This is a list of women writers who were born in Ireland or whose writings are closely associated with that country.
A Mary Jane Adams (1840–1902), Irish-American poet Cecil Frances Alexander (1818–1895), Anglo-Irish hymn writer and poet Eleanor Jane Alexander (1857–1939), poet and novelist Deborah Alcock (1835–1913), historical novelist, memoirist Cecelia Ahern (born 1981), novelist, short story writer Liz Allen (born 1969), investigative journalist, best selling novelist Colette Nic Aodha (born 1967), poet Karen Ardiff, Irish playwright and novelist Geraldine Aron (born 1951), playwright Mary Arrigan (born 15 February 1943), illustrator, artist and novelist Sarah Atkinson (1823–1893), biographer, essayist, philanthropist
B Mary Barber (c.1685–c.1755), successful poet, author of Poems on several occasions Leland Bardwell (1928–2016), poet, novelist, playwright Alex Barclay, pseudonym of Yve Williams, (born 1974), journalist and crime writer Jane Barlow (1857–1917), poet, novelist Margaret Barrington (1896–1982), short story writer, essayist Samantha Barry (born c.1981), journalist, editor Eileen Battersby (c.1958–2018), literary critic Henrietta Battier (c.1751–1813), poet, satirist, actress Sara Baume (born 1984), novelist Annie O'Meara de Vic Beamish, (1886–1969), novelist, playwright, translator Louisa Beaufort (1781–1863), antiquarian, writer and artist Emily Elizabeth Shaw Beavan, (1818–1897), poet Mary Beckett (1926–2013), playwright for radio, short story writer, children's writer Louie Bennett (1870–1956), suffragette, journalist and novelist Tara Bergin (born 1974), poet Sara Berkeley (born 1967), poet Maeve Binchy (1939–2012), novelist, playwright, short story writer, columnist E. Owens Blackburne (1848–1894), pen name writer and novelist, Elizabeth Casey Marguerite Gardiner, Countess of Blessington (1789–1849), novelist, essayist, letter writer Gertrude Elizabeth Blood (1857–1911), journalist, writer, playwright and editor Eavan Boland (1944–2020), poet, non-fiction writer Angela Bourke (born 1952), writer, historian, interested in folklore Eva Bourke, German-born Irish poet since c.1985 Elizabeth Bowen (1899–1973), novelist, short story writer, author of Eva Trout Sarah Bowie, Irish illustrator and writer Clare Boylan (1948–2006), journalist, critic, novelist, short story writer Hilary Boyle (1899–1988), journalist, broadcaster, and activist Éilís Ní Bhrádaigh (1927–2007), writer and lexicographer Deirdre Brennan (born 1934), bilingual poet, short-story writer and playwright Maeve Brennan (1917–1993), short story writer, journalist, from 1934 in the United States Sarah Rees Brennan (born 1983), young adult novelist Máire Bradshaw (born 1943), poet and publisher Teresa Brayton (1868–1943), poet, contributed to American newspapers Charlotte Brooke (c.1740–1793), writer, translator of Irish-language poetry Mary Brück (1925–2008), astronomer, science historian Catherine Dorothea Burdett (1784–1861), novelist Patricia Burke Brogan (fl. 1990s), playwright and poet Charlotte Brooke (c.1740–1793), poet, author of Reliques of Irish Poetry Mary Bonaventure Browne (17th century), nun, abbess, historian Frances Browne (1816–1879), poet, novelist, children's writer Colette Bryce (born 1970), poet Ann Buckley (fl. 1990s), musicologist, non-fiction writer Selina Bunbury (1802–1882), prolific novelist Anne Burke (fl.1780–1805), was an Irish novelist in the Gothic genre Patricia Burke Brogan (1926–2022), playwright, novelist, poet, artist Catherine Byron (born 1947), poet
