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This is one of the best Irish books of all time and I regret not reading it sooner

Published 15:43 6 Mar 2026 GMT

Kat O'Connor

This is one of the best Irish books of all time and I regret not reading it sooner

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Close to Home is one of the best Irish books I've ever read

Every so often, you read a book that completely floors you, but in the best way possible. My friends had been recommending Close to Home by Michael Magee for some time, but I didn't get around to reading it until last month.

I knew it was going to be an incredible read, but what I wasn't expecting was how much I'd carry the story with me long after I finished reading the book.

Close to Home has to be one of the most impactful Irish stories I've read in quite some time. It's a book I'm in awe of, one I'm grateful for, and one I regret not reading sooner.

I think Ireland is home to some of the most incredibly talented writers, but many of our books fail to include the working class. Being from a working-class area is something I'm now incredibly proud of, but it was never mentioned in the books I grew up reading. It wasn't in the formative novels I read in my twenties, where every character went to Trinity and had their rent covered by their wealthy parents.

Reading about Sean's life in Close to Home felt like breathing fresh air into your lungs after being cooped up inside all day. Michael Magee writes with the most beautifully refreshing honesty and vulnerability, making you understand Sean on a deep, personal level after a few short chapters.

I felt completely engrossed in his world in Belfast, and felt like I was walking alongside him on his way to work in the club, or when he was sitting talking to Máiread in his flat.

Working class stories, Irish stories, vulnerable and every day stories are so vital, especially here in Ireland. Not only can they make readers feel understood and seen, but they're also so much more impactful than we give them credit for.

What is Close to Home about?

Sean is back. Back in Belfast and back into old habits. Back on the mad all-nighters, the borrowed tenners and missing rent, the casual jobs that always fall through. Back in these scarred streets, where the promised prosperity of peacetime has never arrived. Back among his brothers, his ma, and all the things they never talk about. Until one night Sean finds himself at a party - dog-tired, surrounded by jeering strangers, his back against the wall - and he makes a big mistake.

Trust me when I say this is one of the most important Irish books I've read in the last decade. And one you won't regret picking up.

Channel 4 is producing a TV series based on Close to Home by Michael Magee. The beloved Michael Magee novel is set to hit the small screen with Anthony Boyle leading the cast.

The House of Guinness star will play Sean. Jessica Reynolds will play Mairéad, Seamus O’Hara will star as Anthony, and Trespasses actor Oisín Thompson has been cast as Ryan.

You can buy Close to Home here.