5 Irish Authors to Entertain You on the Beach

We’ve enjoyed some stunning sunshine these past few weeks, and while Irish weather is certainly unpredictable, summer’s not over yet! As you plan for that well-deserved break or staycation, remember to pack some all-important holiday books. There’s nothing better than unwinding, forgetting about work and getting stuck into that pile of beach reads you’ve been saving! With that in mind, here are five brilliant new titles from a selection of talented Irish authors.  

If You’re Looking For... a Heart-Warming Tale: 
 

The Moon Over Kilmore Quay (Harper Collins) is the ninth book from prolific Wexford-based author Carmel Harrington. Set over four decades, the story follows the lives of two women, Bea and Lucy. Though years apart, they’re connected by the fact that though they’re based in bustling New York, their hearts yearn for Ireland. When Bea discovers a family secret, she travels home to Kilmore Quay, only to discover some heartbreaking truths. The Book Club meanwhile is Kerry-born writer Roisin Meaney’s latest offering, and it certainly doesn’t disappoint. A charming story set in the fictional Irish town of Fairweather, it sees the lives of a close-knit book club disrupted when tragedy occurs. Then Tom, a mysterious newcomer arrives from Dublin, with a secret... 

If You’re Looking For... a Laugh:

If you like laughing (through tears!), this moving, often hilarious memoir from Northern Irish writer Séamas O’Reilly is for you. Sadly, Séamas’ mother died when he was just five, leaving his father to raise him, along with his 10 siblings! Set against the tail-end of the Troubles, Did Ye Hear Mammy Died (Fleet) is a story of love and loss, the importance of family, and coming together to find joy again in the wake of tragedy. In Sinéad Moriarty’s laugh-out-loud About Us, we meet three couples as they talk through their relationship issues with a therapist. Alice and Niall have drifted apart over the years, Ann and Ken are finding retirement more challenging than they expected, while Orla isn't sure that she'll ever be intimate with new boyfriend, Paul.

If You’re Looking For... Crime Fiction: 

Crime fans won’t be able to put down All Her Fault (Bantam) by Andrea Marr. A compelling read from start to finish, it sees young mum Marissa Irvine arrive at a house to pick up her little boy from a playdate. But she doesn’t recognise the woman who answers the door, and nobody can tell her where her son is. Surely someone knows more than they’re letting on? 

Looking for more? Read our best beach reads for summer. As always, we’d love to know what you’re reading! Share your recommendations with us online, using #ReadersWanted.