Ó hAodha, Mícheál

Mícheál Ó hAodha was born in 1969. His poems are collected in the dual-language Survivor/Dúchas Dóchasach: Representations of the New Irish ([with paintings by Jean ‘Ryan’ Hakizimana] Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Cambridge Scholars Publications, 2007); and Slán le hÉirinn (Baile Átha Cliath, Coscéim, 2012). He writes fiction as well as poetry and has translated extensively from Irish, including […]

O Connor, Tom

Tom O Connor was born in Kiltulla, Athenry, Co. Galway in 1936. His books are Hand of History Burden of Pseudo History (USA, Canada, Trafford Publishing, 2005); and Ireland’s Queen Maeve (USA, Create Space [amazon.com] 2013). He presently resides on the Island of Borneo in East Malaysia, where he has published a number of books […]

Ó Gallachóir, Pádraig

Padráig Ó Gallachóir was born in Perth, Scotland, in 1947. His parents who were from from Glenties and Gaoth Dobhair in Co Donegal were both native Irish speakers. He spent his childhood near Glenties and his teenage years in Gaoth Dobhair. His novels in Irish are Na Deithe Breige (Baile Átha Cliath, Coiscéim, 2007); and […]

O’Driscoll, Ciaran

Ciaran O’Driscoll was born in Kilkenny in 1943. His poetry collections include Gog and Magog (Galway, Salmon, 1987); The Poet and His Shadow (Dublin, Dedalus, 1990); Listening to Different Drummers (Dedalus, 1993); The Old Women of Magione (Dedalus, 1997); Moving On, Still There: New and Selected Poems (Dedalus, 2001); and Surreal Man (Brighton, UK, Pighog […]

O’Faolain, Nuala

Nuala O’Faolain was born in Dublin in 1940. Her autobiographical books are Are You Somebody? (Dublin, New Island Books, 1996/New York, Owl Books, Henry Holt and Company, 1996), which became an international bestseller; and its sequel Almost There: The Onward Journey of a Dublin Woman (Riverhead Books/London, Michael Joseph, 2003). Her novels are My Dream […]

O’Connor, Bridget

Bridget O’Connor was born in Harrow, London. She was the second of five children of Bridie and Jim O’Connor, from Limerick and Cork. Her short story collections are Here Comes John (1993) and Tell Her You Love Her (1997), which were translated into several languages, including Serbo-Croat. Her story A Woman’s Hair was included in […]

O’Faolain, Eileen

Eileen O’Faolain, née Gould, was born in Cork in 1902. She married Sean O’Faolain in 1927. Her children’s books include The Little Black Hen (New York, Random House, 1940); The Children of the Crooked Castle (Dublin, The Talbot Press, 1945); Miss Pennyfeather and the pooka (illustrated by Norah McGuinness, New York, Random House, 1946); Miss […]

O’Faolain, Julia

Julia O’Faolain was born in London in 1932 to the writer Sean O’Faolain and children’s writer Eileen O’Faolain (née Gould). Her works include the short story collections We Might See Sights! and Other Stories (London, Faber & Faber, 1968); Man in the Cellar (Faber & Faber, 1974); and Daughters of Passion (London, Penguin, 1982). Her […]

Ó Baoill, Aindrias

Ó Baoill, Aindrias (1888-1972) Rugadh i mbaile fearann Carbad i gceantar na nGleanntach, Co.Dhun na nGall. 1888. Bun-oideachas: Scoil Náisiúnta Cill Choinnigh . Bhain teastas múinteora amach i gColáiste Thuar Mhic Éadaigh, Co. Mhaigh Eo. Múinteoir Gaeilge i nGleann Fhinne, Cloich Cheann Fhaola, is i gCarn Domhnaigh. Sna fichidí ceapadh é mar cláraitheoir Beireatas, Básanna […]

O’Brien, Edna

Edna O’Brien was born in Co Clare. Her novels include The Country Girls (London, Hutchinson & Company 1960); The Lonely Girl (London, Jonathan Cape, 1962 – published in paperback as Girl With Green Eyes, London, Penguin Books, 1964); Girls in their Married Bliss (Jonathan Cape, 1963); August is a Wicked Month (1964); Casualties of Peace […]

