List of Irish women writers

This is a list of women writers who were born in Ireland or whose writings are closely associated with that country.

A

• Mary Jane Adams (1840–1902), Irish-American poet
• Deborah Alcock (1835–1913), historical novelist, memoirist
• Cecelia Ahern (born 1981), novelist, short story writer
• Liz Allen (born 1969), investigative journalist, best selling novelist
• Sarah Atkinson (1823–1893), biographer, essayist, philanthropist

B

• Mary Barber (c.1685–c.1755), successful poet, author of Poems on several occasions
• Leland Bardwell (born 1928), poet, novelist, playwright
• Jane Barlow (1857–1917), poet, novelist
• Henrietta Battier (c.1751–1813), poet, satirist, actress
• Mary Beckett (1926–2013), playwright for radio, short story writer, children's writer
• Sara Berkeley (born 1967), poet
• Maeve Binchy (1939–2012), novelist, playwright, short story writer, columnist
• Marguerite Gardiner, Countess of Blessington (1789–1849), novelist, essayist, letter writer
• Eavan Boland (born 1944), poet, non-fiction writer
• Eva Bourke, German-born Irish poet since c.1985
• Elizabeth Bowen (1899–1973), novelist, short story writer, author of Eva Trout
• Clare Boylan (1948–2006), journalist, critic, novelist, short story writer
• Maeve Brennan (1917–1993), short story writer, journalist, from 1934 in the United States
• Teresa Brayton (1868–1943), poet, contributed to American newspapers
• Patricia Burke Brogan, since c.1992, playwright, novelist, poet, artist
• Charlotte Brooke (c.1740–1793), poet, author of Reliques of Irish Poetry
• Angela Bourke (1952) is an Irish author and academic.
• Anne Burke (fl.1780-1805), was an Irish novelist in the Gothic genre
• Patricia Burke Brogan (born c.1934), playwright, novelist, poet, artist^[1]
• Frances Browne (1816–1879), poet, novelist, children's writer
• Selina Bunbury (1802–1882), prolific novelist

C

• Claudia Carroll (born c. 1969)
• Caitilin Dubh (fl. c. 1624), early poet, wrote elegies
• Moya Cannon (born 1956), poet, journal editor
• Ethna Carbery (1866–1902), poet, journalist, short story writer
• Amy Carmichael (1867–1951), missionary, many works on her work in India
• Marina Carr (born 1964), playwright
• Anne-Marie Casey (born 1965), screenwriter, novelist
• Frances Power Cobbe (1822–1904), non-fiction writer, essayist, anti-vivisection and women's rights activist
• Anne Chambers, since 2007, novelist, screenwriter, biographer
• Mary Colum (1844–1957), literary critic, memoirist
• Helena Concannon (1878–1952), historian, non-fiction writer, politician
• Marita Conlon-McKenna (born 1956), children's writer, author of Under the Hawthorn Tree
• Isabella Valancy Crawford (1846–1887), Irish-born Canadian poet, short story writer, novelist
• Máirín Cregan (1891-1975), nationalist and writer
• May Crommelin (1850–1930), novelist, travel writer
• Julia Crottie (born 1853), novelist and short story writer
• Margaret Anna Cusack (1829–1899), nun, novelist, biographer, non-fiction writer, poet

D

• Ita Daly (born 1945) novelist and short story writer
• Suzanne R. Day (1876–1964), feminist, playwright and novelist
• Mildred Darby (1867–1932) Gothic novelist and owner of Leap Castle
• Annabel Davis-Goff (born 1942), memoirist, novelist, reviewer, now in the United States
• Mary Davys (1674–1732), novelist, playwright, author of The Reform'd Coquet
• Teresa Deevy (1894–1963), playwright, short story writer, also wrote for radio
• Martina Devlin, award-winning columnist and best selling novelist
• Polly Devlin (born 1944), novelist, short story writer, broadcaster
• Éilís Ní Dhuibhne (born 1954), novelist, short story writer, children's writer, playwright, writes in Irish and English
• Máirín Diamond (born 1957), poet
• Eilís Dillon (1920–1994), children's writer, historical novelist, wrote in Irish and English
• Emma Donoghue (born 1969), playwright, historian, novelist, now living in Canada, author of Room
• Mary Dorcey (born 1950), short story writer, poet, novelist
• Ellen Mary Patrick Downing, poet
• Dorothea Du Bois (1728–1774), musical entertainment writer
• Ruth Dudley Edwards (born 1944), crime fiction novelist, journalist, broadcaster

