Modern Irish Writers: A Bio-Critical Sourcebook

The Irish Renaissance began around 1885 and arguably has continued to the present day, with no apparent sign of coming to an end. The period has produced some of the richest literature in Irish history, and authors such as Samuel Beckett, James Joyce, William Butler Yeats, and Seamus Heaney are among the leading writers of the twentieth century. This reference provides alphabetically arranged entries for more than 70 modern Irish writers. Each entry includes a brief biography, a discussion of the author's major works and themes, an overview of the writer's critical reception, and a bibliography of primary and secondary sources. An opening essay surveys the critical response to Irish literature after 1885, and an extensive bibliography concludes the volume.