Widely regarded as one of the most popular writers of all time, Oscar Wilde is best remembered for his plays and epigrams. He was also one of the best-known personalities during his time as he was popular for his conversational skills, flamboyant dressing sense, and biting wit. Imprisoned in 1895 for consensual homosexual acts, Oscar Wilde was pardoned posthumously in 2017.
Eighteenth-century essayist, poet, and pamphleteer Jonathan Swift is remembered for his iconic works such as A Tale of a Tub, A Modest Proposal, and Gulliver's Travels. One of the world’s greatest satirists, he gave rise to the deadpan Swiftian style. He had also been the Dean of St. Patrick's Cathedral.
Seamus Heaney was an Irish poet, translator, and playwright. One of the most respected poets of his generation, Heaney was honored with the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1995. He also won other prestigious awards, such as the Eric Gregory Award. Several years after his death, Seamus Heaney is still considered one of the main contributors to poetry in Ireland.
C. Day-Lewis was an Anglo-Irish poet who also wrote many mystery stories. From 1968 to 1972, he served as the Poet Laureate. He also contributed as a publications editor during World War II, working for the Ministry of Information.
![Iris Murdoch Iris Murdoch](http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/thumbs/iris-murdoch-1.jpg)
One of the most popular Irish-born British novelists, Iris Murdoch is remembered for her psychological novels, which had a good dose of sexuality, philosophy, morality, and comic elements. While she won the Booker Prize for The Sea, the Sea, the Oxford alumnus had also worked for the HM Treasury and the UN.
![John Millington Synge John Millington Synge](http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/thumbs/john-millington-synge-1.jpg)
A major figure of the Irish Literary Revival, John Millington Synge is best remembered for his play The Playboy of the Western World, which caused riots in Dublin due to its satiric depiction of the Irish nature of boasting. His life ended abruptly at 37, due to blood cancer.
![Patrick Kavanagh Patrick Kavanagh](http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/thumbs/patrick-kavanagh-1.jpg)
Irish poet Patrick Kavanagh is best remembered for his long poem The Great Hunger and his depictions of harsh rural conditions. His initial experience of working on a farm offered him the setting for his novel Tarry Flynn, which was banned for a while and later performed as a play.
![Edward Plunkett, 18th Baron of Dunsany Edward Plunkett, 18th Baron of Dunsany](http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/thumbs/edward-plunkett-18th-baron-of-dunsany-1.jpg)
Edward Plunkett was a talented Irish author, known for his fantasy novels such as The King of Elfland's Daughter. Initially educated at Eton and then at Sandhurst, he had also been part of the British Army in World War I. He also designed chess puzzles and was a keen hunter.
![Thomas MacDonagh Thomas MacDonagh](http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/thumbs/thomas-macdonagh-1.jpg)
Born to schoolteacher parents, Thomas MacDonagh initially aspired to be a missionary. However, he later taught English and French, and then focused on writing. The author of plays such as When the Dawn Is Come, MacDonagh later joined the Irish Volunteers and led the Easter Rising before being executed by shooting.
![Edna O'Brien Edna O'Brien](http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/thumbs/edna-obrien-1.jpg)
Irish novelist Edna O'Brien is known for dealing with themes related to women’s issues, such as sexual repression of women in a male-dominated society. While she initially studied pharmacy, she later soared to fame with novels such as The Country Girls trilogy, some of which were banned in Ireland for their sexual openness.
![Amanda McKittrick Ros Amanda McKittrick Ros](http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/thumbs/no-profile-img.jpg)
![Roma Ryan Roma Ryan](http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/thumbs/roma-ryan-96364-1.jpg)
![Cecil Frances Alexander Cecil Frances Alexander](http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/thumbs/cecil-frances-alexander-1.jpg)
![George William Russell George William Russell](http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/thumbs/george-william-russell-1.jpg)
![Jane Wilde Jane Wilde](http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/thumbs/no-profile-img.jpg)
![Thomas D'Arcy McGee Thomas D'Arcy McGee](http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/thumbs/thomas-darcy-mcgee-1.jpg)
Thomas D'Arcy McGee was an Irish-Canadian politician, Catholic spokesman, journalist, and poet. As a young man, he opposed British rule in Ireland and was in favor of creating an independent Irish Republic. He later became conservative in his beliefs and moved to Canada. He helped create the Canadian Confederation in 1867 but was assassinated the following year.