E

• Charlotte O'Conor Eccles (1860–1911), novelist, short story writer, columnist
• Frances Anne Edgeworth (1769–1865), memoirist, botanical artist
• Maria Edgeworth (1768–1849), novelist, children's writer, author of The Purple Jar
• George Egerton, pen name of Mary Chavelita Dunne Bright (1859–1945), short story writer, novelist, playwright, translator
• Anne Enright (born 1962), essayist, short story writer, novelist, non-fiction writer
• Erminda Rentoul Esler (c.1852–1924), novelist, short story writer

F

• Elaine Feeney (born 1979), poet
• Eleanor Ffrench (died c. 1861), poet
• Mrs. E. M. Field(1856-1940), children and historical
• M. E. Francis (1859–1930)
• Patricia Forde (born c. 1960), children's writer
• Anne Marie Forrest (born 1967), widely translated novelist
• Celia de Fréine (born 1948), poet, playwright, screenwriter, librettist, writing in Irish and English
• Katy French (1983–2007), model, television personality, columnist
• Tana French (born 1973), novelist, actress, author of In the Woods
• Sarah Mary Fitton (c. 1796–1874), botanist, non-fiction writer, children's writer
• Anne Fuller (died 1790), novelist in the Gothic genre
• Alice Furlong [1866–1946), poet, feminist, wrote in English and Irish

G

• Miriam Gallagher (born 1940), plays, scripts, books, stories
• Ruth Gilligan (born 1988), best selling novelist
• Eva Gore-Booth (1870–1926), poet, playwright, feminist
• Sarah Green (fl.1790–1825), Irish-English novelist
• Augusta, Lady Gregory (1852–1932), playwright, folk story writer, poet, memoirist, travelled widely
• Frances Greville (c 1724–1789), poet, social celebrity
• Constantia Grierson (c.1705–1732), editor, poet, classical scholar
• Elizabeth Griffith (1727–1793), playwright, novelist, essayist, translator
• Beatrice Grimshaw (1870–1953), novelist, travel writer
• Vona Groarke (born 1964), poet
• Althea Gyles (1868–1949), poet, artist

H

• Anna Maria Hall (1800–1881), playwright, novelist, short story writerist
• Kerry Hardie (1951), poet and novelist
• Elizabeth Hardy (1794–1854), novelist
• Nancy Harris, successful playwright since c. 2012
• Anne Le Marquand Hartigan (born 1940s), poet, playwright, painter^[2]
• Annie French Hector, 'Mrs. Alexander' (1825–1902), popular novelist
• Barbara Hemphill (died 1858), novelist
• Claire Hennessy (born 1986), young adult novelist
• Dorothea Herbert (c. 1767–1829), diarist, poet
• Jane Emily Herbert (1821–1882), acclaimed poet
• Emily Henrietta Hickey (1845–1923), poet, writer on religion, translator
• F. E. Higgins, pen name of Fiona Higgins, novelist since 2007
• Rita Ann Higgins (born 1955), poet, playwright
• Margaret Wolfe Hungerford (1855–1897), popular novelist, short story writer
• Arlene Hunt (born 1972), crime fiction novelist

J

• Rosamund Jacob (1888–1960), diarist, novelist
• Anna Brownell Jameson (1794–1860), Irish-born British non-fiction writer, essayist
• Jennifer Johnston (born 1930), novelist, author of How Many Miles to Babylon?

K

• Julia Kavanagh (1824–1877), children's writer, novelist, stories mainly based in France
• Rose Kavanagh (1860–1891), newspaper editor, columnist, poet
• Cathy Kelly (born 1966), journalist, widely translated women's fiction novelist
• Maeve Kelly (born 1930), novelist, short story writer, poet
• Mary Eva Kelly (1826–1910), poet, emigrated to Australia
• Rita Kelly (born 1953), poet, writing in Irish and English
• Marian Keyes (born 1963), successful novelist, non-fiction writer, works widely translated
• Molly Keane (1904–1996), novelist, playwright
• Celine Kiernan (born 1967), young adult novelist, children's writer
• Margaret King (1773–1835), children's writer, non-fiction works
• Olivia Knight (1830–1908), poet, essayist, columnist, from 1860 in to Australia

L

• Lathóg of Tír Chonaill (9th century), poet
• Rosamond Langbridge (1880–1964), novelist, playwright, poet
• Maura Laverty (1907–1966), novelist, short story writer, journalist, broadcaster
• Mary Lavin (1912–1996), pioneering novelist, short story writer
• Emily Lawless (1845–1913), novelist, poet, biographer, historian
• Mary Leadbeater (1758–1826), poet, short story writer, biographer, letter writer
• Alicia LeFanu (born 1791), poet, novelist
• Alicia Sheridan Le Fanu (1753–1817), playwright, published only one play: The Sons of Erin; Or, Modern Sentiment
• June Levine (1931–2008), journalist, novelist, feminist writer
• Liadain (7th century), poet
• Ruth Frances Long (born 1971), novelist, young adult writer
• Patricia Lynch (1894–1972), children's writer, journalist, short story writer
• Genevieve Lyons (born 1930), actress, novelist, educator

