I love to read books set in the locations I travel, both before and during my visit. For Ireland, I read and enjoyed:
Ireland: A Novel
by Frank Delaney
This was Irish mythology, history, and a compelling novel, all woven into together. I heartily recommend this book. Reading chapters in Irish pubs is recommended, but not required.
The Princes of Ireland
by Edward Rutherford
Rutherford writes sprawling, expansive tomes that follow fictional families in a particular location over hundreds of years. I’ve enjoyed other books of Rutherford more (London, The Forest, and Paris have been my favorites), but this was a good introduction to Irish history from 430 AD to 1537 BC.
The Homesick Garden
by Kate Cruise O’Brien
I found this book on the shelf in the cottage where we were staying and enjoyed it as a short coming of age novel. Unlike the first two books listed, it was less “about Ireland” and more just “set in Ireland.”