Tinteán

A Challenge from Books Editor, Frank O’Shea

I recently met a man who is an avid reader of modern fiction: Lee Childs, J K Rowling, James Patterson, Ian Rankin, the big hitters. I tried to tell him he should catch up on some modern Irish novelists. ‘Ok, give me two I should read,’ he said. Caught out without time to think too deeply, I suggested Niall Williams and Sebastian Barry. Only later I realised that I had missed Edna O’Brien and John Banville, Colum McCann and Ann Enright, Joseph O’Connor, Emma Donoghue and a dozen others. That being said, however, I stand by my choice.

Our challenge to our readers: tell us what two modern Irish writers you would have named, your two favourites. By all means, choose those recently deceased like John McGahern, Maeve Binchy or William Trevor, or those no longer writing like J P Donleavy and Jennifer Johnston. Probably avoid James Joyce and Flann O’Brien; they are Michael and Gabriel where we are looking for ordinary angels.

Use ‘Leave a Reply’ below to nominate your two favourite Irish novelists.