Colin Barrett was born in 1982 and grew up in County Mayo. His first collection is Young Skins (Dublin, The Stinging Fly, 2013). He was awarded the Penguin Ireland Prize in 2009, bursaries from the Arts Council in 2011 and 2013, and was shortlisted for Best Newcomer and Best Short Story categories of the Irish […]
Niamh Boyce is from Athy, Co Kildare. Her debut novel is The Herbalist (Dublin, Penguin Ireland, 2013). She was awarded the Hennessy XO New Irish Writer of the Year 2012 for her poem Kitty, and has been shortlisted for the Francis McManus Short Story competition 2011, the Hennessy Literary Awards 2010, the Molly Keane Award […]
Catherine Barry was born in 1963 in Dublin. Her novels are The House That Jack Built (London, Simon & Schuster, 2001); Null & Void (Simon & Schuster, 2002); and Skindeep (Simon & Schuster, 2004). Her non-fiction is Charlie & Me (Dublin, New Island books, 2011). She lives in Dublin. Catherine Barry on Facebook Catherine Barry: […]
Maggie Breen was born in Monageer, Co Wexford. Her debut collection is Other Things I Didn’t Tell (Enniscorthy, Scalta Media, 2013). She divides her time between Sallins, Co. Kildare, and Dingle, Co. Kerry. Maggie Breen at Scalta Media
Lisa Burkitt was born in the USA to Irish parents, and grew up in Donegal. Her debut novel is The Memory of Scent (Dublin/Gloucestershire, UK, The History Press, 2012). Her stories have been anthologised in the Faber Book of Best New Irish Short Stories (London, Faber & Faber, 2008); Queens Noir (New York, Akashic Books, […]
Keith Baker is the author of contemporary thrillers, including Inheritance (London, Headline, 1996); Reckoning (Headline, 1998); Engram (Headline, 1999) and Lunenburg (Headline, 2000). Inheritance won a WH Smith Fresh Talent Award in 1996 and is on the contemporary fiction syllabus at Queen’s University, Belfast. He is a former Head of News and Current Affairs for […]
Ivy Bannister was born in New York City in 1951. Her short story collection is Magician (Dublin, Poolbeg Press, 1996). Many other stories have been published and broadcast, including What Big Teeth, filmed as Forgetting Aphrodite (2004). Her memoir is Blunt Trauma: After the Fall of Flight 111 (Dublin, Ashfield Press, 2005). Her plays have […]
John Banville was born in Wexford in 1945. His novels are Long Lankin ([nine short stories and the novella, The Possessed], London, Secker & Warburg, 1970); Nightspawn (Secker & Warburg, New York/ WW Norton, 1971); Birchwood (Secker & Warburg/WW Norton, 1973); Dr Copernicus (London, Martin Secker & Warburg, 1976); Kepler (Martin Secker & Warburg, 1981); […]
Vincent Banville was born in Wexford in 1940. His novels include An End to Flight (London, Faber and Faber, 1973, originally published under the pen name Vincent Lawrence, reprinted, author Vincent Banville, Dublin, New Island Books, 2002); Death by Design (Dublin, The Wolfhound Press, 1993); Death the Pale Rider (Dublin, Poolbeg, 1995); and Cannon Law […]
Leland Bardwell was born in India of Irish parents in 1922 and was brought to Ireland at the age of two. Her collections of poetry are The Mad Cyclist (Dublin, New Writers’ Press, 1970); The Fly and the Bedbug (Dublin, Beaver Row Press, 1984); Dostoevsky’s Grave, New and Selected Poems (Dublin, The Dedalus Press, 1991); […]
Anne Barrett was born in Co Clare. Her first film, Spring Cleaning (Channel 4/RTÉ, 1986), received two international film awards, including Special Juror’s Award at the Cork film festival and was distributed in Scandanavia and mainland Europe. Her most recent feature script, Wild Horses, is the recipient of Irish Film Board and European Media 11 […]
Kevin Barry was born in Limerick in 1969. His story collections are There Are Little Kingdoms (Dublin, Stinging Fly Press, 2007), which featured as a book of the year in both The Sunday Tribune and The Irish Times and was awarded the 2007 Rooney Prize for Irish Literature; and Dark Lies the Island (London, Jonathan […]