M

• Mary Stanislaus MacCarthy (1849–1897), nun, poet
• Marisa Mackle (born c.1973), novelist
• Máire MacNeill (1904–1987), journalist, folklorist, translator
• Marie MacSweeney, poet, shortstories
• Audrey Magee (active since 2000), novelist
• Janet McNeill (1907–1994)
• Catherine Mary MacSorley (1848–1929), children's writer for girls, religious works
• Harriet Evans Martin (died 1846), Anglo-Irish novelist, non-fiction writer
• Harriet Letitia Martin (1801–1891), novelist
• Mary Letitia Martin (1815–1850), novelist
• Violet Florence Martin (1862–1915), novelist, co-authored works with Edith Somerville
• Caitlín Maude (1941–1982), poet, teacher, actress, singer, wrote in Irish
• Eimear McBride (born 1976), novelist, author of A Girl Is a Half-formed Thing
• Felicity McCall, journalist, playwright since c.2004
• Nell McCafferty (born 1944), journalist, playwright, feminist
• Mary McCarthy (1951-2013), successful novelist
• Jenny McCudden, since c.2010, journalist, short story writer, poet
• Mary McDermott (fl. 1832), poet
• Jacinta McDevitt, contemporary best selling novelist since 2002
• Mary McDonagh (born 1849), poet
• Medbh McGuckian (born 1950), Northern-Irish poet, literary writer
• Anna McPartlin (born 1972), novelist
• Pauline McLynn (born 1962), actress, novelist
• Liz McManus (born 1947), politician, novelist
• L. T. Meade, pen name of Elizabeth Thomasina Meade Smith (1844–1914), prolific young adult and children's writer, mainly for girls, wrote over 300 books
• Norah Meade (1888-1954), jouranlist
• Paula Meehan (born 1955), poet, playwright
• A. L. Mentxaka (active since 2000s), playwright, critic, educator
• Máire Mhac an tSaoi (born 1922), acclaimed Irish-language scholar, poet, translator
• Betty Miller (1910–1965), novelist, non-fiction writer, biographer, columnist
• Alice Milligan (1865–1953), acclaimed poet
• Anna Millikin (fl. 1793–1810) Gothic novelist
• Susan L. Mitchell (1866–1926), poet, known for her satirical verse
• Sydney, Lady Morgan (1781–1859), poet, novelist, author of The Wild Irish Girl
• Sinead Moriarty (born c. 1971), novelist
• Rosa Mulholland (1841–1921), prolific novelist, poet, playwright, biographer
• Val Mulkerns (born 1925), novelist, journalist, columnist, broadcaster
• Iris Murdoch (1919–1999), Irish-born successful British novelist, philosopher, author of Under the Net
• C.E. Murphy (born 1973), American born writer living in Ireland, writing using Irish mythology.
• Dervla Murphy (born 1931), touring cyclist, travel writer
• Elaine Murphy, playwright since c.2008
• Kathleen M. Murphy (died 1963), poet
• Maura Murphy (1928–2005), autobiographer
• Nora J Murray (1888–1955), poet, short story writer, school teacher

N

• Kate Newmann (born 1965), poet and small press founder
• Cláir Ní Aonghusa (born 1953), novelist, poet
• Eibhlín Dubh Ní Chonaill (c. 1743–c. 1800), poet, lament in Irish
• Nuala Ní Chonchúir (born 1970), novelist, poet
• Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin (born 1942), poet, non-fiction writer
• Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill (born 1952), poet, writing in Irish
• Ailbhe Ní Ghearbhuigh (born 1984), poet, writing in Irish
• Áine Ní Ghlinn (born 1955), poet, children's writer, writing in Irish
• Máiréad Ní Ghráda (1896–1971), poet, playwright, broadcaster
• Sorcha Ní Ghuairim (1911–1976), columnist, newspaper editor, teacher
• Máire Bhuí Ní Laoghaire (1774–1849), poet in the oral tradition
• Colette Níc Aodha (born 1967), Irish-language poet
• Sister Nivedita (1867–1911), nun, essayist, non-fiction writer especially on India

