I have in the last week read two novels by two wonderful Irish writers, the first was The Sea by John Banville and the other was Song Dogs by Calum McCann, I have started on a collection of short stories by McCann and so far they are very very special.

Another Irish writer that I love is Edna O'Brien. Not to forget Jennifer Johnston.

I have a great love of certain Irish writers, like Yeats, Heaney, Shaw, O'Casey, but I don't go in for great hype about them more than for any other wonderful writers like some Welsh, English or Scots etc. They all belong to the World.

Most of my favorite Irish writers seem to belong to the intermarried Sheridan and LeFanu families. The playwright Sheridan's sister Betsy wrote a series of letters between 1784 and 1790 to her married sister Alicia LeFanu. Fortunately the letters of this observant, and occasionally sharp-tongued, woman were compiled and published many years after her death. An Irish expatriate living with the English during a politically tumultuous time, Betsy Sheridan wrote amusing and observant letters about English life, including court gossip, and the lives of her family and friends. These letters were compiled and published under the title Betsy Sheridan's Journal.

Betsy had two nephews who were writers. The more well-known of the two, Joseph Sheridan LeFanu, is one of the most famous 19th century writers of ghost stories, many with an Irish setting. In complete contrast, J.S. LeFanu's brother William published a delightful and sunny memoir, Seventy Years of Irish Life, in 1893. Long out of print, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in 19th century Irish life.

Another of my favorite Irish writers is Elizabeth Bowen, though admittedly her novels are not to every reader's taste. I especially recommend her novel The Death of the Heart. Oddly, the fact that Bowen was Irish is frequently-overlooked. I suspect this is due to the fact that she was Protestand, like the LeFanu and Sheridan families. Ireland's great Protestant writers seem to get deliberately overlooked.

I am a big fan of the contemporary Irish writer Colm Toibin. Unable to find his celebrated book Brooklyn in any local bookstores, I broke down and special ordered a copy, something I do very rarely these days (due to the ridiculous cost of postage of books here in Canada).

Three of my great-grandparents were Protestant Irish. One of my great-grandmothers was an Irish Catholic. I am very proud of my Irish ancestry.

I like Elizabeth Bowen's novels very much - HOTEL, in particular. Understated,offbeat humour.

I am a strong admirer of all the poetry of W. B. Yeats. I am proud to be one quarter Irish, from my maternal side of the family, whose name was Sheridan.
Here in the city of Charleston, SC, we enjoyed a huge St. Pat's Day parade downtown, complete with Irish dancers, bagpipes, and even Irish Wolfhounds. At 12 noon, the Irish flag was hoisted over city hall. Our mayor is of Irish descent, as were many of the earliest settlers in this colony.
I just learned that the 2nd largest St. Pat's parade is held annually in the city of Savannah, GA

Junek - I had kind of forgotten about Calum McCann. I really liked his Let the Great World Spin. Do you recommend Song Dogs?

kathy- I just loved "Songdogs" the aged father that our narrator visits after years away is an unforgettable character. Great flash backs, from Ireland to Mexico.

I love McCann's writing, new to me, great to discover a new author.

I have reserved a few of his books from my library chain, "Let The Great World Spin" is among them.

Good to know June. I will put Songdogs on my TBR list.

I've always been an admirer of Roddy Doyle, starting with Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha.