From W.B. Yeats to Seamus Heaney, Joyce, Beckett and more, distinguished Irish literary figures have always employed the spectacular scenery and unique ambience of the island of Ireland in their work.
And the stunning landscape continues to inspire, featuring heavily in the novels of the island’s most successful contemporary novelists – think Man Booker prize winners Anne Enright and Anna Burns, international best-selling author Cecelia Ahern, and Sally Rooney, whose novel Normal People recently became a must-watch small screen sensation for the BBC.
Much more than a backdrop, Ireland’s countryside, cityscapes and seascapes are important characters in the stories told by these literary luminaries.
Dublin-born Cecelia Ahern, author of the international best seller PS I Love You, has sold over 25 million copies of her novels worldwide. She chose the magnificent forest park of Gougane Barra in County Cork as the setting for the opening of her novel Lyrebird because of its beauty and tranquillity.
Listen to her reading the opening chapter of the book, which describes the tree-covered mountains filled with birdsong and the gentle movement of animals. “The reason I chose Gougane Barra is that it’s a very peaceful place,” she says. “It’s one of many places in Ireland where you can recharge your soul.”