Sebastian Barry was born in Dublin in 1955. His plays are The Pentagonal Dream (Damer Theatre 1986); Boss Grady’s Boys (Abbey Theatre, Peacock stage, Dublin 1988), which won the first BBC/Stewart Parker Award; Prayers of Sherkin (Abbey Theatre, Peacock stage, Dublin 1990, where he was Ansbacher Writer-in-Residence); White Woman Street (Bush Theatre, London 1992); The […]
Colin Bateman was born in Co Down in 1962. He has written fifteen novels, amongst them being Divorcing Jack (London, Arcade Publishing, 1995); Cycle of Violence (London, Harper Collins,1995); Of Wee Sweetie Mice and Men (Harper Collins, 1996) Empire State (London, Harper Collins, 1997); Turbelent Priests (Harper Collins, 1999) and Belfast Confidential (London, Headline, 2005). […]
Mary Beckett was born in Belfast in 1926. She began writing in her twenties, first for the BBC, and then for literary magazines. Her stories are collected as A Belfast Woman (Dublin, Poolbeg, 1980/New York, William Morrow, Beechtree Books, 1998); and A Literary Woman (London, Bloomsbury, 1990). Her novel is Give Them Stones (Bloomsbury, 1987/New […]
Samuel Beckett was born in Foxrock, Co Dublin in 1906. His fiction includes More Pricks Than Kicks (London, Chatto and Windus, 1934); Murphy (London, G. Routledge, 1938); Molloy (Paris, Les Editions de Minuit 1951); English translation as Molloy by Samuel Beckett and Patrick Bowles. (Paris, Olympia Press, 1955); Malone Meurt (Paris, Les Editions de Minuit […]
Brendan Behan (known in Irish as Breandán Ó Beacháin) was born in Dublin in 1923. He served in Borstal (juvenile prison) for his activities in the IRA, and his experiences formed the background for his most important work. His plays are The Quare Fellow (Dublin, The Pike Theatre, 1954/London, Theatre Royal, 1956[the famous production by […]
Gerard Beirne was born in 1962. His novels are The Eskimo in the Net (London, Marion Boyars, 2003); and Turtle (Ottawa, Oberon Press, 2009). His poetry collections are Digging My Own Grave (Dublin, The Dedalus Press, 1996); and Games of Chance – A Gambler’s Manual (Ottawa, Oberon Press, 2011). His short story, Sightings of Bono, […]
Ronan Bennett was born in Belfast in 1956. His novels are The Second Prison (London, Hamish Hamilton 1991); Overthrown by Strangers (Hamish Hamilton, 1992); The Catastrophist (London, Headline Review 1998); Havaoc, In Its Third Year (London, 2004), Hughes & Hughes/Irish Independent Irish Novel of the Year and shortlisted for the James Tait Black Memorial Prize; […]
Sara Berkeley was born in Dublin in 1967. Her collections are Penn (Dublin, Raven Arts Press/Canada, Thistledown Press, 1986); Home Movie Nights (Raven Arts Press/Thistledown Press, 1989); Facts About Water, New and Selected Poems (Dublin, New Island Books/Canada, Thistledown Press/Newcastle Upon Tyne, Bloodaxe Books, 1994); Strawberry Thief (Oldcastle, Co Meath, The Gallery Press, 2005); and […]
Ciaran Berry was born in Dublin in 1971 and grew up in Carna, County Galway and Falcarragh, County Donegal. His first collection is The Sphere Birds (Oldcastle, Co Meath, The Gallery Press/Southern Illinois State University Press, 2008), which won the Crab Orchard Series Award of Southern Illinois University Press. He now lives in New York […]
Sujata Bhatt was born in Ahmedabad, India in 1956, and spent her early years in Pune. She has translated Gujarati poetry into English for the Penguin anthology of Contemporary Indian Women Poets. Her collections are Brunizem (Manchester, The Carcanet Press, 1988), for which she received the Commonwealth Poetry Prize (Asia) and the Alice Hunt Bartlett […]
Chris Binchy was born in Scotland in 1970. His novels are The Very Man (London, MacMillan, 2003); People Like Us (MacMillan, 2004); Open Handed (London, Penguin, 2008); and Five Days Apart (London, Harper, 2010). He has also published Lighthouse (Dublin, New Island Books, Open Door Series, 2008). He lives in Dublin. Chris Binchy at Culture […]
Dan Binchy was born in County Limerick in 1940. His novels are The Neon Madonna (London, Century, 1991); The Last Resort (Century, 1992); Fireballs (London, Century, Random House, 1993); and Loopy: A Novel of Golf and Ireland (New York, Thomas Dunne Books, 2005). He has also published Cover-up: The Disaster at Tuskar Rock (Tralee, Mount […]
