The literature of Ireland, written in both Irish and English, displays an exceptional richness and diversity. This concise companion surveys the Irish literary landscape across sixteen centuries up to the present, describing its features and landmarks. Entries range from Ogam writing, developed in the 4th century, to the fiction, poetry, and drama of the 1990s. There are accounts of authors as early as Adamn 'an, 7th century Abbot of Iona, through to contemporary writers such as Roddy Doyle, Brian Friel, Seamus Heaney, and Edna O'Brien. There are also brief accounts of major works such as T'ain B 'o Cuailnge - the Ulster saga reflecting the Celtic Iron Age to Swift's Gulliver Travels , 'O Cadhain's Cr'e na Cille, and Banville's The Book of Evidence. The entries highlight the historical contexts of the writers and the events that sometimes directly inspired them the Famine of 1845-8; the founding of the Abbey Theatre and its impact on playwrights such as J.M. Synge and Padraic Colum; the Easter Rising that stirred Yeats to the 'terrible beauty' of 'Easter 1916'. This book is intended for general readers and students interested in all aspects of Irish literature