C June Caldwell (born c. 1970), journalist, short story writer Margaret Callan (c. 1817–c. 1883), teacher, nationalist, writer, used the pseudonym Thornton MacMahon Caitilin Dubh (fl. c. 1624), early poet, wrote elegies Moya Cannon (born 1956), poet, journal editor Ethna Carbery (1866–1902), poet, journalist, short story writer Mary Birkett Card (1774–1817), Abolitionist and feminist poet Amy Carmichael (1867–1951), missionary, many works on her work in India Orlaith Carmody (born 1960), businesswoman, writer and news reporter Marina Carr (born 1964), playwright Austin Carroll (1835–1909), nun and writer, emigrated to United States Claudia Carroll (born c. 1969), best-selling author Anne-Marie Casey (born 1965), screenwriter, novelist Agnes Castle (c.1860–1922), novelist, playwright and short story writer Anne Chambers, since 2007, novelist, screenwriter, biographer Maureen Charlton (1930–2007), playwright, poet and broadcaster Anna Maria Chetwode (fl. 1827), novelist Lana Citron (born 1969) writer Josephine Fitzgerald Clarke (1865–1953), Irish romance novelist Maude Clarke (1892–1935), historian Agnes Mary Clerke (1842–1907), astronomer, writer Eliza Dorothea Cobbe, Lady Tuite (c. 1764–1850), poet and children's writer Frances Power Cobbe (1822–1904), writer and suffragist Patricia Cockburn (1914–1989), journalist and artist Mary Colum (1884–1957), literary critic, memoirist Helena Concannon (1878–1952), historian, non-fiction writer, politician Evelyn Conlon (born 1952), novelist, short story writer Marita Conlon-McKenna (born 1956), children's writer, author of Under the Hawthorn Tree Susan Connolly (born 1956), poet Susan E. Connolly (c. 1970), fiction and non fiction writer June Considine (born 1945), children's writer and novelist Dorothea Conyers (1869–1949), romantic novelist Melosina Lenox-Conyngham (1941–2011), columnist and writer Roz Cowman (born 1942), poet Mary Costello (fl. 2010s), short story writer, novelist Ethna Byrne-Costigan (1904–1991) writer and academic Emily Crawford (1841–1915), journalist Mabel Sharman Crawford (1820–1912), an Irish adventurer, feminist and writer Isabella Valancy Crawford (1846–1887), Irish-born Canadian poet, short story writer, novelist Máirín Cregan (1891–1975), nationalist and writer Elizabeth Christitch (1861–January 26, 1933) Irish journalist, writer, poet, translator and Serbian patriot Bithia Mary Croker (1848–1920), novelist May Crommelin (1850–1930), novelist, travel writer Sarah Crossan (fl. 2010s), young adult writer Julia Crottie (1853–about 1930), novelist and short story writer Catherine Ann Cullen, Irish poet Majella Cullinane (fl. 2010s), novelist, poet, now in New Zealand Geraldine Cummins (1890–1969), spiritualist, novelist and playwright Judi Curtin, Irish children's writer Margaret Anna Cusack (1829–1899), nun, novelist, biographer, non-fiction writer, poet Sidney Czira (1889–1974), journalist, broadcaster, writer and revolutionary
D Emma Dabiri author, academic, and broadcaster Ita Daly (born 1945), novelist and short story writer Mary E. Daly (fl. 1980s), historian Mildred Darby (1867–1932), novelist Ailbhe Darcy (born 1981), poet Suzanne R. Day (1876–1964), feminist, playwright and novelist Mildred Darby (1867–1932), Gothic novelist and owner of Leap Castle Annabel Davis-Goff (born 1942), memoirist, novelist, reviewer, now in the United States Mary Davys (1674–1732), novelist, playwright, author of The Reform'd Coquet Suzanne R. Day (1876–1964), feminist, novelist and playwright Alice Dease (1874–1949), novelist Charlotte Dease (1873–1953), prayer collector and writer Denise Deegan (born 1966), screenwriter and young adult writer Teresa Deevy (1894–1963), playwright, short story writer, also wrote for radio Martina Devlin, award-winning columnist and best selling novelist Polly Devlin (born 1944), novelist, short story writer, broadcaster Éilís Ní Dhuibhne (born 1954), novelist, short story writer, children's writer, playwright, writes in Irish and English Máirín Diamond (born 1957), poet Eilís Dillon (1920–1994), children's writer, historical novelist, wrote in Irish and English Lady Margaret Domville (1840–9 January 1929), Irish aristocrat and writer Emma Donoghue (born 1969), playwright, historian, novelist, now living in Canada, author of Room Aoife Dooley (born 1991), writer, illustrator and graphic designer Mary Dorcey (born 1950), short story writer, poet, novelist Ellen Mary Patrick Downing, poet Mary Downing (c. 1815–1881), poet and nationalist Catharine Drew (1832–1910), journalist Nora Dryhurst (1856–1930), nationalist and writer Dorothea Du Bois (1728–1774), musical entertainment writer Ruth Dudley Edwards (born 1944), crime fiction novelist, journalist, broadcaster Bella Duffy, (1849–1926), writer and translator Bernie Dwyer (1943–2013), journalist
