 Ireland has made a large contribution to world literature in all its branches , particularly in the English language . Poetry in Irish is among the oldest vernacular poetry in Europe , with the earliest examples dating from the 6th century . In English , Jonathan Swift , still often called the foremost <unk> in the English language , was very popular in his day for works such as <unk> 's <unk> and A Modest <unk> , and Oscar Wilde is known most for his often quoted witticisms . 
