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Book ReviewsFighting Words

Irish Novel of the Year shortlist revealed

Irish Novel of the Year shortlist revealed

By Martin Doyle
Book of Lives by Margaret Atwood: a literary titan on the art of writing – and art of living

Book of Lives by Margaret Atwood: a literary titan on the art of writing – and art of living

By Nathan Smith
Listen | 05:27


SHORT STORIES

‘The feeling came back, the one I had been successfully avoiding for so long: shame’

‘The feeling came back, the one I had been successfully avoiding for so long: shame’

By Soula Emmanuel
Lucy Caldwell: ‘People often misunderstand the appeal of a short story’

Lucy Caldwell: ‘People often misunderstand the appeal of a short story’

By Lucy Caldwell
Book Club

Book Club

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POETRY

Gabriel Rosenstock obituary: Prolific poet, author and champion of the Irish language

Gabriel Rosenstock obituary: Prolific poet, author and champion of the Irish language

Poem of the Week: Joseph: A brother, aged seven

Poem of the Week: Joseph: A brother, aged seven

By Hayden Murphy
The late Gabriel Rosenstock wrote Letters to the Editor for 50 years. Here are just a few

The late Gabriel Rosenstock wrote Letters to the Editor for 50 years. Here are just a few

By Niamh Browne

Buzzy, starry-eyed YA titles argue for the importance of the arts

Buzzy, starry-eyed YA titles argue for the importance of the arts

By Claire Hennessy

Mary O’Donnell: ‘I’d happily sign off on a 10% Leaving Cert bonus for English, music and art’

Mary O’Donnell: ‘I’d happily sign off on a 10% Leaving Cert bonus for English, music and art’

By Martin Doyle

Author Emma Donoghue: ‘I grew up very normal, yet had this secret side that I thought everyone would consider foul’

Author Emma Donoghue: ‘I grew up very normal, yet had this secret side that I thought everyone would consider foul’

By Martin Doyle

An Arrow in Flight by Mary Lavin: Excellent exploration of a different yet similar Ireland

An Arrow in Flight by Mary Lavin: Excellent exploration of a different yet similar Ireland

By  Julia Kelly

Banshee: Mythological Irish Women Retold edited by Ailbhe Malone – Breathtakingly varied tales rekindle storytelling tradition

Banshee: Mythological Irish Women Retold edited by Ailbhe Malone – Breathtakingly varied tales rekindle storytelling tradition

By Adrienne Murphy

Nine Days in May by Jonathan Schneer and Radicals: The Working Classes and the Making of Modern Britain by Geoff Andrews

Nine Days in May by Jonathan Schneer and Radicals: The Working Classes and the Making of Modern Britain by Geoff Andrews

By Brian Hanley

Poem of the Week: Joseph: A brother, aged seven

Poem of the Week: Joseph: A brother, aged seven

By Hayden Murphy

Strokestown poetry prize shortlist revealed

Strokestown poetry prize shortlist revealed

By Martin Doyle

The Keeper by Tana French: A crime writer at the top of her game

The Keeper by Tana French: A crime writer at the top of her game

By Edel Coffey

Contentious Spaces by Rosaleen McDonagh: Prose that’s measured, assured and fully human

Contentious Spaces by Rosaleen McDonagh: Prose that’s measured, assured and fully human

By Adam Wyeth

David Keenan: ‘For me, the names of places and streets in the North have incredible magic to them’

David Keenan: ‘For me, the names of places and streets in the North have incredible magic to them’

By John Self

Defiance by Loubna Mrie: A gripping, devastating account of a Syrian woman’s revolution

Defiance by Loubna Mrie: A gripping, devastating account of a Syrian woman’s revolution

By Sally Hayden

Dublin Literary Award 2026 shortlist: ‘Literature at its most international, most ambitious, and most humane’

Dublin Literary Award 2026 shortlist: ‘Literature at its most international, most ambitious, and most humane’

By Martin Doyle

Seán Lemass, The Lost Memoir: Leadership, Ireland’s economic transformation and Fianna Fáil

Seán Lemass, The Lost Memoir: Leadership, Ireland’s economic transformation and Fianna Fáil

By Andrew Lynch

Everything That Is Beautiful by Louise Nealon: a breathless romance and a torrid hurling tale

Everything That Is Beautiful by Louise Nealon: a breathless romance and a torrid hurling tale

By Mei Chin

New poetry: John McCullough; Paddy Bushe; Raquel F Menéndez; Wendy Cope

New poetry: John McCullough; Paddy Bushe; Raquel F Menéndez; Wendy Cope

By Mícheál McCann

Author Susannah Dickey: ‘With each book I find myself more invested in writing Ireland’

Author Susannah Dickey: ‘With each book I find myself more invested in writing Ireland’

By Martin Doyle

Bodily Fluids by Liam Hughes: Medical memoir aims to entertain but lacks nuance

Bodily Fluids by Liam Hughes: Medical memoir aims to entertain but lacks nuance


EL by Thaddeus Ó Buachalla: An early contender for most ambitious Irish novel of the year

EL by Thaddeus Ó Buachalla: An early contender for most ambitious Irish novel of the year

By Declan Burke

Communion by Jon Doyle: A genuinely idiosyncratic way of describing the everyday

Communion by Jon Doyle: A genuinely idiosyncratic way of describing the everyday

By Lucy Sweeney Byrne

The Palm House by Gwendoline Riley: More extraordinary writing about ordinary lives

The Palm House by Gwendoline Riley: More extraordinary writing about ordinary lives

By Helen Cullen

London Falling by Patrick Radden Keefe: Mastery of timing makes this investigation a page-turner

London Falling by Patrick Radden Keefe: Mastery of timing makes this investigation a page-turner

By Mia Levitin

Mr Hoo and Other Stories: No judgment in these barrister’s tales united by literary mastery

Mr Hoo and Other Stories: No judgment in these barrister’s tales united by literary mastery

By Éilís Ní Dhuibhne

Python’s Kiss by Louise Erdrich: Intriguing, vital and often funny

Python’s Kiss by Louise Erdrich: Intriguing, vital and often funny

By Lucy Sweeney Byrne

Poem of the Week: Easter Blessing

Poem of the Week: Easter Blessing

By Iggy McGovern

Author Jan Carson: ‘I Googled what would happen if you drained Lough Neagh’

Author Jan Carson: ‘I Googled what would happen if you drained Lough Neagh’

By Martin Doyle

In brief: Leo XIV: An Augustinian Life in Context; The Sky Is Not Enough; The Dice Was Loaded from the Start

In brief: Leo XIV: An Augustinian Life in Context; The Sky Is Not Enough; The Dice Was Loaded from the Start


Nonesuch by Francis Spufford: Distinctly Narnian in timbre – pure story of the richest kind

Nonesuch by Francis Spufford: Distinctly Narnian in timbre – pure story of the richest kind

By Kevin Power

Pigott Poetry Prize shortlist announced

Pigott Poetry Prize shortlist announced

By Martin Doyle

Among Communists by Sinéad Morrissey: memoir captures North in pressure cooker of weirdness

Among Communists by Sinéad Morrissey: memoir captures North in pressure cooker of weirdness

By Nicholas Allen



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