In the search for a functional text in the target culture, translators of irony require theoretical basis on which to support decisions made during the translation process. That is why this qualitative, empirical-descriptive study was aimed at describing characteristics proper of the translation of irony in connection with flouting of Gricean conversational maxims, given their importance for research in communication of irony. With this in mind, we considered concepts included in Nord’s functionalist approach (1997), Hatim’s discourse analysis (1997), Barbe’s notion of irony (1995) and Brown and Levinson’s off record strategies (1987). Such proposals were considered in the design of our methodological strategy in order to collect and interpret data through text analysis, with a pragmatic approach. As a result, we found that the translation of irony, identified in the source text through its participants, was preserved in the target text in those cases in which the flouting of maxims was also kept. We conclude that the flouting of maxims is a valid resource to convey irony in the translation of a literary text.