Books about Ireland

Read on for GEEO’s suggestions on books to read before you travel to Ireland. Our book club is a way for teachers and other participants to learn through literature about the places they will be traveling. Reading about Ireland is the next best thing to being there!

Reading fiction or nonfiction based on a country gives travelers the context needed to have deeper, richer experiences abroad. It is completely up to the participant whether they choose to read them, as the GEEO book club is not a required element of our programs. We hope our participants will enjoy the books we have selected and they will enhance their experience.

You should be able to find most of our selections through the links below and in your local library system as well. Do you have any feedback on our selections or suggestions for additions? Contact us and let us know!

Recommended books to read before traveling to Ireland:

Fiction:

• The Dubliners by James Joyce
• Amongst Women by John McGahern

Nonfiction:

• A Brief History of Ireland by Richard Killeen
• Home Rule: An Irish History 1800-2000 by Alvin Jackson

For those looking for more suggestions, here are some other books you may want to consider:

• To School Through the Fields by Alice Taylor
• Armed Struggle: the History of the IRA by Richard English
• Fox, Swallow, Scarecrow by Eilis Ni Dhuibhne
• Round Ireland with a Fridge by Tony Hawks

GEEO utilizes Amazon Associates links for the above-suggested books. If you purchase a book through one of the links above, you’re supporting us as a nonprofit and helping more teachers travel through GEEO!