For two decades, the Irish Book Awards have celebrated the stories that moved us, challenged us, comforted us and stayed with us long after the final page. Now, to mark the 20th anniversary of the Irish Book Awards, readers across Ireland are being invited to help choose the best Irish books of the last 20 years.
Irish women writers have played a huge part in shaping modern Irish fiction, producing some of the most acclaimed, talked-about and widely loved novels of the past two decades. From literary fiction and love stories to dark thrillers and quietly powerful novellas, these writers have told unforgettable stories about Ireland and the world beyond it.
Here are 11 brilliant novels by Irish women you should read — and that helped define a generation of Irish writing.
56 Days – Catherine Ryan Howard
56 Days by Catherine Ryan Howard is a gripping, high-concept thriller set during the Covid-19 lockdown, when two strangers decide to move in together after a whirlwind romance — only for one of them to end up dead. Told through multiple timelines, it’s a clever, tense and addictive read that proves you never really know the person you’re dating.
Again, Rachel – Marian Keyes
Marian Keyes revisits one of her most beloved characters, Rachel Walsh, years after the events of Rachel’s Holiday. Now older and working in addiction counselling, Rachel finds her life upended when a former love reappears. Warm, funny and deeply moving, this novel is about second chances, friendship and growing older.
It Should Have Been You – Andrea Mara
It Should Have Been You is a twisty domestic thriller that begins with a tragic accident — a child killed in a hit-and-run — and spirals into a story full of secrets, guilt and neighbourhood tension. It’s a page-turner that explores how one split-second decision can change multiple lives forever.
Normal People – Sally Rooney
Few Irish novels of the last 20 years have had the cultural impact of Normal People by Sally Rooney. The story follows Connell and Marianne from school in the west of Ireland to university in Dublin, tracing their complicated relationship over several years. Quiet, intimate and emotionally devastating, it became a modern classic and introduced a new generation to Irish fiction.
Room – Emma Donoghue
Room by Emma Donoghue is one of the most unforgettable novels of the century so far. Told from the perspective of a young boy who has lived his entire life in a single room with his mother, the novel is both heartbreaking and hopeful — a story about survival, resilience and the bond between mother and child.
Small Things Like These – Claire Keegan
In the short but powerful Small Things Like These, Claire Keegan tells the story of a coal merchant in a small Irish town who discovers a shocking truth just before Christmas. Quiet, moving and beautifully written, this novella explores morality, kindness and the courage it takes to do the right thing.
Spill Simmer Falter Wither – Sara Baume
Spill Simmer Falter Wither by Sara Baume is a strange, lyrical and deeply moving novel about a lonely man and the one-eyed dog he adopts. Together they travel around Ireland, forming a bond that becomes the centre of both their lives. It’s a quiet novel about isolation, connection and finding companionship in unexpected places.
The Gathering – Anne Enright
Winner of the Booker Prize, The Gathering by Anne Enright is a dark and powerful family story told by a woman reflecting on her brother’s death and her large Dublin family. The novel explores memory, grief, trauma and the secrets families carry for generations.
The Importance of Being Aisling – Emer McLysaght & Sarah Breen
The Importance of Being Aisling by Emer McLysaght and Sarah Breen became a cultural phenomenon in Ireland. Funny, warm and instantly recognisable, it follows Aisling as she navigates life, work, friendship and love after moving from small-town Ireland to Dublin.
Trespasses – Louise Kennedy
Set in Belfast during the Troubles, Trespasses by Louise Kennedy is both a political novel and a love story. When a Catholic teacher begins a relationship with a married Protestant barrister, the affair unfolds against a backdrop of tension and violence. It’s atmospheric, tense and beautifully written.
Unravelling Oliver – Liz Nugent
Unravelling Oliver by Liz Nugent begins with a shocking act of violence and then works backwards to uncover how Oliver Ryan (charming, successful and admired) became capable of something terrible. A dark psychological novel about identity, family and the making of a monster.
Help Choose the Best Irish Books of the Last 20 Years
As part of the 20th anniversary of the Irish Book Awards, readers across Ireland are being invited to help choose the best Irish books of the last 20 years. From unforgettable novels and powerful memoirs to groundbreaking debuts and cultural touchstones, 60 books from previous winners have been selected as the titles that defined a generation of Irish writing.
Now it’s your turn to choose your favourites and celebrate 20 years of great Irish books.
VOTE NOW
