Ordinary Saints
Ireland

Ordinary Saints

by Niamh Ni Mhaoileoin

Women & Society Literary Fiction 2025

Summary

Jay has built a new life in London with her girlfriend, keeping her complicated past at a safe distance. But when she learns that her beloved older brother, who died in an accident, may be declared a Catholic saint, she is forced to confront the family and faith she left behind. Both tender and sharply funny, this novel explores queer identity, grief, and the complicated legacy of the Catholic Church in Ireland, asking who gets to decide how a life is remembered.

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Country
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About the author
Niamh Ni Mhaoileoin
Niamh Ni Mhaoileoin

Niamh Ní Mhaoileoin is an Irish writer based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Raised in a devout Catholic household in Ireland, she draws on her experiences of faith and Irish culture to explore family relationships, identity, grief, and the influence of religious institutions. Her writing has appeared in publications including The New Statesman, The Irish Times, The Millions, and Gutter. In 2022, she won the inaugural PFD Queer Fiction Prize and was shortlisted for the Women’s Prize Discoveries award. Her debut novel, Ordinary Saints (2025), follows a queer Irish woman whose life is unsettled when her late brother becomes a candidate for Catholic sainthood. The novel combines emotional depth with humour while examining the tensions between personal identity, family loyalty, and religious tradition. It was shortlisted for the 2025 Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize.

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Details
Published
2025
Author
Niamh Ni Mhaoileoin