| Ireland has made enormous contributions to | | | | particularly children. |
| literature and drama in the past as well as present | | | | Possibly one of Ireland's most famous children's |
| day. Both by producing many notable authors and | | | | authors, however, was not born until much later. |
| dramatists, and by inspiring those from other | | | | CS Lewis, author of the beloved children's series |
| countries when they came to visit in Ireland. | | | | The Chronicles of Narnia, was born in Belfast near |
| Museums have been established and statues | | | | the end of the nineteenth century. Lewis loved |
| erected to honour many of these people, and to | | | | Belfast, and when as a child he was sent away to |
| properly honour Ireland's literary past requires a | | | | school in England, he hated being so far away |
| visit to at least one of them. | | | | from home. |
| As early as the 17th century Ireland has made | | | | England was ultimately rather unkind to another |
| significant contributions to literature. Her | | | | Irish writer too; Irish playwright Oscar Wilde was |
| dramatists and authors are well known for their | | | | enormously popular in his own time and remains |
| deft way with words and, often, the way in | | | | so to this day, but he ran afoul of English law and |
| which they so faithfully portray the land of their | | | | spent his declining years in prison. |
| birth in their literature, even to the point of | | | | This is of course the barest overview of the rich |
| deriding perceived social ills of the time. Jonathan | | | | literary talent that Ireland has given the world |
| Swift, author of the infamous "A Modest | | | | over the years. To get a much fuller appreciation |
| Proposal", was an early Irish writer whose work | | | | of the widest variety of Irish writers, visitors are |
| took a decidedly political slant. However, Swift had | | | | well advised to make a stop at the Dublin Writers |
| a more entertaining side, too; his book Gulliver's | | | | Museum, where tributes are made to many of |
| Travels was popular with readers of all ages, | | | | those writers born in Ireland. |