Irish literary fiction

[TeddyMercury]

I am on the lookout for some fiction set in Ireland - ideally where the 'set in Ireland' aspect isn't incidental. The obvious stuff (Angela's Ashes etc) I will probably have read. I enjoyed Any Human Season very much, if that's any guide...

I prefer literary fiction (nothing against Marion Keyes at all, but I'm not keen on those sort of 'light reads')

Any suggestions?

Try Joyce's Dubliners. Short stories, all very readable (no Finnegan's Wake) and the closing story The Dead is, in my opinion, one of the finest pieces of writing ever.

Roddy Doyle

i've just read claire kilroy's the devil i know, a good read if you're interested in novels about contemporary ireland. also recommend short stories by clare keegan and kevin barry (i would avoid his novel though, it's completely asinine). skippy dies by paul murray also pretty good.

I enjoyed the two Dublin books by Edward Rutherfurd.