![Eavan Boland Eavan Boland](http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/thumbs/eavan-boland-56176-1.jpg)
![Willie Wilde Willie Wilde](http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/thumbs/willie-wilde-1.jpg)
![Christopher Nolan Christopher Nolan](http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/thumbs/no-profile-img.jpg)
![Padraic Colum Padraic Colum](http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/thumbs/padraic-colum-1.jpeg)
![Derek Mahon Derek Mahon](http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/thumbs/derek-mahon-1.jpg)
![Nahum Tate Nahum Tate](http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/thumbs/nahum-tate-1.jpg)
![Oliver St. John Gogarty Oliver St. John Gogarty](http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/thumbs/oliver-st-john-gogarty-57142-1.jpg)
![James Clarence Mangan James Clarence Mangan](http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/thumbs/james-clarence-mangan-1.jpg)
![Charles Gavan Duffy Charles Gavan Duffy](http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/thumbs/charles-gavan-duffy-1.jpg)
Charles Gavan Duffy was an Irish poet and journalist active during the late 19th-century. He studied at the Royal Belfast Academical Institution and began his journalistic career soon after under the guidance of political activist and journalist Charles Hamilton Teeling. Later in life, he moved to Australia and became the 8th Premier of Victoria.
![Katharine Tynan Katharine Tynan](http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/thumbs/katharine-tynan-1.jpg)
![Alice Perry Alice Perry](http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/thumbs/alice-perry-1.jpg)
Alice Perry scripted history as the first European female engineering graduate. Born into a family of inventors and engineers, she later became the only female country surveyor in Ireland. She also served as an inspector for the Home Office but deviated to writing poetry after her retirement.
![Doireann Ní Ghríofa Doireann Ní Ghríofa](http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/thumbs/doireann-n-ghrofa-1.jpg)
![Dicuil Dicuil](http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/thumbs/no-profile-img.jpg)
![Gabriel Rosenstock Gabriel Rosenstock](http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/thumbs/gabriel-rosenstock-127421-1.jpg)
![Thomas Parnell Thomas Parnell](http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/thumbs/thomas-parnell-1.jpg)
![Edward Dowden Edward Dowden](http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/thumbs/edward-dowden-1.jpg)
![John Denham John Denham](http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/thumbs/john-denham-1.jpg)
![Sedulius Scottus Sedulius Scottus](http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/thumbs/no-profile-img.jpg)
![Charles Joseph Kickham Charles Joseph Kickham](http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/thumbs/charles-joseph-kickham-1.jpg)
![Fitz-James O'Brien Fitz-James O'Brien](http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/thumbs/fitz-james-obrien-1.jpg)
![Óengus of Tallaght Óengus of Tallaght](http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/thumbs/engus-of-tallaght-1.jpg)
![Patrick MacGill Patrick MacGill](http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/thumbs/patrick-macgill.jpg)
![Charles Wolfe Charles Wolfe](http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/thumbs/charles-wolfe-1.jpg)
![Lennox Robinson Lennox Robinson](http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/thumbs/lennox-robinson-1.jpg)
Lennox Robinson was an Irish dramatist, theatre producer and director, and poet. He is best remembered for his association with the Abbey Theatre and was responsible for publishing the first detailed history of the company, Ireland's Abbey Theatre, in 1951. The Lennox Robinson Literary Festival is held every year in his memory in Douglas, Cork, Ireland.
![John Banim John Banim](http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/thumbs/john-banim-69571-1.jpg)
![John Kells Ingram John Kells Ingram](http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/thumbs/john-kells-ingram-65340-1.jpg)
Irish economic historian John Kells Ingram didn’t just excel in math in his younger days but also showed considerable talent in literature and languages, teaching oratory and Greek at Trinity. He is remembered for his extensive work on the Poor Law and also for his contribution to inversive geometry.
![Piaras Feiritear Piaras Feiritear](http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/thumbs/no-profile-img.jpg)
![George Darley George Darley](http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/thumbs/no-profile-img.jpg)
Apart from writing math texts, Irish author George Darley also penned poems and novels and was a talented literary critic. He also wrote as John Lacy for The London Magazine. His stammer and his inability to publish his literary works probably pushed him into depression in his later life.
![George Croly George Croly](http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/thumbs/george-croly-1.jpg)
![Cearbhall Óg Ó Dálaigh Cearbhall Óg Ó Dálaigh](http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/thumbs/no-profile-img.jpg)
![Carl Tighe Carl Tighe](http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/thumbs/no-profile-img.jpg)
Carl Tighe was a British essayist, novelist, academic, and poet. He began writing poems and short stories as a teenager and eventually became a lecturer in English. He carried out research on central European literature and comparative politics and wrote on a diverse range of topics. His novel Burning Worm won the Authors’ Club Award in 2002.
![Hugh Kelly Hugh Kelly](http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/thumbs/no-profile-img.jpg)