- Sam Hanna Bell: Belfast, County Antrim (lived); born in Glasgow, Scotland (1909–1990) A novelist, short-story writer, and broadcaster, Bell is best known for his novel December Bride (1951), which portrays rural Ulster life and was adapted into a film. Though born in Glasgow, he moved to Belfast as a child and spent most of his life there, deeply engaging with Antrim’s cultural and literary scene.
- Forrest Reid: Belfast, County Antrim (born and lived) (1875–1947) A novelist and literary critic, Reid is often called “the first Ulster novelist of European stature.” His coming-of-age novel Following Darkness (1912) is compared to James Joyce’s A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. Born and raised in Belfast, his works, including the Tom Barber trilogy, explore themes of youth, spirituality, and Ulster’s Protestant culture.
- William James Brennan-Whitmore: Belfast, County Antrim (lived, associated through revolutionary activities) (1886–1977) A revolutionary, journalist, and novelist, Brennan-Whitmore was born in Wexford but spent significant time in Belfast, where he was involved in nationalist activities. His novel The Green Flag (1922) reflects his experiences during the Easter Rising and Irish War of Independence. His literary output is less extensive than Bell or Reid, but his work is notable for its historical and political context.
- Lucy Caldwell (1981–): Born in Belfast. A novelist and playwright, Caldwell is known for her lyrical and human-focused prose. Her novel The Meeting Point (2011), set in Bahrain, won the Dylan Thomas Prize, exploring marriage and expat life. Other works include All the Beggars Riding (2013) and These Days (2022), set during the Belfast Blitz. Her Belfast roots shape her vivid portrayals of Irish life.
- Jan Carson (1980–): Born in Ballymena, Co. Antrim. A novelist and short-story writer, Carson is celebrated for her inventive, often magical realist style. Her novels include The Fire Starters (2019), which won the EU Prize for Literature, and The Raptures (2022), blending dark humour with Irish settings. Her work often reflects the cultural and historical complexities of Belfast and Antrim.
Antrim:
Introduction – 1837 – Adventure – Anthem – Archaeology – Attractions – Awards – Birdwatching – Castles – Contact list – Dining – Equestrian –Festivals – Fishing – Folklore – Golf – Graveyards – Happening – Haunted – Highest – Hiking – History – Holy Wells – Hotels – Instagrammable– Itineraries – Largest town – Luxury – MICE – Movies –Musicians – Name – Novelists – Off the beaten track – Poets – Pubs – Quotes – Random facts – Restaurant Awards – Saints – Spas – Sports – Sunsets – Sustainable – Towns – Video – Villages – Walking – Wanderlist – Weddings – Writers
Novelists
Antrim – Armagh – Carlow – Cavan – Clare – Cork – Derry – Donegal – Down – Dublin – Fermanagh – Galway – Kerry – Kildare – Kilkenny – Laois – Leitrim – Limerick – Longford – Louth – Mayo – Meath – Monaghan – Offaly – Roscommon – Sligo – Tipperary – Tyrone – Waterford – Westmeath – Wexford – Wicklow
