📖 Literary Fiction · Ireland
Best Literary Fiction Books from Ireland
Literary fiction is fiction that prioritises style, language, and psychological depth over plot mechanics. Ireland has produced some of the most internationally recognised works in literary fiction, with titles that have appeared on major prize lists and critical surveys worldwide. This page ranks the best literary fiction from Ireland by editorial consensus.
#1
literary-fiction
The Sea
John Banville· 2005
★Booker Prize★Costa Book Award
Editorial Score100/100
#2
literary-fiction
The Glorious Heresies
Lisa McInerney· 2015
★Women's Prize for Fiction
Editorial Score89/100
#3
literary-fiction
Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha
Roddy Doyle· 1994
★Booker Prize
Editorial Score72/100
#4
literary-fiction
The Gathering
Anne Enright· 2007
★Costa Book Award
Editorial Score71/100
#5
literary-fiction
The Picture of Dorian Gray
Oscar Wilde· 1890
Library Journal
Editorial Score55/100
#6
literary-fiction
Dubliners
James Joyce· 1914
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score55/100
#7
literary-fiction
A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
James Joyce· 1818
Library Journal
Editorial Score50/100
#8
literary-fiction
The Portable James Joyce
James Joyce· 1947
Library Journal
Editorial Score50/100
#9
literary-fiction
The Happy Prince and other tales
Oscar Wilde· 1888
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score45/100
#10
literary-fiction
The Bridge of San Luis Rey
Thornton Wilder· 1927
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score45/100
#11
literary-fiction
On the Banks of Plum Creek
Laura Ingalls Wilder· 1937
Library Journal
Editorial Score45/100
#12
literary-fiction
An Ideal Husband
Oscar Wilde· 1899
Library Journal
Editorial Score45/100
#13
literary-fiction
Poems
Oscar Wilde· 1881
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score45/100
#14
literary-fiction
Short stories
Oscar Wilde· 1910
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score45/100
#15
literary-fiction
Works (Dubliners / Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man)
James Joyce· 1967
Library Journal
Editorial Score45/100
#16
literary-fiction
Ulysses
James Joyce· 1922
Guardian 100 Best Novels
Editorial Score41/100
#17
literary-fiction
The Importance of Being Earnest
Oscar Wilde· 1893
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score40/100
#18
literary-fiction
The Ballad of Reading Gaol
Oscar Wilde· 1896
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score40/100
#19
literary-fiction
A Woman of No Importance
Oscar Wilde· 1893
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score40/100
#20
literary-fiction
Major Barbara
George Bernard Shaw· 1909
Library Journal
Editorial Score40/100
#21
literary-fiction
Salomé
Oscar Wilde· 1893
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score40/100
#22
literary-fiction
Little House on the Prairie
Laura Ingalls Wilder· 1935
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score40/100
#23
literary-fiction
Arms and the Man
George Bernard Shaw· 1898
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score40/100
#24
literary-fiction
Finnegans Wake
James Joyce· 1928
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score40/100
#25
literary-fiction
A House of Pomegranates
Oscar Wilde· 1891
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score40/100
#26
literary-fiction
Mister Johnson
Joyce Cary· 1900
Library Journal
Editorial Score40/100
#27
literary-fiction
The Long Winter
Laura Ingalls Wilder· 1940
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score40/100
#28
literary-fiction
Lady Windermere's Fan
Oscar Wilde· 1890
Library Journal
Editorial Score40/100
#29
literary-fiction
Little Town on the Prairie
Laura Ingalls Wilder· 1941
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score40/100
#30
literary-fiction
These Happy Golden Years
Laura Ingalls Wilder· 1943
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score40/100
#31
literary-fiction
Solar Bones
Mike McCormack· 2016
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score39/100
#32
literary-fiction
Molloy
Samuel Beckett· 1951
ALA Notable Books
Editorial Score39/100
#33
literary-fiction
The Canterville Ghost
Oscar Wilde· 1887
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score35/100
#34
literary-fiction
Little House in the Big Woods
Laura Ingalls Wilder· 1932
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score35/100
#35
literary-fiction
Farmer Boy
Laura Ingalls Wilder· 1933
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score35/100
#36
literary-fiction
The horse's mouth
Joyce Cary· 1944
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score35/100
#37
literary-fiction
By the Shores of Silver Lake
Laura Ingalls Wilder· 1924
Library Journal
Editorial Score35/100
#38
literary-fiction
The devil's disciple
George Bernard Shaw· 1906
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score35/100
#39
literary-fiction
Cashel Byron's Profession
George Bernard Shaw· 1886
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score35/100
#40
literary-fiction
The Best Short Stories of 1915
Edward J. O'Brien· 1916
Library Journal
Editorial Score35/100
#41
literary-fiction
The Best Short Stories of 1917
Edward J. O'Brien· 1917
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score35/100
#42
literary-fiction
Short Stories from the New Yorker
Irwin Shaw· 1940
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score35/100
#43
literary-fiction
The head of a hundred
Maud Wilder Goodwin· 1895
Library Journal
Editorial Score35/100
#44
literary-fiction
The Best Short Stories of 1921
Edward J. O'Brien· 1922
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score35/100
#45
literary-fiction
The Best Short Stories of 1916
Edward J. O'Brien· 1916
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score35/100
#46
literary-fiction
An Unsocial Socialist
George Bernard Shaw· 1887
Library Journal
Editorial Score35/100
#47
literary-fiction
The Moonlight
Joyce Cary· 1946
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score35/100
#48
literary-fiction
Flawless
Tilly Bagshawe· 2009
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score35/100
#49
literary-fiction
Anna Livia Plurabelle
James Joyce· 1932
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score35/100
#50
literary-fiction
The last of summer
Kate O'Brien· 1943
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score35/100