O’Brien, Flann

Flann O’Brien was born Brian O’Nolan in County Tyrone, on 5 October 1911, and grew up in Dublin. He was a civil servant for eighteen years, but in the 1930s began writing a bi-lingual column for The Irish Times under the pseudonym Myles na Gopaleen (Myles of the Small Horses). He also wrote a column […]

O’Brien, George

George O’Brien was born in Lismore, Co Waterford. His works include the memoirs The Village of Longing (Leamington Spa, Sixth Chamber Press / Dublin, The Lilliput Press, 1987); Dancehall Days (Sixth Chamber Press / The Lilliput Press, 1998); and Out of Our Minds (Belfast, The Blackstaff Press, 1998). His other work includes Brien Friel (Dublin, […]

O’Brien, Jean

Jean O’Brien was born in Dublin. A founder member of the Dublin Writers’ Workshop, her collections are The Shadow Keeper (Cliffs of Moher, Salmon Poetry, 1997); Dangerous Dresses (Cork, Bradshaw Books, 2005); and Lovely Legs (Salmon Poetry, 2009). Amongst her awards is the Fish International Poetry Award, 2008, and the Arvon International Poetry competition, 2010, […]

O’Brien, Kate

Kate O’Brien was born in Limerick in 1897, and spent many years in Spain. Her novels include Without My Cloak (London, Heinemann 1931); The Ante-Room (Heinemann, 1934); Mary Lavelle (Heinemann 1936); The Land of Spices (Heinemann, 1941); The Last of Summer (Heinemann, 1943); and That Lady (Heinemann, 1946). She wrote several non-fiction works, including Teresa […]

Ó Cadhain, Máirtín

Máirtín Ó Cadhain was born in Cois Fharraige in the Connamara Gaeltacht in 1906. He is best known for his major novel, Cré na Cille (Dublin, Sáirséal agus Dill, 1949). It has been translated into English as Graveyard Clay, and into many other languages, including Danish and Norwegian. However it is not yet published in […]

O’Callaghan, Julie

Julie O’Callaghan was born in Chicago in 1954. Her collections of poetry for adults include Edible Anecdotes (Mountrath, Dolmen, 1983), which was a Poetry Book Society Recommendation; What’s What (Newcastle Upon Tyne, Bloodaxe Books, 1991), a Poetry Book Society Choice; No Can Do (Bloodaxe Books, 2000), a Poetry Book Society Recommendation, for which she was […]

O’Casey, Sean

Sean O’Casey was born John Casey in Dublin in 1880. His major plays are his Three Dublin Plays: The Shadow of a Gunman (Dublin, The Abbey Theatre, 1923), Juno and the Paycock (The Abbey Theatre, 1924), and The Plough and the Stars (The Abbey Theatre, 1926); and The Silver Tassie (London, 1929). The Plough and […]

Ó Ceallaigh, Philip

Philip Ó Ceallaigh was born in County Waterford. His story collections are Notes from a Turkish Whorehouse (London/Dublin, Penguin Ireland, 2006), for which he was awarded the Rooney Prize for Literature in 2006; and The Pleasant Light of Day (Penguin Ireland, 2009). He has lived and worked in Britain, Spain, Russia, the US, Kosovo, Georgia […]

Ó Conghaile, Micheál

Micheál Ó Conghaile was born in Inis Treabhair, Galway, in 1962. He established the publishing company Cló Iar-Chonnachta (CIC) in 1985 and the company has since published over 300 books and 200 traditional Irish music albums and spoken word albums to date. His short stories are collected as Mac an tSagairt (Gallimh, Cló Iar-Chonnachta,1986); An […]

O’Connell, Fergus

Fergus O’Connell was born in Cork. His novel is Call the Swallow (Cork, The Collins Press), which was short listed for the Kerry Irish Fiction Prize and nominated for the Hughes & Hughes / Sunday Independent Novel of the Year. He is also an authority on project management, having published six management books. He lives […]

