mullan, Pat poet & novelist
- Murdoch, Iris novelist, poet, playwright & philosopher
- Murphy, Aidan poet
- Murphy, Dervla autobiographer, travel writer
- Murphy, Gerry poet
- Murphy, Jimmy playwright
- Murphy, Marian novelist
- Murphy, Michael poet
- Murphy, Paul poet
- Murphy, Richard poet
- Murphy, Tom playwright & novelist
- Murray, Paul poet
N
- Newman, Joan poet
- Newmann, Kate poet
- Nic Aodha, Colette géarscéalaí & file
- Ní Aonghusa, Cláir novelist
- Ní Chonchúir, Nuala poet & fiction writer
- Ní Chuilleanáin, Eiléan poet
- Ní Dhomhnaill, Nuala file
- Ní Dhuibhne, Eilis short story writer & novelist
- Ní Ghallchóir, Colette file
- Ní Ghlinn, Áine file/poet
- Ní Mhóráin, Bríd file
- Nolan, Christopher autobiographer, poet & novelist
- Norton, Jim poet
- Norrington, Alison novelist & playwright
O
- O'Brien, Edna novelist and short story writer
- O'Brien, Flann novelist, playwright & satirist
- O'Brien, Jean poet
- O'Brien, Kate novelist, travel writer & biographer
- Ó Cadhain, Máirtín úrscéalaí & géarscéalaí
- O'Callaghan, Conor poet
- O'Callaghan, Julie poet
- O'Casey, Sean playwright & autobiographer
- O'Connell, Fergus novelist
- O'Connor, Clairr poet, playwright and novelist
- O'Connor, Conleth poet, playwright & novelist
- O'Connor, Frank stort-story writer, novelist, autobiographer & critic
- O'Connor, Joseph novelist, stort-story writer, humourist
- O'Connor, Karen poet, stort-story writer
- O'Connor, Tommy Frank novelist
- O'Connor, Ulick biographer, poet and playwright
- O'Dea, Michael poet
- Ó Díreáin, Máirtín file
- O'Doherty, Brian novelist & critic
- O'Donavan, Síofra novelist
- O'Donnell, John poet
- O'Donnell, Mary poet, short-story writer, novelist
- O'Donnell, Peadar novelist & playwright
- O'Donoghue, Bernard poet
- O'Donoghue, Mary poet
- O'Driscoll, Ciaran poet
- O'Driscoll, Dennis poet
- Ó'Dúill, Gréagóir file
- O'Dwyer, Tony poet
- O'Faolain, Julia short story writer, novelist, editor & translator
- O'Faoláin, Sean short story writer, novelist, editor & biographer
- O'Flaherty, Liam short story writer & novelist
- Ó'Floinn/O'Flynn, Críostóir/Christoir file, drámadóir, úrscéalaí & translator
- O'Gaora, Colm short story writer & novelist
- O'Grady, Desmond poet & translator
- O'Hagan, Sheila poet
- O'Loughlin, Michael poet, short story writer & novelist
- O'Mahony, Nessa poet
- O'Malley, Ernie non-fiction writer
- O'Malley, Mary poet
- Ó'Muirthile, Liam file
- O'Neill, Joseph novelist
- O'Reilly, Caitriona poet
- O'Reilly, Patricia novelist
- O'Reilly, Sean short story writer
- O'Riordan, Kate novelist, playwright and television screenwriter
- O'Rourke, TS novelist
- Ó'Searcaigh, Cathal file agus drámadóir
- O'Siadhail, Micheal poet
- Ó'Snodaigh, Pádraig file
- O'Sullivan, Derry poet
- Ó'Tuairisc/Watters, Eoghan/Eugene file & úrscéalaí
- Ó'Tuama, Seán file
- Ormsby, Frank poet & editor
- Owens, Damien novelist
P
- *Padel, Ruth poet & non-fiction writer
- Park, David novelist
- Parker, Stewart playwright
- Parsons, Julie novelist
- Patterson, Glenn novelist
- Payne, Basil poet & playwright
- Perry, Paul poet
- Phelan, Tom novelist
- Plunkett, James short story writer, novelist, film script writer & essayist
- Power, Suzanne novelist
- Prunty, Morag novelist
- Purcell, Deirdre novelist
Q
