NOVELISTS from Ireland’s county CLARE

Edna O’Brien: Tuamgraney, County Clare (born) (1930–2024) A renowned novelist, short-story writer, and playwright, O’Brien was born in Tuamgraney. Her debut novel, The Country Girls (1960), part of a trilogy, broke social taboos with its frank depiction of female sexuality and was banned in Ireland. Other notable works include The Lonely Girl and Girls in Their Married Bliss. Her writing explores themes of love, loss, and rural Irish life, earning her international acclaim, including the Irish PEN Award.
Kate O’Brien: Ennis, County Clare (lived, associated through family and early life) (1897–1974) A novelist and playwright, O’Brien was born in Limerick but spent significant time in Ennis, where her family had ties. Her novels, such as Without My Cloak (1931), which won the James Tait Black Memorial Prize, and Mary Lavelle (1936), explore Irish society, gender, and identity. Her works were often banned in Ireland for their progressive themes. She is celebrated for her literary contributions
Doireann Ní Ghríofa (1981–): Born in Galway; raised in Kilkee, Co. Clare. A poet and essayist, Ní Ghríofa’s genre-bending prose work A Ghost in the Throat (2020), blending memoir and historical fiction, won the Irish Book Awards’ Book of the Year. It explores motherhood and the life of 18th-century poet Eibhlín Dubh Ní Chonaill. Her Clare and Galway connections inform her lyrical style.
Alex Dunne: A children’s novelist based in Shannon, famous for The Book of Secrets and The Harp of Power.
Eddie Stack: An author and storyteller noted for his work on Clare folklore and contemporary Irish tales.
Patrick McGinley: A novelist known for works like Bogmail.
Aisling Walsh: A writer and researcher based in Ennistymon.
Niall Williams & Christine Breen: Authors who moved to Clare and wrote about their life there, such as O Come Ye Back to Ireland.
Brian Merriman: 18th-century Irish-language poet of The Midnight Court, born near Ennistymon.
Caitlín McNamara: Born at Ennistymon House (now the Falls Hotel), she married Welsh poet Dylan Thomas.

Novelists

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Poets

Writers

County Clare:

Ireland’s county Clare is renowned for its dramatic cliffs and traditional heritage, with the Cliffs of Moher offering breathtaking views over the Atlantic. The Burren’s unique limestone landscape provides hiking and rare flora, while Bunratty Castle offers medieval history with its restored interiors. Check out the traditional music scene in Doolin and the county’s coastal beaches. Clare is Ireland’s eighth largest county by size (3,188 square km) and 19th largest by population (127,938). Population peaked at 286,394 in 1841 and reached its lowest point, 73,597 in 1966. In terms of hospitality, Clare is Ireland’s sixth most visited tourist county with around 485,000 international visitors per year.

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