Maeve Binchy was born in Dublin in 1940. Her story collections are Central Line (Dublin, Ward River Press, 1977/London, Quartet, 1978); Victoria Line (Ward River Press/Quartet, 1980); Dublin 4 (Ward River Press/London, Century, 1983); and The Lilac Bus (Ward River Press, 1984/Century, 1986). Her novels are Light A Penny Candle (London, Century, 1982/New York, Viking, […]
Eavan Boland was born in Dublin in 1944. Her collections of poetry include 23 Poems (Dublin, Gallagher, 1962); The War Horse (London, Gollancz,1975); In Her Own Image (Dublin, Arlen House, 1980); Night Feed (Arlen House, 1982); The Journey (Manchester, Carcanet, 1987); Selected Poems (Carcanet, 1989/Pennsylvania, U.S.A., W W Norton & Co Inc, 1991); Outside History […]
Rosita Boland was born in Co Clare in 1965. Her poetry collections are Muscle Creek (Dublin, Raven Arts Press, 1991); and Dissecting the Heart (Oldcastle, Co Meath, The Gallery Press, 2003). She has also published two travel books, Sea Legs: Hitchhiking Around the Coast of Ireland Alone (Dublin, New Island Books, 1995); and A Secret […]
Dermot Bolger was born in Finglas, North Dublin, in 1959. He founded Raven Arts Press, Dublin, where he was editor from 1979 to 1992. His novels are Night Shift, (Kerry, Brandon Books, 1982) ; The Woman’s Daughter, (Dublin, Raven Arts Press, 1987, revised and enlarged edition by Penguin, London 1991); The Journey Home (London,Viking, 1990/University […]
Pat Boran was born in Portlaoise in 1963. His poetry collections are The Unwound Clock (Dublin, The Dedalus Press, 1990), which won the Patrick Kavanagh Award; Familiar Things (Dedalus, 1993); The Shape of Water (Dedalus, 1996); As the Hand, the Glove (Dedalus, 2001); and New and Selected Poems, with an introduction by Dennis O’Driscoll (Cambridge, […]
Angela Bourke’s short story collection is By Salt Water, (Dublin, New Island Books, 1996). Her other books include Caoineadh na dTrí Muire (Baile Átha Cliath, An Clóchomhar, 1983); The Burning of Bridget Cleary (London, Pimlico, 1999); and Maeve Brennan: Homesick at The New Yorker (London, Jonathan Cape, 2004/New York, Counterpoint, 2005). She edited volumes 1v […]
Eva Bourke was born in Germany but has lived in Ireland for many years. Her poetry collections are Gonella (Galway, Salmon Publishing, 1985, with drawings by Jay Murphy); Litany for the Pig (Salmon Publishing, 1989); Spring in Henry Street (Dublin, Dedalus, 1996); Travels With Gandolfo (Dedalus, 2000); The Latitude of Naples (Dedalus, 2005); and Piano […]
John Boyne was born in Dublin in 1971. His first short story was published by the Sunday Tribune and shortlisted for a Hennessy Literary Award. His novels for both adults and children are The Thief of Time (London, Weidenfeld & Nicholson, 2000); The Congress of Rough Riders, a fictional recreation of the life of Buffalo […]
Elizabeth Bowen was born Elizabeth Dorothea Cole in Dublin in 1899, taking her literary name from the family home Bowen’s Court, in County Cork. Her novels include Encounters (London, Sidgwick & Jackson, 1923); The Hotel (London, Constable, 1927); The Last September (Constable, 1929); Friends and Relations (Constable, 1931); To the North (London, Gollancz, 1932); The […]
Clare Boylan was born in Dublin in 1948. She published four novels: Holy Pictures (London, Hamish Hamilton, 1993/ New York, Simon and Schuster 1983); Last Resorts (Hamish Hamilton, 1984 /Simon and Schuster, 1986); Black Baby (Hamish Hamilton, 1988 / New York, Doubleday 1989); Home Rule (Hamish Hamilton 1992). Her widely anthologised stories have been collected […]
Colm Breathnach was born in Cork in 1961. His collections are Cantaic an Bhalbháin (1991), which won the Duais Bhardas Chorcaí at the 1991 Oireachtas; An Fearann Breac (1992); Scáthach (1994), which won An Príomhdhuais Filíochta at the 1994 Oireachtais; Croí agus Carraig (Baile Átha Cliath, Coiscéim, 1995); and An Fear Marbh (Gaillimh, Cló Iar-Chonnachta, […]