O’Connor, Clairr

Clairr O’Connor was born in Limerick in 1951. Her poetry collections are When You Need Them (Galway, Salmon Publishing, 1989); Breast (Dublin, Astrolabe Press, 2004); and Trick the Lock (Astrolabe Press, 2008) Her novels are Belonging (Dublin, Attic Press, 1991); and Love in Another Room (Dublin, Marino Books, 1995). Her plays have been produced on […]

O’Connor, Conleth

Conleth O’Connor was born in Co Kildare in 1947. His plays were produced in the 1970s by the Lantern Theatre, Dublin, including The Reincarnation of Mr Dogsbody; Two Letters; and Overtime. His novels are the unpublished Manus, and the unfinished Peregrine St John Corcoran. His poetry collections are Trinities (Dublin, Profile Press, 1976); The Judas […]

O’Connor, Frank

Frank O’Connor (pen name of Michael O’Donovan) was born in Cork City on September 17, 1903. There is a poignant description of his childhood in the first volume of his autobiography An Only Child. He published two novels, The Saint and Mary Kate (Macmillan, London 1932, 1936/New York 1932 – Blackstaff, Belfast 1990); and Dutch […]

O’Connor, Joseph

Joseph O’Connor image was born in Dublin in 1963. His novels are Cowboys and Indians (London, Sinclair-Stevenson, 1991), which was short listed for The Whitbread Prize; Desperadoes (London, Flamingo, 1993); The Salesman (London, Secker & Warburg, 1998); Inishowen (Secker & Warburg, 2000); Star of the Sea (Secker & Warburg, 2002/New York, Harcourt Books, 2003); Redemption […]

O’Connor, Karen

Karen O’Connor was born in Millstreet, Co. Cork in 1965. Her collections are Fingerprints (On Canvas) (Tralee, Co Kerry, Doghouse, 2005); and Between The Lines (Doghouse, 2011). She is winner of the Nora Fahy Literary Award (short story), the End of Festival Slam at the West Cork Literary Festival and the Listowel Writers Week Single […]

O’Connor, Tommy Frank

Tommy Frank O’Connor was born in Currow, Tralee, Co Kerry in 1944. His novel is The Poacher’s Apprentice (Dublin, Marino, 1997). His poems are collected as Attic Warpipes (Cork, Bradshaw Books, 2004); Loose Head (Tralee, Doghouse Books, 2004); and Meeting Mona Lisa (Doghouse Books, 2011). His work for the stage includes the pageant Breanainn, at […]

O’Connor, Ulick

Ulick O’Connor was born in Dublin in 1929. His plays include The Dream Box (1972); The Dark Lovers (1975); The Emperor’s Envoy (1976); The Grand Inquisitor; Submarine; and Deirdre (Dublin 1977, New York 1980); Execution (1985); The Oval Machine (1986); A Trinity of Two (1988); Joycity (1989); Deux de la Trinite (translated by Ramond Gerome, […]

O’Dea, Michael

Michael O’Dea was born in Roscommon in 1955. His collections are Sunfire (Dublin, The Dedalus Press, 1997); and Turn Your Head (The Dedalus Press, 2003). A bilingual, Galician/English chapbook, Felos ainda serra, was published in Galicia in 2005 by Amastra-N-Gallar. He lives in Dublin. Michael O’Dea’s Blog Michael O’Dea’s Homepage Michael O’Dea at Dedalus Michael […]

Ó Díreáin, Máirtín

Máirtín Ó Díreáin was born Sruthán, Inishmore, the largest of the Aran Islands, in 1910. He worked as a civil servant from 1928 until 1975, and represented Ireland at the Warsaw Autumn Poetry Festival in 1977. His main works include the poetry collections Rogha Dánta (1949); Ó Mórna agus Dánta Eile (1957); Ar Ré Dhearóil […]

O’Doherty, Brian

Brian O’Doherty was born in Roscommon in 1934. His novels are The Strange Case of Mademoiselle P. (New York, Pantheon, 1992); and The Deposition of Father McGreevey (New York, Turtle Press, Books & Co., Helen Marx Books, 1999/London, Arcadia Press, 2000), which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize, 2000. Formerly known as the artist Patrick […]

