Contemporary Irish Literature is a thorough initiation into the works of a broad selection of living Irish writers. Christina Hunt Mahony addresses the writings of a range of individuals, from such well-established artists as Seamus Heaney and Brian Friel, to those whose reputations demand to be extended beyond their Irish audience.

With a comprehensive introduction providing a continuum from the Celtic Twilight to the present day and with helpful literary and historical chronologies, Contemporary Irish Literature is organized by genre, with sections on poetry, drama, and fiction. The profusion of award-winning Irish poets, playwrights, and novelists is discussed in terms of the roles these writers play within the current Irish literary renaissance - occurring simultaneously with Ireland's most recent modernization and prosperity - and their own individual merits.

Particularly intriguing are Mahony's explorations of Northern Ireland's contribution to contemporary literature, the work of the newly canonical female writers, and the recent innovative work appearing on the Irish stage.