Ireland's art is oftentimes synonymous with its literature. The country's past brims with storytelling, manuscript recording and illumination (such as the venerated Book of Kells), along with the Celtic influence in language, festivals, and song has had a direct result on the profound contributions the small isle has made to the literary world.

The literature of the Gaels, or Gaelic literature, is said to be the oldest in Europe. Both oral and written, stories from the eighth to the twelfth centuries still survive. The mythos of character and plot, such as in the stories of Cúchulainn, appear in and have affected facets of even modern literary compositions (such as Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt).

Gaelic literature slumped with the advent of Anglo-Irish literature, which was reared for and geared to the educated masses of London and Dublin. Writings in theater and drama blossomed. Playwrights and those cultured felt much more English than they did Irish. This included Oscar Wilde, who attended Oxford, along with the likes of George Bernard Shaw and W. B. Yeats, who made London their home.

Travelers might consider reading a few of the greats before visiting Ireland:

Jonathan Swift

Swift's Gulliver's Travels is a satirical piece on government, religion, corruption, and modernity. Interestingly, the book is suitable for kids and adults alike due to its fantasy-world adventures and societal reflections. Most often, it is read as a children's book.

W. B. Yeats

Cofounder of Dublin's famed Abbey Theatre, W. B. Yeats was a poet and a playwright of such esteemed works as Love Poems and The Tower. A prolific writer in his own right, Yeats went on to win the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1923.

James Joyce

Famous for his new stream-of-consciousness writing style, James Joyce is best known for Dubliners (1914) and the epic Ulysses (1922). Joyce's works focus on regions of Ireland, notably Dublin, although he lived in other parts of Europe for most of his life.

Samuel Beckett

A writer, poet, and dramaturge, Samuel Beckett lived in France until his death in 1989. Intrigued with minimalism and extreme realism, his works such as Waiting for Godot were either loved or hated, but performed worldwide. What followed was a quasi-realist movement dubbed the “theater of the absurd.” He won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1969.

George Bernard Shaw

A staunch socialist who often mocked the system of government in the developed world, George Bernard Shaw was a copious playwright with such notable works as Arms and the Man (1894) and Pygmalion (1914), which became My Fair Lady on Broadway. He won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1925 and an Oscar in 1938 for his screenplay of Pygmalion; he is the only person who has won both awards.

Bram Stoker

Best known for his 1897 writing Dracula, Bram Stoker wrote numerous other novels and short-story collections. He started out as a government clerk, but thereafter became a businessman, a well-received critic, and a manager of the Lyceum Theatre in London. Dracula inspired the German expressionist film Nosferatu.

C. S. Lewis

Born in Northern Ireland, C. S. Lewis is an esteemed twentieth-century author of such works as the volume The Chronicles of Narnia, which is his most famous. Religiously, Lewis dabbled in Celtic mysticism, but later became an advocate for Christianity — a theme seen in most of his works.

Brendan Behan

Known for his vociferous presence and drinking, Brendan Behan was a poet, novelist, playwright, and short-story writer. He was also a steadfast Irish Republican and a member of their army until his mid-twenties, an experience that lent itself to his work Confessions of an Irish Rebel (1965).

Roddy Doyle

Inspired by working-class Dublin, Roddy Doyle is one of Ireland's most celebrated modern authors. Working as a teacher, he released The Commitments (1989), which set the stage for his remarkable career. Following, in 1993, he won the Booker Prize for Paddy Clark Ha Ha Ha. His works have been made into successful films.

Brian Friel

Another modern Irish icon, Brian Friel is a short-story writer and playwright from Northern Ireland. His works focus largely on the “troubles” and post-colonial Ireland. Dancing at Lughnasa, for which he won the Olivier Award in 1991, and his most-famous work, Translations, are notable classics.

Frank McCourt

The author of the acclaimed Angela's Ashes, Frank McCourt was born in Brooklyn to Irish parents. During the Great Depression, the family returned to Ireland, and Frank details his life and times in destitute Limerick in his memoir. His succeeding book entitled 'Tis relates his return to the United States.