Book covers against a background of the Irish countryside

Recommended Reads

12 books set in Ireland for St. Patrick’s Day

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Mar 12, 2024

As emerald fields whisper of spring, St. Patrick's Day paints the world in shades of green, verdant decoration paying tribute to the legacy of Ireland's patron saint. Amidst the lively dances of jigs and reels, echoes of literary legends rise, as if James Joyce's Dubliners stroll the cobbled streets and Oscar Wilde's wit lingers in the air like a mist over the moors. From the rugged cliffs of Joyce's Ulysses to the haunting beauty of Frank McCourt's Angela's Ashes, Ireland's stories invite us to explore their depths and timeless human truths.

Here, we spotlight a few of those captivating novels, available on the Libby app, that are set against the backdrop of Ireland's enchanting landscapes. From the lyrical prose of Colm Tóibín's Brooklyn to the mysteries of Tana French's In the Woods, immerse yourself in these stories, where every page reveals a new chapter in Ireland's storied history.

Normal PeopleNormal People by Sally Rooney

Now an Emmy-nominated original series, this is the story of mutual fascination, friendship and love. It takes us from that first conversation to the years beyond, in the company of two people who try to stay apart but find that they can’t.


KalaKala by Colin Walsh

In Kinlough, on Ireland’s west coast, sits a seaside town suffocating on its own secrets. Former friends, estranged for 20 years, reckon with the terrifying events of the summer that changed their lives.


Home StretchHome Stretch by Graham Norton

The New York Times bestselling writer and acclaimed television host explores the aftermath of a tragedy on a small Irish community to illuminate the shame and longing that can flow through generations - and how the secrets of the heart cannot stay buried forever.


The Heart's Invisible FuriesThe Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne

In this, Boyne’s most transcendent work to date, we're shown the story of Ireland from the 1940s to today through the eyes of one ordinary man.


The Glorious HeresiesThe Glorious Heresies by Lisa McInerney

This searing debut novel about life on the fringes of Ireland’s post-crash society presents an unforgettable vision of a city plagued by poverty and exploitation, where salvation still awaits in the most unexpected places.


The ScholarThe Scholar by Dervla McTiernan (Cormac Reilly series)

A compulsive crime thriller set in the fiercely competitive, cutthroat world of research and academia, where the brightest minds will stop at nothing to succeed.


Prophet SongProphet Song by Paul Lynch

The winner of the Booker Prize 2023, Prophet Song presents a terrifying and shocking fictional vision of a country sliding into authoritarianism and a deeply human portrait of a mother’s fight to hold her family together.


The Lost BookshopThe Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods

When a vanishing bookshop casts its spell, three unsuspecting strangers will discover that their own stories are every bit as extraordinary as the ones found in the pages of their beloved books.


*Title availability may vary by library and region.

RELATED READ: 12 Irish authors you should read for St. Patrick’s Day

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About the Author

Gryphon Beyerle is an Account Manager at OverDrive specializing in international publisher services. She lives in Cleveland, Ohio, where she’s stuck in a Groundhog-Day-style loop of snacking, reading, and napping.

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