Pádraic Breathnach was Born in Moycullen, Co. Galway, in 1942. His stories are collected as Bean Aonair (Clódhanna Teo., 1974); Buicéad Poitín (Clódhanna Teo., 1978); An Lánúin (F.N.T., 1979); Na Déithe Luachmhara Deiridh (Clódhanna Teo., 1980); Lilí agus Fraoch (Clódhanna Teo., 1983) Ar na Tamhnacha (Clódhanna Teo., 1987); Íosla agus Scéalta Eile (Clódhanna Teo., 1992); […]
Mary Branly was born in Sligo in 1962. Her collections are A Foot in the Tide (Kilcar, Co Donegal, the Summer Palace Press, 2002); and Martin Let Me Go (Summer Palace Press, 2009). She has also co-written Silk Kimono (Sligo, The Factory Performance Place, 1995); and co-ordinated Charlie Barley and all his friends, an anthology […]
Deirdre Brennan was born in Dublin in 1934 and brought up in Tipperary. Her collections are Reilig na mBan Rialta (Baile Átha Cliath, Coscéim, 1974); Scothanna Geala (Coscéim, 1989), which was a Poetry Ireland Choice of the Year; Thar Cholba na Mara (Coscéim1993); Ag Mealladh Réalta (Coiscéim 2000); The Hen Party (Belfast, Lapwing 2001); Beneath […]
James (Jimmy) Brennan was born in Dublin in 1944. He was a member of the Stanislavski Studio at Focus Theatre from 1967-1969. His novel is Seaman (Dublin, Irish Writers Co-Op,1978). His poems and stories have been published in Cyphers and the Irish Press. His one-act play was Blind Salad (Dublin, Focus Theatre, October 1979). He […]
Joe Brennan was born in Wexford in 1968. His play The Witchin’ Well was produced by An Grianán Productions (Letterkenny, Co Donegal) in 2005 and 2006. The play toured nationally twice and featured at the Junction Festival (Clonmel, 2005), the Cork Midsummer Festival (2005), and at the ‘100, 1000, 1000000 Stories Festival‘, Teatrul Ion Creanga, […]
Maeve Brennan was born in Dublin in 1917. Her father was Irish Ambassador to the United States and he brought his family there, including Maeve, in 1934. She settled in Manhattan and in 1949 joined the staff of the New Yorker, to which she contributed book reviews, fashion notes, essays and stories until 1973, when […]
Rory Brennan was born in Westport, Co Mayo in 1945. His collections are The Sea on Fire (Dublin, Dolmen, 1978); The Walking Wounded (Dublin, The Dedalus Press, 1985); and The Old in Raphallo (Dedalus, 1996). He won the Patrick Kavanagh Award for The Sea on Fire in 1978. A former director of Poetry Ireland, he […]
Heather Brett was born in Canada, and was raised in Co Antrim. Her collections are Abigail Brown (Galway, Salmon Poetry, 1991); The Touch-Maker (Monaghan, The Alternative Publishing Company, 1994/Toronto, Literary Publishing 1994); and Green Monkey,Travelling (Bristol, UK, Bluechrome, 2005). Heather Brett was named as Bluechrome Poet of the Year 2005. She was awarded the 1992 […]
John Broderick was born in Athlone in 1924. His novels include The Pilgrimage (London, Weidenfeld & Nicholson 1961), published in the U.S. as The Chameleons (N.Y. Ivan Obolensky, 1961); The Fugitives (London, Weidenfeld & Nicholson, 1962); Don Juaneen (London, Weidenfeld & Nicholson, 1963); The Waking of Willie Ryan (London, Weidenfeld & Nicholson, 1965); An Apology […]
Sonja Broderick was born in Listowel, Co Kerry, in 1971. Her first collection is The Things You Left Me With (Belfast, Lapwing Press, 2004). She lives in Listowel, Co Kerry. Sonja Broderick’s website Sonja Broderick at The National Library of Ireland
Catherine Brophy was born in Dublin. Her novels are The Liberation of Margaret McCabe (Dublin, Wolfhound Press, 1985); and Dark Paradise (Wolfhound, 1992). She has also been a script writer for the long-running RTÉ series Fair City. She lives in Dublin. Catherine Brophy at The National Library of Ireland
Christine Broe was born in Dublin in 1948. Her first collection is Solas Sólás (Dublin, Swan Press, 2003). Her poetry has received many awards, including the inaugural Brendan Kennelly/Sunday Tribune Prize in 2001, and the Premio Cittá di Olbia Award in 2002. She lives in Dublin. Christine Broe Interview at News4 with Glenda Cimino Christine […]
