The best Irish books of 2022 so far

We’ve always been a literary nation, but it’s safe to say that Ireland’s creative heritage is in good hands with the current crop of writers dominating the scene. If you’re looking to get a taste of our best talent in 2022, here are 15 of the best Irish books released this year so far…

Breaking point by Edel Coffey

There’s no doubt that the subject matter of Edel Coffey’s debut novel is difficult, particularly if you’re a parent – but in the capable hands of the former journalist, it’s handled with confidence and empathy. Coffey manages to weave a compelling story out of tragedy, inspired by a real event; “Breaking Point” traces the fallout from the painful death of a child and its impact on two women in particular, making it a story that is both heartbreaking and gripping. (Read an excerpt here).

We need your consent to load this content rte-playerWe use rte-player to manage additional content which may place cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please check their details and accept them to load the content.Manage preferences

The Queen of Dirt Island by Donald Ryan

A new Donald Ryan book is always a treat, and The Queen of Dirt Island did not disappoint. Set in rural Ireland in the 1980s, the Tipperary man’s seventh novel explores four generations of women in the Aylward family, crafting a narrative as beautifully drawn as any of his previous work. (Read our review here).

Haven by Emma Donoghue

Today, Emma Donoghue has established herself as one of our best-known writers thanks to the success of Bedroom. Her latest work tackles a very different but equally isolated community, as she delves into a story set among a group of monks on Skellig Michael in the 7th century. It’s an unusual frame of reference for a writer of contemporary fiction, but the talented Donoghue pulls it off with aplomb. (Read our review here.

Ruth and pen by Emilie Pin

If you read his collection of essays Personal Notes, you will know how Emilie Pine is a fiercely candid writer. Thankfully, that skill carried over to his debut novel, which tells the story of the two titular women, Ruth (an autistic teenager) and Pen (a therapist) during a day in Dublin, and gently explores grief, l love and loss in the deal (Read our review here).

Amusements by Aingeala Flannery

Set in the tourist seaside town of Tramore, County Waterford, Aingeala Flannery’s debut novel follows teenage Helen, who is desperate to escape to art college. As she struggles with an alcoholic father, a mother indifferent to her problems and obsessed with a classmate, her world is about to fall apart. Amusements eschews the usual “small-town Ireland escape” tropes and weaves a beautiful, empathetic story of a teenage boy yearning for freedom (Read an excerpt here).

Seven Steeples by Sara Baume

At Sara Baume Spill Simmer Falter Wither was one of the most notable early Irish novels of the last decade, so the subsequent work of the Cork-raised author has much to do. Her third novel, telling the story of Bell and Sigh – a couple who leave town for a seaside cottage with their dogs – is both painfully beautiful and sad, highlighting Baume’s talent for finding tender moments of melancholy.

Echo all the way by Danny Denton

The second novel from the publisher of The stinging fly literary diary is such an original story that you will read this year. While Corkman’s post-apocalyptic debut has been compared to Kevin Barry’s, this one is set in contemporary Ireland. A radio DJ and his producer travel across the country as they hold a competition to donate a car to Irish people fleeing the terrorist attacks in London. The themes explored here, coupled with Denton’s adventurous style, are as challenging as they are enjoyable.

Duration by Catherine Ryan Howard

The sequel to Catherine Ryan Howard’s “Covid novel” 56 days – impressively written during lockdown in 2021 – is no less thrilling than its predecessor. The Cork-born author has an innate talent for high-level storylines, and this brilliant story of an actress who gets tangled up in the making of a horror film is the epitome of the phrase “page -turner”. (Read an excerpt here).

This woman’s workEdited by Sinead Gleeson & Kim Gordon

She established herself as a renowned essayist with the 2019s Constellations, but Sinead Gleeson also has a keen eye for other people’s stories. The Dublin-born author has teamed up with Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth to edit this superb collection of women’s essays on music. Anne Enright’s brilliant account of meeting her hero Laurie Anderson is particularly entertaining, while other contributors include Rachel Kushner, Maggie Nelson and Sub Pop CEO Megan Jasper. (Read our review here).

We were young by Niamh Campbell

If you like the work of Sally Rooney, you will surely enjoy Niamh Campbell’s debut novel. The gripping tale of “We Were Young” follows Cormac, a photographer in his late fifties who has fallen into the rut of dating college students, while his friends move on with their lives. Things change when he meets the young dancer Caroline, and he is forced to confront certain truths about himself and his family. The clarity of Campbell’s writing here is a joy to behold.

Homesickness by Colin Barrett

He proved his talent as one of our best short story writers with the remarkable Young Skins and Colin Barrett’s second collection is as fierce and wild as the last. Again, these stories reflect contemporary Ireland in a way that is rarely captured accurately on the page; perhaps the Mayo man’s self-imposed exile (he’s now based in Toronto) has further sharpened his view of his homeland. In any case, there is beauty, melancholy and authenticity in spades in these stories.

joyrider by Angela Scanlon

She is best known as a presenter of TV shows like The only show and Your perfect home on the BBC, but Angela Scanlon is also a human being, believe it or not. The Meath woman’s first book is part memoir, part self-help guide as she reflects on the concept of gratitude and its importance in all of our lives. It may sound a bit silly, but Scanlon’s lived experience is truly profound and that makes for a very enjoyable read.

Surveyor Lobochevsky by Adrian Duncan

On paper, this may not seem like the most exciting pitch for a novel: a Russian mathematician is hired by Bord na Mona in the 1950s to measure land to harvest peat. Still, Adrian Duncan’s third novel showcases the author’s attention to detail and talent for meticulously depicted scenes, making for a captivating novel to get lost in.

negative space by Cristin Leach

She is best known as an art critic for the Sunday Times, but Cristín Leach’s memoir has focused on her own story – most notably, the breakdown of her marriage and her attempt to come to terms with herself in the middle of the collapse of this relationship. Leach’s unconventional style and his unusual fusion of art with the personal makes for a vulnerable, raw and beautiful portrait (Read our review here).

Offenses by Louise Kennedy

Another writer who had already impressed with her debut collection of short stories, Louise Kennedy’s debut novel delighted in all the right places. Documenting a case between a Protestant lawyer and a young Catholic woman in Belfast at the height of the Troubles, Kennedy struck the perfect balance between small and large imagery, as well as personal and public stories (Read our review here).

All the darkness down wide by Sean Hewitt

It’s not exactly a groundbreaking feat for an author to lay out his innermost thoughts when writing a memoir, but something about the story of poet Sean Hewitt does. All the darkness down wide more brutally, beautifully intimate than most. The English Trinity Lit. The speaker explores life, death, mental health and sexuality in an effort to unravel scenes from his life, and you are with him through every joyful and painful step.