E Charlotte O'Conor Eccles (1860–1911), novelist, short story writer, columnist Frances Anne Edgeworth (1769–1865), memoirist, botanical artist Maria Edgeworth (1768–1849), novelist, children's writer, author of The Purple Jar George Egerton, pen name of Mary Chavelita Dunne Bright (1859–1945), short story writer, novelist, playwright, translator Olivia Elder (1735–1780), poet Marianne Elliott (born 1948), historian Anne Enright (born 1962), essayist, short story writer, novelist, non-fiction writer Erminda Rentoul Esler (c. 1852–1924), novelist, short story writer Elsa d'Esterre-Keeling (1857–1935), novelist Martina Evans (born 1961), poet and novelist
F Elaine Feeney (born 1979), poet Mrs. E. M. Field(1856–1940), children and historical N. P. Figgis (1939–2014), archaeologist and author Sarah Mary Fitton (c. 1796–1874), writer interested in botany Barbara Fitzgerald (1911–1982), novelist Kitty Fitzgerald (born September 25, 1946), writer, poet, playwright Theodora FitzGibbon (1916–1991), cookbook writer, novelist, actress Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick (born 1962), novelist, children's writer, illustrator Patricia Forde (born c. 1960), children's writer Anne Marie Forrest (born 1967), widely translated novelist Ellen Forrester (1828–1883), nationalist and poet Lydia Mary Foster (1867–1943), writer and novelist Lorraine Francis (born 1958), children's writer M. E. Francis (1859–1930), novelist Celia de Fréine (born 1948), poet, playwright, screenwriter, librettist, writing in Irish and English Katy French (1983–2007), model, television personality, columnist Tana French (born 1973), novelist, actress, author of In the Woods Sarah Mary Fitton (c. 1796–1874), botanist, non-fiction writer, children's writer Anne Fuller (died 1790), novelist in the Gothic genre Alice Furlong (1866–1946), poet, feminist, wrote in English and Irish
G Gertrude Gaffney (died 1959), journalist Maureen Gaffney (born 1947), psychologist, non-fiction writer Margaret Gallagher (fl. 1970s), writer specializing in gender and media Miriam Gallagher (1940–2018), plays, scripts, books, stories Evie Gaughan (born 1976), writer and artist Ruth Gilligan (born 1988), best selling novelist Dr. Maude Glasgow (1876–1955), early pioneer in public health and preventative medicine as well as an activist for equal rights. Lady Blanche Girouard (1898–1940), writer Eva Gore-Booth (1870–1926), poet, playwright, feminist Clotilde Graves (1863–1932), novelist and playwright Ida Margaret Graves Poore (1859–1941), writer and poet Áine Greaney (c. 1962), writer and editor Alice Stopford Green (1847–1929), historian and nationalist Sarah Green (fl.1790–1825), Irish-English novelist Augusta, Lady Gregory (1852–1932), playwright, folk story writer, poet, memoirist, travelled widely Frances Greville (c 1724–1789), poet, social celebrity Constantia Grierson (c.1705–1732), editor, poet, classical scholar Sarah Maria Griffin (born c. 1988), Irish writer and poet Elizabeth Griffith (1727–1793), playwright, novelist, essayist, translator Beatrice Grimshaw (1870–1953), novelist, travel writer Vona Groarke (born 1964), poet Isabel Grubb (1881–1972), historian Veronica Guerin (1958–1996), journalist Althea Gyles (1868–1949), poet, artist
H Anna Maria Hall (1800–1881), playwright, novelist, short story writerist C. J. Hamilton, (1841–1935) novelist and journalist Marianne-Caroline Hamilton (1777–1861), artist and memoirist Emma Hannigan (1972–2018), novelist, memoirist Kerry Hardie (born 1951), poet and novelist Elizabeth Hardy (1794–1854), novelist Nancy Harris, successful playwright since c. 2012