Read More Irish Authors Challenge

Starts: Friday, 26 August 2022

Ends: Monday, 26 August 2024

This is a challenge I have written to encourage myself to read more books by Irish authors. Please join in if you want to - I would love more recommendations :)

For this challenge, an author will be considered Irish if:
1. They were born in Ireland
and/or
2. They have lived a large proportion of their life in Ireland.
and/or
3. They identify as Irish.

Ireland will be the whole Island of Ireland and so will include the countries politically named Ireland (Rep of) and Northern Ireland.

The book does not need to be set in Ireland unless it says so in the prompt!

Challenge Prompts

1. We often state that there are four seasons in one day in Ireland as the weather can be so variable. So any book that mentions or is set during any of the season's Winter, Spring, Summer or Autumn. Or a book were weather is important.

2. When I grew up 99% of the population were white catholics. Nowadays English can be the minority language spoken on my bus ride. A book by an Irish POC, from an ethnic minority/new Irish or Diaspora. Or a book not originally in English.

3. "The last thing we need is a new Irish author. " This was said at a friend of mine's book launch a couple of years ago. I say we need more new novels - so a debut novel.

4. Ireland is famous for having 40 shades of green within its landscape. A non-fiction book about nature or a novel that features nature.

5. Horror is one of my favourite genres and Halloween was invented in Ireland. So either a Horror, Gothic or a book that mentions ghosts.

6. Ireland has a rich folklore from fairies/sidhe to warriors/fianna. A book about or a novel influenced by Irish folklore.

7. It is said that if all the Irish that emigrated in the past were to return to Ireland that the island would sink! A book set anywhere BUT Ireland (can be outer space or England) that is written by an Irish author.

8. I once was a member of an Irish Goodreads group were an argument broke out whether speculative fiction (fantasy and science fiction) should be read as part of the group. I believe they should be ! So a book that would be considered speculative fiction by an Irish Author.

9. In Ireland family is important and we recently changed our constitution to recognise all types of families with one or more parents of various genders and sexualities etc. So any book about a family that is wildly different to your own.

10. There has been a lot of conflict in Ireland's history. A book set during a time of conflict (does not need to be set in Ireland).

More...