O’Donnell, Mary

Mary O’Donnell was born in Co Monaghan. Her poetry collections are Reading the Sunflowers in September (The Cliffs of Moher, Co Clare, Salmon, 1991); Spiderwoman’s Third Avenue Rhapsody (Salmon Poetry, 1993); Unlegendary Heroes (Salmon Publishing, 1998); September Elegies (Belfast, Lapwing Publications, 2003); The Place of Miracles: New & Selected Poems(Dublin, New Island Books, 2006); and […]

O’Donovan, Síofra

Síofra O’Donovan was born in Dublin in 1971. Her novel is Malinski (Dublin, The Lilliput Press, 2000). She has lived and worked in Poland and northern India and lives in Dublin. Síofra O’Donovan at Lilliput Síofra O’Donovan at The National Library of Ireland

O’Donnell, John

John O’Donnell was born in 1960. His collections are Some Other Country (Cork, Bradshaw Books, 2002); and Icarus Sees His Father Fly (Dublin, Dedalus Press, 2004). He won the Hennessy/Sunday Tribune Award for Poetry in 1998 and the Listowel Writers’ Week Prizes for Best Poem and Best Collection in 2001, and was awarded first prize […]

O’Donnell, Peadar

Peadar O’Donnell (Peadar Ó Domhnaill) was born to an Irish-speaking family in Dungloe, Co Donegal in 1893. A major radical figure in the history of twentieth century Ireland, he was prominent in the Irish War of Independence, the Civil War, and also fought in the Spanish Civil War on the Republican side. His polemic includes […]

O’Donoghue, Bernard

Bernard O’Donoghue was born in Co Cork in 1945. His poetry is collected as The Weakness (London, Chatto & Windus, 1992); Gunpowder (Chatto & Windus, 1995), for which he was awarded the Whitebread Prize; Here Nor There (Chatto & Windus, 1999); Poaching Rights (Loughcrew, Co Meath, Gallery Books, 1999); and Outliving (Chatto & Windus, 2003); […]

O’Donoghue, Liz

Liz O’Donoghue was born in North Cork in 1960. Her debut collection is Train to Gorey (Galway, Arlen House, 2008). In 1991 she founded the Live Poets Society, a pub-based live poetry performance group.Her anthology of Cork poets, In the Hands of Erato, which she produced and directed, was screened at the Cork Film Festival […]

O’Donoghue, Gregory

Gregory O’Donoghue was born in Cork in 1951, where he studied in UCC under Sean Lucy and John Montague. After some years as an academic in Canada, in 1980 he moved to Lincolnshire where he worked freight trains between South Derbyshire and King’s Cross, Nottingham and Skegness. He then moved back to Cork. The youngest […]

O’Donoghue, Mary

Mary O’Donoghue was born in 1975 and grew up in Co. Clare. Her collections are Tulle (The Cliffs of Moher, Salmon Publishing, 2001); and Among These Winters (Dublin, The Dedalus Press, 2007). Her debut novel is Before the House Burns (Dublin, The Lilliput Press, 2010). Her awards for fiction include Hennessy/Sunday Tribune New Irish Writer […]

O’Donohue, John

John O’Donohue was born in Co Clare in 1953. An ordained priest with a Ph.D in philosophical theology from the University of Tubingen, his books on philosophy and wisdom include Anam Cara: Spiritual Wisdom from the Celtic World (London, Bantam Press, 1997/New York, Cliff Street Books, 1997); Eternal Echoes: Celtic Reflections on Our Yearning to […]

O’Driscoll, Dennis

Dennis O’Driscoll was born in Thurles, Co Tipperary, in 1954. A former editor of Poetry Ireland Review, he was one of Ireland’s most widely published and respected critics of poetry. His poetry volumes include Kist (Mountrath, Dolmen Press, 1982); Hidden Extras (London, Anvil Press Poetry/Dublin, The Dedalus Press, 1987); Long Story Short (Anvil Press Poetry/ […]