O

• Edna O'Brien (born 1930), acclaimed novelist, memoirist, playwright, poet, short story writer
• Kate O'Brien (1897–1974), novelist, playwright, travel writer
• Helen O'Clery (1910–2006), children's writer
• Ellen Bridget O'Connell (1805–1883), poet
• Gemma O'Connor (born 1940), novelist, short story writer
• Niamh O’Connor (active since 2000), journalist, novelist
• Mary O'Donnell (born 1954), novelist, poet, short story writer
• Mary O'Donoghue (born 1975), novelist, poet, translator
• Julia O'Faolain (born 1932), novelist, short story writer, emigrated to the United States
• Nuala O'Faolain (1940–2008), best selling novelist, journalist, television producer, critic, memoirist
• Sheila O'Hagan, poet since 1984
• Nessa O'Mahony
• Mary O'Malley (born 1954), poet
• Kathleen O'Meara (1839–1888), journalist, novelist, biographer
• Mary Devenport O'Neill (1879–1967), modernist poet, playwright
• Moira O'Neill, pen name of Agnes Shakespeare Higginson (1864–1955), popular Irish-Canadian poet
• Caitriona O'Reilly (born 1973), poet, critic
• Maureen Donovan O'Sullivan (1887–1966), educator, journal editor, historian

P

• Siobhán Parkinson (born 1954), children's writer, novelist, non-fiction writer, translator, writes in English and Irish
• Fanny Parnell (1848–1882), poet, known as the Patriot Poet
• Julie Parsons (born 1951), novelist
• Mrs F. C. Patrick, 18th Century Gothic novelist
• Daphne Pochin Mould, 20th Century historian, pilot, broadcaster and writer
• Nannie Lambert Power O'Donoghue, (1843–1940), poet, journalist, novelist, social activist
• Mabel Cosgrove Wodehouse Pearse (born 1872), novelist
• Laetitia Pilkington (c. 1709–1750), poet, memoirist
• Deirdre Purcell (born 1945), journalist, novelist, non-fiction writer, actress
• Katherine Purdon (1852-1920), writer

Q

• Marjorie Quarton (born 1930), children's writer, novelist

R

• Nell Regan(born 1969), poet and non-fiction writer
• Grace Rhys (1865–1929), novelist, essayist, poet, children's writer
• Jessie Louisa Rickard (1876–1963), popular novelist
• Charlotte Riddell (1832–1906), influential novelist, short story writer, journal editor
• Regina Maria Roche (1764–1845), popular novelist, author of The Children of the Abbey
• Amanda McKittrick Ros (1860–1939), novelist, poet
• Margot Ruddock (1907–1951), actress, poet
• Roma Ryan, since 1982, poet, lyricist
• Elizabeth Ryves (1750–1797), poet, playwright, novelist, journalist, translator

S

• Mary Anne Sadlier (1820–1903), Irish-Canadian novelist, short story writer
• Blanaid Salkeld (1880–1959), poet, playwright, actress, salonist
• Patricia Scanlan (born 1956), novelist
• Eileen Shanahan (1901–1979), poet
• Elizabeth Shane (1877–1951), poet
• Eileen Sheehan (born 1963), poet, teacher
• Frances Sheridan (1724–1766), novelist, playwright
• Dora Sigerson Shorter (1866–1918), poet, sculptor
• Doris E. Smith (1919–before 1994), romantic novelist
• Edith Somerville (1858–1949), novelist in collaboration with her cousin Violet Florence Martin
• Eithne Strong (1925–1999), writer and poet, Irish and English languages

T

• Jemima von Tautphoeus (1807–1893), novelist, focus on Bavaria
• Katherine Thurston (1875–1911), novelist, author of The Masquerader
• Mary Tighe (1772–1810), poet
• Melesina Trench (1768–1827), diarist, letter writer, essayist, poet
• Una Troy (1913–1993), novelist, playwright
• Eliza Dorothea Cobbe, Lady Tuite (c. 1764–1850), author and poet
• Katharine Tynan (1859–1931), novelist, poet, biographer
• Lizzie Twigg (1882-1933), poet

V

• Noelle Vial (1959–2003), poet
• Ethel Lilian Voynich (1864–1960), novelist, author of the successful The Gadfly
• Moira Verschoyle (1903-1985)

W

• Helen Waddell (1889–1965), poet, translator, playwright
• Catherine Walsh (born 1964), poet
• Liz Weir, storyteller and children's writer
• Sheila Wingfield (1906–1992), poet
• Ida L. White (19th century), poet, feminist
• Jane Wilde (1821–1896), poet, interested in folk tales
• Catherine Wilmot (1773–1824), travel writer, diarist, letter writer
• Maev-Ann Wren (born 1950s), economist, journalist, newspaper editor, non-fiction writer
• Frances Wynne (1863–1893), poet

Y

• Ella Young (1867–1956), poet, Celtic mythologist, children's writer, emigrated to California

See also

• List of Irish writers
• List of women writers

References