Saint Patrick’s Day is this coming Saturday (17 March) and if you’re a book lover, what better way to celebrate than to read a brilliant story from an Irish author? Our booksellers share some of their best recommendations below.

‘My favourite Irish author would have to be Tana French, whose smart, and compelling Dublin Murder Squad series are some of the best books in the crime genre. French’s focus on character and motivation over splashy crimes and graphic violence is refreshing, and her depictions of Dublin are beautifully rendered.’

– Lian Hingee, digital marketing manager

‘I love reading the work of Maggie O’Farrell. Her work usually has a hidden agenda – perhaps a nod to politics or religion – and it always pays tribute to the strength of women and their friendships. In her latest book, the memoir I am, I am, I am, she discuss her 17 brushes with death, taking readers from her early childhood through to the present day. I read this book in one sitting, breathless with the reminder of how close we have all been to death, or could be. O’Farrell’s writing is urgent and inclusive, and it keeps me alert to my own memories.’

– Chris Gordon, events manager

‘Colm Tóibín is one of my all-time favourite authors. He writes beautifully and with such a depth of emotion that it’s impossible to not feel affected by his characters. I’ve read a number of this books, including novels and essay collections, and the one I return to most often is Brooklyn, which is the most beautiful and heartbreaking portrayal of homesickness I’ve ever read. I also absolutely adore Anne Enright whose books so perfectly capture family dynamics. The Gathering is the first of her books I read (and one which prompted me to seek out other Irish authors) but my favourite is probably The Green Road.

I also love Tana French’s brilliant crime novels (especially The Secret Place) and Sally Rooney’s gripping, juicy debut novel, Conversations With Friends, was one of the best books of last year.’

– Bronte Coates, digital content coordinator

‘Two writers immediately jump to mind when I’m thinking about Irish literature I love: Tana French and Maggie O’Farrell.

French is up there as one of my favourite crime writers, with her two most recent novels The Secret Place and The Trespasser absolute stand outs of the genre. Both books are part of her Dublin Murder Squad series in which all the books loosed connected but can still be read as standalones.

And O’Farrell wrote one of my favourite books of last year – her extraordinary memoir I am, I am, I am. The first chapter of that book still haunts me, months on from reading it. I can’t recommend it highly enough.’

– Nina Kenwood, marketing manager

‘Sally Rooney’s Conversations With Friends was one of my favourite books of last year. It is such a smart, satisfying, compulsively readable novel, and the thought I immediately had after finishing it was how soon could I acceptably start re-reading it. Rooney’s prose is funny, smart and while it’s definitely a literary novel, it’s still completely addictive. Plus, she’s a very young author, and this is her first book – I can’t wait to see what she writes next.

Lisa McInerney’s The Glorious Heresies and its sequel, The Blood Miracles, are like the literary version of a Guy Richie film. Set in the seedy underbelly of the Irish city of Cork, these books follow a cast of characters through drug deals, gunfights and various other gangster activities. If you like your fiction fast-paced, full of drama and slightly experimental, these are the books for you.

And it’s impossible to talk about contemporary Irish literature without mentioning Eimear McBride. McBride comes from a drama background rather than a literary one, and as a result of this, her novels (A Girl is a Half-Formed Thing, The Lesser Bohemians) are wonderfully unconventional. She writes in an uninhibited, stream-of-consciousness style. The subject matter of both these novels is heavy, and will likely put all your emotions through the wringer, but reading her work is an incredible experience and totally worth it.

Finally… The most obvious classic Irish author, but such a great one. James Joyce is known for writing fiction that is brilliant but difficult but his short story collection, Dubliners, is a beautiful and simple read. I like to think of Joyce as the Picasso of the literary world – while he had the ability to write wonderful 'regular’ prose, as his career progressed, he became known for his experimental style. I recommend Dubliners to all sorts of readers and I think it will resonate with you whether you’re a fan of classic or contemporary fiction (Irish or otherwise).‘

– Ellen Cregan, marketing and events coordinator