Ó Dúill, Gréagóir

Gréagóir Ó Dúill was born in Dublin and grew up in Co Antrim. He has published six collections, including Innilt Bhóthair (Báile Átha Cliath, Coiscéim, 1981); Dubhthrian (Coiscéim, 1985); Blaoscoileán (Coiscéim, 1988); Crannóg agus Carn (Coiscéim, 1991); Saothrú an Ghoirt (Coiscéim, 1994); Traverse, (Co Down, Lapwing Publications, 1998);New Room Windows (Tralee, Doghouse Books, 2008); and […]

O’Dwyer, Tony

Tony O’Dwyer was born in Ennistymon, Co. Clare. His collection is Off Guard (Cork, Bradshaw Books, 2003). His awards include Samhlaiocht Chiarrai 1995 and 1997, and the Cork Literary Review Manuscript Competition, 2002. He is co-founder of Crannóg Magazine and lives in Galway. Crannóg Magazine Wordsonthestreet Tony O’Dwyer at The National Library of Ireland

Ó Faoláin, Seán

Seán Ó Faoláin was born in Cork in 1900. He was baptized as John Whelan, but adapted the Irish form of his name, which is in turn anglicized to Sean O’Faolain. He fought with the Republican side in the Irish Civil War, and taught in the U.S. in the 1930s. He edited the literary journal […]

O’Flaherty, Liam

Liam O’Flaherty was born at Gort na gCapall, Inishmór, the largest of the Aran Islands, in 1896. He wrote in English and Irish. His main works include the novels Thy Neighbour’s Wife (London, Jonathan Cape, 1923); The Black Soul (Jonathan Cape, 1924); The Informer (Jonathan Cape, 1925), which was made into a film of the […]

Ó Floinn, Críostóir

Críostóir Ó Floinn/Christoir O’Flynn was born in Limerick in 1927. He has published over forty books in English and Irish. His plays have been produced at The Abbey, The Gate, and Damer theatres in Dublin, the Lyric in Belfast, and An Taibhdhearc, Galway. He has also written many plays for radio and television. His main […]

O’Gaora, Colm

Colm O’Gaora was born in Dublin in 1966. His short stories have been widely published and broadcast and have been been collected in Giving Ground (London, Jonathan Cape, 1993). His novels are A Crooked Field (London, Picador, 1999); and Another Sky (Picador, 2003). He lives in Dublin. Colm O’Gaora at Facebook Colm O’Gaora at The […]

O’Grady, Desmond

Desmond O’Grady was born in Limerick in 1935, and spent many years living in Paris, Rome, Cairo and Alexandria. His collections include Chords and Orchestrations (Limerick, 1956); Reilly (London, 1961); Separazoni (Rome, 1965); The Dark Edge of Europe (London, MacGibbon & Kee, 1967); The Dying Gaul (MacGibbon & Kee, 1968); Hellas (Dublin 1971); Separations (Dublin […]

O’Hagan, Sheila

Sheila O’Hagan’s began writing in 1984 while studying at Birkbeck College, London University. In 1988 she won the Goldsmith Award for Poetry, and in 1990 returned to her native Dublin. Her collections are The Peacock’s Eye (Salmon Publishing, 1992); The Troubled House (Salmon Publishing, 1995); and Along the Liffey: Poems & Short Stories (Salmon Poetry, […]

O’Loughlin, Ed

Ed O’Loughlin was born in Toronto and raised in Ireland. His first novel, Not Untrue and Not Unkind (Dublin, Penguin Ireland, 2009), was long-listed for the 2009 Man Booker Prize; and Toploader (London, Quercus, 2011). He reported from Africa for the Irish Times and other papers, and was Middle East correspondent for the Sydney Morning […]

O’Loughlin, Michael

Michael O’Loughlin was born in Dublin in 1958. His poetry collections are Stalingrad: The Street Dictionary (Dublin, Raven Press, 1980); Atlantic Blues (Dublin, Raven Arts Press, 1982); The Diary of a Silence (Raven Arts Press, 1985); Another Nation, New & Selected Poems (Dublin, New Island Books, 1994/UK Arc Publications, 1996); and In This Life (New […]

