Short stories have always been a sort of instant access into an author's brain, their soul and heart. A few pages can lift our lives into locations, people and experiences with a sweep of landscape, narration, feelings and emotions that is difficult to achieve elsewhere.

In this series we try to offer up tried and trusted 'Top Tens' across many different themes and authors. But any anthology will immediately throw up the questions – Why that story? Why that author?

The theme itself will form the boundaries for our stories which range from well-known classics, newly told, to stories that modern times have overlooked but perfectly exemplify the theme. Throughout the volume our authors whether of instant recognition or new to you are all leviathans of literature.

Some you may disagree with but they will get you thinking; about our choices and about those you would have made. If this volume takes you on a path to discover more of these miniature masterpieces then we have all gained something.

The Emerald Isle is home to literary talent on a grand scale. And amongst their ranks are women of quite extraordinary ability who refuse to take second place to the men. Their voice is strong, their words beguiling, entrancing but often with a will of iron as they create works of character, of narrative and of quite sumptuous literature. Genius has many names.

1 - The Top 10 - The Irish Women - An Introduction

2 - A Rich Woman by Katharine Tynan

3 - An Irish Problem by Somerville and Ross

4 - Extradited by Isabella Valancy Crawford

5 - All Souls Eve by Dora Sigerson Shorter

6 - The Ghost at the Wrath by Rosa Mulholland

7 - An Outcast of the People by Bithia Mary Croker

8 - The Knitted Collar by Mary Anne Hoare

9 - The Last of Squire Ennismore by Charlotte Riddell

10 - The White Pigeon by Maria Edgeworth

11 - Cuchulain of Muirthemne. The Only Son of Aoife by Lady Augusta Gregory