- Quarton, Marjorie novelist and non-fiction writer
- Quigley, Patrick novelist
- Quinn, Bob novelist, non-fiction writer & film maker
- Quinn, Justin poet
- Quinn, Niall novelist & dramatist
R
- *Rancourt, Jaques poet, essayist & translator
- Redmond, John poet
- Reidy, Gerard poet
- Rice, Adrian poet
- Ridgway, Keith short story writer & novelist
- Riordan, Maurice poet
- Roche, Billy novelist & dramatist
- Ronan, Frank novelist
- Rooney, Padraig poet, short story writer & novelist
- Rosenstock, Gabriel file
- Rowley, Rosemarie poet, essayist and pamphleteer
- Russell, Mary travel & short story writer
- Ryan, James novelist
- Ryan, Liz novelist
S
- *Salzman, Eva poet
- Scoltock, Jack children's novelist
- Scully, Maurice poet
- Sexton, John W. poet & scriptwriter
- Shaw, George Bernard novelist, playwright & commentator
- Sheehan O'Connor, Kathleen novelist
- Sheehan, Eileen poet
- Sheehan, Ronan novelist, short story writer
- Sheridan, John D. novelist, short story writer, poet and humourist
- Simmons, James poet, playwright, editor & songwriter
- Sirr, Peter poet
- *Skinner, Knute poet
- Slade, Jo poet
- Smith, Michael poet, translator & publisher
- Smith, Paul novelist & dramatist
- Smith, Sydney Bernard poet, playwright & novelist
- Smyth, Damian poet & playwright
- Smyth, Gerard poet
- Somers, Dermot Short story writer, non-fiction writer & script-writer
- Speranza (Jane Francesca Wilde) poet, translator, & non-fiction writer
- Stephens, James poet & fiction writer
- *Steppe, Lisa poet, folklorist, short story writer & novelist
- Stern, James novelist, short story writer & translator
- Sterne, Lawrence novelist
- Stoker, Bram short story writer & novelist
- Strong, Eithne poet/file, short story writer & novelist
- Stuart, Francis poet, dramatist & novelist
- Sullivan, Breda poet
- Sweeney, Eamonn novelist
- Sweeney, Matthew poet and fiction writer
- Swift, Jonathan novelist and satirist
- Synge, John Millington poet and dramatist
T
- Thompson, Kate novelist, poet
- Thompson, Neville novelist, playwright & screenwriter
- Tinley, Bill poet
- Tóibín, Colm novelist & non-fiction writer
- Toman, Edward novelist
- Tracy, Honor novelist
- Traynor, Shaun poet, & novelist for children
- **Tremayne, Peter novelist & short story writer
- Trevor, William short story writer, playwright & novelist
- Troy, Una playwright, novelist, screenwriter
- Tuomey, Nesta novelist, playwright & short story writer
- Tynan, Katharine poet, novelist, playwright & short story writer
UV
- *Valentine, Jean poet
- *Villiers-Tuthill, Kathleen non-ficton writer
W
- Wall, Eamonn poet and critic
- Wall, Mervyn novelist, short story writer & playwright
- Wall, William poet, short story writer, & children's novelist
- Walsh, Catherine poet
- Walsh, Michael poet
- Watters, Eugene poet & short story writer
- Weir, Anthony poet
- Wheatley, David poet
- Whelan, Gerald children's and non-fiction writer
- White, Victoria short story writer
- Wilde, Oscar poet, short story writer, novelist & playwright
- Wiley, Enda poet
- Williams, Niall novelist
- Wilson, Robert McLiam novelist
- Woods, Joseph poet
- Woods, MacDara poet
- Woods, Vincent poet & playwright
- Wynne-Jones, Grace novelist & short story writer
XYZ
- Yeats, William Butler poet, playwright, essayist & autobiographer