O’Mahony, Nessa

Nessa O’Mahony was born in Dublin. Her poetry is collected as Bar Talk,* (Dublin, iTaLiCs Press, 1999); Trapping a Ghost (Bristol, Bluechrome, 2005); and Sight of Home (Salmon Poetry, 2009). In 1996 she was joint winner of the Kerry International Summer School Poetry Competition and was short-listed for The Patrick Kavanagh Award. In 1997 she […]

O’Malley, Ernie

Ernie (Ernest) O’Malley was born in Castlebar, Co. Mayo, in 1897, and was prominent in the Irish War of Independence and the Irish Civil War. His best known works (On Another Man’s Wound takes its title taken from an Ulster proverb, It’s easy to sleep on another man’s wound) are the classic accounts of the […]

O’Malley, Mary

Mary O’Malley was born in 1954 in Connemara, Co Galway. Her collections are A Consideration of Silk (Galway, Salmon Poetry, 1990); Where the Rocks Float (Salmon, 1993); The Knife in the Wave, (Cliffs of Moher, Co. Clare, Salmon Publishing, 1997); Asylum Road (Salmon Publishing, 2001); The Boning Hall (Manchester, Carcanet Press, 2002); A Perfect V […]

Ó Muirthile, Liam

Liam Ó Muirthile was born in Cork in 1950. His poetry collections include Tine Chnámh (Sáorséal Ó Marcaigh, 1984), which was awarded the Irish-American Cultural Institute Prize; Dialann Bothair (Gallery, 1992); Walking Time agus Dánta eile, (Conamara, Cló Iar Chonnachta, 2000); An Seileitleán agus véarsaí seilí eilí, (Baile Átha Cliath: Cois Life Teoranta, 2004); Sanas […]

O’Neill, Joseph

Joseph O’Neill was born in Cork in 1964. His novels are This Is The Life (London, Faber & Faber, 1991); The Breezes (Faber & Faber, 1995); and Netherland (London, Fourth Estate/New York, Pantheon, 2008). He has also published non-fiction, Blood-Dark Track: A Family History (London, Granta Books, 2001). He lives in New York and London. […]

O’Reilly, Caitriona

Caitriona O’Reilly was born in 1973 and grew up in Wicklow. Her collections are The Nowhere Birds (Tarset, UK, Bloodaxe Books, 2001), which was was shortlisted for the Forward Prize for Best First Collection, and awarded the Rooney Prize for Irish Literature; The Sea Cabinet (Bloodaxe Books, 2007). She has been contributing editor of Metre, […]

O’Reilly, Patricia

Patricia O’Reilly’s novels are Once Upon a Summer (Dublin, The Wolfhound Press, 2000); Felicity’s Wedding (London, Oldcastle Books, 2001); and Time and Destiny (London, Hodder & Stoughton, 2003). Her non-fiction publications are Dying with Love (Dublin, Veritas 1992); Writing for the Market (Cork, Mercier 1994); Earning Your Living from Home (Dublin, Marino 1996); Working Mothers […]

O’Reilly, Sean

Sean O’Reilly was born in Derry in 1969. He has published a collection of short stories, Curfew and Other Stories (London, Faber & Faber, 2000). His novels are Love And Sleep (Faber & Faber, 2002); The Swing of Things (Faber & Faber, 2004); and Watermark (Dublin, The Stinging Fly Press, 2005). He lives in Dublin. […]

O’Riordan, Kate

Kate O’Riordan was born in the West of Ireland. Her novels are Involved (1995), which was shortlisted for the Dillons First Fiction Prize, and has been adapted by the author for TV; The Boy in the Moon (London, Flamingo, 1997); The Angel in the House (London, Flamingo, 2000); The Memory Stones (London, Simon & Schuster, […]

Ó Ríordáin, Seán

Seán Ó Ríordáin was born in Baile Mhúirne, County Cork in 1916. His collections are Eireaball Spideoige (Baile Átha Cliath, Sáirseal agus Dill, 1952; Sáirseal Ó Marcaigh 1952, 1986); and three booklets, Brosna (Sáirseal agus Dill, 1965); Línte Liombó (Sáirseal agus Dill, 1971); and posthumously, Tar éis mo Bháis (Sáirsealagus Dill, 1978). A biography,Seán Ó […]

Contacting writers

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.