Launched August 1998 This top 100 list was compiled from Easons and publishers figures dating back to the 1940s, and included are expected favourites like Seamus Heaney, Roddy Doyle, Maeve Binchy, Edna O’Brien, Patricia Scanlan, Tom McCaughren and Marita Conlon-McKenna. Other authors like Walter Macken also feature prominently - four of his books feature in the top 30 - while John Murphy’s Little Irish Cookbook, first published in 1986 is in second place. Two honorary Irishmen, Leon Uris for his book Trinity and Gerald Seymour’s Field of Blood are also included among the chart toppers.
| 1 The Glass Lake by Maeve Binchy |
26 The Scorching Wind by Walter Macken |
51 Watermelon by Marian Keyes |
76 The Butcher Boy by Patrick McCabe |
| 2 Little Irish Cookbook by John Murphy |
27 The Flight of the Doves by Walter Macken |
52 Simply Delicious Christmas by Darina Allen |
77 Bike Hunt by Hugh Galt |
| 3 Evening Class by Maeve Binchy |
28 Under the Hawthorn Tree by Marita Conlon-McKenna | 53 Wildflower Girl by Marita Conlon-McKenna |
78 Exploring the Book of Kells by George Otto Simms |
| 4 Copper Beech by Maeve Binchy |
29 Philadelphia Here I Come by Brian Friel |
54 The Spirit Level by Seamus Heaney |
79 Tarry Flynn by Patrick Kavanagh |
| 5 Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett |
30 Simply Delicious by Darin Allen |
55 The General by Paul Williams |
80 Proverbs and Sayings of Ireland by S Gaffney/S Cashman |
| 6 Borstal Boy by Brendan Beehan |
31 Translations by Brian Friel |
56 The Mammy by Brendan O’Carroll |
81 Real Irish Cookery by Mary Caherty |
| 7 The Ginger Man by JP Donleavy |
32 Endgame by Samuel Beckett |
57 Simply Delicious 2 by Darina Allen |
82 City Woman by Patricia Scanlan |
| 8 Peig by Peig Sayers |
33 Famine by Liam O’Flaherty |
58 The Field by John B Keane |
83 Against the Tide by Noel Browne |
| 9 Irish Proverbs Illustrated by Karen Bailey |
34 Harry’s Game by Gerald Seymour |
59 A Place of Stones by Deirdre Purcell |
84 20 Years a Growing by Maurice O’Sullivan |
| 10 Angela’s Ashes by Frank Mc Court |
35 Crowning the Customer by Feargal Quinn |
60 Run to Earth by Tom McCaughren |
85 Ireland since the Famine by F S L Lyons |
| 11 Light a Penny Candle by Maeve Binchy |
36 Reading in the Dark by Seamus Deane |
61 The Boss by J Joyce/P Murtagh |
86 Letter to Daniel by Fergal Keane |
| 12 Trinity by Leon Uris |
37 Run with the Wind by Tom McCaughren |
62 The Time of My Life by Gay Byrne |
87 Secret World of the Irish Male by Joseph O’Connor |
| 13 The Course of Irish History by TW Moody | 38 High Days and Holidays by Jenny Bristow |
63 Murphy by Samuel Beckett |
88 The Third Policeman by Flann O’Brien |
| 14 New and Selected Poems by Seamus Heaney | 39 The Big Wind by Beatrice Coogan |
64 Run Swift, Run Free by Tom McCaughren |
89 The New Oxford Book of Irish Verse by Thomas Kinsella (ed.) |
| 15 Firefly Summer by Maeve Binchy |
40 Quench the Lamp by Alice Taylor |
65 Amongst Women by John McGahern |
90 Foreign Affairs by Patricia Scanlan |
| 16 Echoes by Maeve Binchy |
41 Michael Collins by T.P. Coogan |
66 Ireland 1912-1985 by J J Lee |
91 Classic Irish Short Stories by Frank O’Connor |
| 17 Circle of Friends by Maeve Binchy |
42 Death of a Naturalist by Seamus Heaney |
67 Irish Names for Children by Patrick Woulfe |
92 The Heather Blazing by Colm Toibin |
| 18 Field of Blood by Gerald Seymour |
43 Good Behaviour by Molly Keane |
68 Dancing at Lughnasa by Brian Friel |
93 Cal by Bernard McLaverty |
| 19 The Woman who walked into doors by Roddy Doyle |
44 Ireland, A History by Robert Kee |
69 Brendan Behan by Ulick O’Connor |
94 The Tailor and Ansty by Eric Cross |
| 20 The Country Girls by Edna O’Brien |
45 The Book of Evidence by John Banville |
70 Are you Somebody? by Nuala O’Faolain |
95 The Collected Poems of Patrick Kavanagh |
| 21 The Great Hunger by C Woodham-Smith |
46 Paddy Clareke, Ha Ha Ha, by Roddy Doyle |
71 Forbidden Fruit by A Murphy/P de Rosa |
96 The Islandman by Tomas O’Crohan |
| 22 To School through the fields by Alice Taylor |
47 Silver Wedding by Maeve Binchy |
72 Happy Days by Samuel Beckett |
97 On Another Man’s Wound by Ernie O’Malley |
| 23 The Commitments by Roddy Doyle |
48 An Evil Cradling by Brian Keenan |
73 Seeing Things by Seamus Heaney |
98 The Bodhran Makers by J B Keane |
| 24 Seek the Fair Land by Walter Macken |
49 The Snapper by Roddy Doyle |
74 The Sins of the Mothers by Frank Delaney |
99 Francey by Deirdre Purcell |
| 25 The Silent People by Walter Macken |
50 Strumpet City by James Plunkett |
75 The Colour of Blood by Brian Moore |
100 The Little Black Sheep by Elizabeth Shaw |
Courtesy Irish Independent 1998