Favorite Irish Literature

The recent posts on the Brit vs. American lit thread suggested this to me. However, please note: I don't care if you think Irish literature is, for some reason, superior or inferior to all the other literatures of the world - including British! The idea is to discuss what you like about the work of Irish authors. And yes, this includes Wilde, Shaw, O'Kasey, Synge - exiles do count.

I'm a big fan of J.M.Synge. Love his plays because of the humour and the satirical way he portrays reality. He was more in tune with what was going on in the irish countryside than his literary rivival counter parts whos main objective was to feed propaganda for the nationalist cultural revival. I think he was a bit a head of his time when his plays were performed for irish audiences. But in saying that its taken a long time for his plays to be truely appriciated.

cheers Jamesian:)

Before I state who my favorite Irish writer is, let me just say how amazed I am that a small island such as Ireland with a population that has historically ranged from only 3 to 5 million (less than a tenth of say England's) has produced so much fine literature. Jamesian doesn't even mention the poets. And when one considers all the other writers of Irish descent who are from other countries now (especially writers from my country) the list is incredibly long. I don't know why, but that little island is just rich with great literature. I say cheers to you people of Ireland for giving me so much reading enjoyment. :thumbs_up

And my favorite Irish writer is William Butler Yeats. :)

i read Finnegans Wake by James Joyce and my mom couldn't read it but i could because it was easy too see the combined words and junctions and so and so forth

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Originally Posted by Niamh

I'm a big fan of J.M.Synge. Love his plays because of the humour and the satirical way he portrays reality. He was more in tune with what was going on in the irish countryside than his literary rivival counter parts whos main objective was to feed propaganda for the nationalist cultural revival. I think he was a bit a head of his time when his plays were performed for irish audiences.

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Based on The Playboy of the Western World (in comparison to, say, the very early Yeats), I could not agree more.

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Originally Posted by UltimaHybrid

i read Finnegans Wake by James Joyce and my mom couldn't read it but i could because it was easy too see the combined words and junctions and so and so forth

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You have my envy, UltimaHybrid...

For my part, I just read four excerpts from Ulysses over the last couple weeks for class (Telemachus/Stephen, Bloom's first chapter, Aeolus/newspaper office, Cyclops/"citizen" scene, and Penelope/Molly), and am quite impressed. I look forward to doing it all in the summer.

For the present, our class is just beginning Samuel Beckett. I read his first story "Assumption" today, and I must say I am quite impressed with it; though, from the appearance of things (looking at "Text" and others), it looks like that's about his easiest piece to read... :eek2:

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Originally Posted by Virgil

Before I state who my favorite Irish writer is, let me just say how amazed I am that a small island such as Ireland with a population that has historically ranged from only 3 to 5 million (less than a tenth of say England's) has produced so much fine literature. Jamesian doesn't even mention the poets. And when one considers all the other writers of Irish descent who are from other countries now (especially writers from my country) the list is incredibly long. I don't know why, but that little island is just rich with great literature. I say cheers to you people of Ireland for giving me so much reading enjoyment. :thumbs_up

And my favorite Irish writer is William Butler Yeats. :)

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:D We're not called (historically) the Isle of Saints and Scholars for nothing! Writing is one thing we are good at, Unlike other things (football for example).

I also love yeats. He well deservered his noble prize for lit. I love his poem In Memory of captain John Gregory. He immortalises his lost companions well and portrays his own anguish at losing them. You can tell he misses them.

(btw- I think our population if now around the 4million mark because of the influx of eastern europeans in to the country.:nod: )

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Originally Posted by Jamesian

For my part, I just read four excerpts from Ulysses over the last couple weeks for class (Telemachus/Stephen, Bloom's first chapter, Aeolus/newspaper office, Cyclops/"citizen" scene, and Penelope/Molly), and am quite impressed. I look forward to doing it all in the summer.

For the present, our class is just beginning Samuel Beckett. I read his first story "Assumption" today, and I must say I am quite impressed with it; though, from the appearance of things (looking at "Text" and others), it looks like that's about his easiest piece to read... :eek2:

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Wait till you get to Waiting for Godot! Its an odd work of genius!

O'Casey is bold and brash, plus humor. He really relishes in language and the spoken voice. Favorite: the scene between Capt'n Boyle and Joxer before Juno comes in and they jump out on the fire escape.

Austin Clarke and (to a lesser extent) Richard Murphy - poets. But the novelists and short story writers too

Bram stoker would be my favourite horror writer(obviously as there isnt really anyone to challenge him.) Another great writer to add to our greats list!

Amen Niamh. I will always love Bram Stoker, he's by far my favorite Irish author. :)

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Originally Posted by Adudaewen

Amen Niamh. I will always love Bram Stoker, he's by far my favorite Irish author. :)

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Ditto, and another great Irish horror writer is Sheridan Le Fanu. Both exceptional.

Don't know if anyone's mentioned William Trevor yet. To me, he's a master of the short story.

I agree re William Trevor. My favourite Irish writer, though, is Flann O'Brien.