Christy Brown was born in Crumlin, Dublin, in 1932. One of thirteen surviving children, he suffered from cerebral palsy and was considered mentally disabled until he famously snatched a piece of chalk from his sister with his left foot. His autobiography, My Left Foot (London, Secker & Warburg, 1954/New York, Simon & Schuster, 1955), was […]
Stephen Brown was born in Derry in 1972. His novels are Under the Devil Tree (Derry, Stephen Brown, 2004); The Green Book (Bucks., UK, White Leaf Press, 2009); His poetry is collected as The Ant and the Centaur (White Leaf Press, 2009). He lives near Oxford. Whiteleaf Press
Corinne de Laittre Browne, who writes under the name Corinne Browne, was born in 1945 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Her non-fiction includes Body Shop, Recovering from Vietnam (New York, Stein & Day 1971); Confessions of a Fish Doctor [with Scott Brodie] (New York, Workmen Press, 1976); Time Bomb: Understanding the Threat of Nuclear Power (New York, […]
Colette Bryce was born in Derry in 1970. Her collections are The Heel of Bernadette (London, Picador, 2000); The Full Indian Rope Trick (Picador, 2004), which was short-listed for the TS Eliot Award; The Observations of Aleksandr Svetlov (London, Donut Press, 2007); and Self-Portrait in the Dark (Picador Poetry, 2008), which was short-listed for the […]
Sam Burnside was born in Co Antrim. His long poem, Cathedral (Freehold Press, 1989), won The Sunday Tribune/Hennessey Award of that year. This was followed by Walking The Marshes (Cliffs of Moher, Salmon Poetry, 1990); Horses (Ballagh Studios, 1993), a handmade book with woodcuts by the Canadian artist Tim Stampton; and Fahan Mura (Belfast, Lapwing […]
Paddy Bushe was born in Dublin in 1948. His poetry collections include Poems With Amergin (Dublin, Beaver Row Press, 1989); Teanga (Baile Átha Cliath, Coiscéim, 1990); Counsellor (Kerry, Sceilg Press, 1991); Digging Towards The Light (Dublin, Dedalus Press, 1994); In Ainneoin na gCloch (Coiscéim, 2001); Hopkins on Skellig Michael (Dublin, Dedalus Press, 2001); The Nitpicking […]
Hubert Butler was born in Kilkenny in 1900. He is recognized as the most distinctive Irish essayists, writing in the highest traditions of Swift and Shaw. His essays reflect his experiences in pre-war Eastern Europe, the Balkans, Latvia, Russia and China, as well as Ireland. In 1933/34 he translated and adapted Chekov’s The Cherry Orchard […]
Mairéad Byrne was born in Dublin in 1957. Her poetry collections include Talk Poetry (Miami University Press 2007), SOS Poetry (/ubu Editions 2007), and Nelson & The Huruburu Bird (Bray, Wild Honey Press 2003); also five chapbooks, An Educated Heart (Palm Press 2005), Vivas (Wild Honey Press 2005), Kalends (Belladonna* 2005), China Dogs (Poetic Inhalation […]
Patricia Byrne was born in Mayo. Her narrative nonfiction is The Veiled Woman of Achill (Cork, The Collins Press, 2012). Her debut collection of poetry is Unstable Time (Belfast, Lapwing Press, 2009). She is also a writer of short stories, which have been anthologised. She lives in Limerick. Patricia Byrne’s website Patricia Byrne at The […]
Trevor Byrne was born in Dublin in 1981. His debut novel is Ghosts and Lightning (Edinburgh, Canongate/New York, Doubleday 2009). He is currently a tutor of creative writing at Glamorgan University. Trevor Byrne at Curtis Brown Trevor Byrne at Canongate Excerpt from Ghosts and Lightning at Random House Trevor Byrne at The National Library of […]
Catherine Byron was born in London of an English father and Irish mother in 1947 but grew up in Belfast from 1948. The Fat-Hen Field Hospital: Poems 1985-92 (Bristol, Loxwood Stoneleigh, 1993); Settlements & Samhain (Loxwood Stoneleigh, 1993); The Three Shes, edited and translated into German by Hans Bernhard Schiff, (Dusseldorf 1994, parallel text); and […]
We are not in contact with the vast majority of the writers listed. In general, the best thing to do is contact a writer’s publisher. See Irish Publishers which may help in this regard.
