For the love of books

Dublin is renowned for its literary tradition, dating back over a thousand years when monks would transcribe the bible into beautiful manuscripts. The best surviving example of which is the Book of Kells, dating from 800 AD and it is on show at Trinity College. Dublin was also the birthplace of James Joyce and Nobel Prize for Literature winners William Butler Yeats, George Bernard Shaw and Samuel Beckett. 

 In 2010, Dublin was named a UNESCO City of Literature – one of only three in the world, joining the UNESCO Creative Cities Network. Literary initiatives such as Bloomsday on the 16th June, storytelling groups, collective writing groups, libraries (the National Library, Marsh’s Library and local libraries), the Book of Kells, the Mountain to Sea Book Festival, the Dalkey Book Festival, the Dublin Writers Museum, the Irish Writers Centre, the James Joyce Centre, European Literature Night, Dublin: One City, One Book and the Dublin Writers Festival encourage everyone, young and not so young, to get interested in literature and books.  I will post some more detailed info on these over the next few weeks.


Over the next few months there are a load of Book Festivals that have a family friendly programme of events that should delight your book worms or encourage prospective ones to pick up a book or two. .

The Festival of Stories at Imaginosity is back for the third year, with even more enchanting storytelling, story sharing and story creating than ever before! With a jam-packed schedule of events they are offering lots of mid-term fun from 26th October to 3rd November for the whole family.

The Children’s Books Ireland Festival runs for the month of October every year. This year the 2013 Festival offers a programme of Irish and international authors and illustrators, designed to spark the imagination of young readers from toddlers to teens! Activities will be running in libraries, schools and arts centres throughout the month. With everything from readings by popular authors, to writing and illustration workshops, plus storytelling, quizzes and competitions – there are countless opportunities to explore a wide array of books.

The Red Line Book Festival is an annual literary event organised by South Dublin Libraries. This year it takes place from the 15th-20th October. It has a children’s programme which includes events for the public and for school kids. Public performances include “The Human Child” on Sunday 20th October in the Civic Theatre, Tallaght. It is a play for children 8+ and their families. There is also “Tall Tales with Patrick Ryan” in Lucan Library at 3.15pm on Tuesday 15th October.

Then there is the fantastic Dublin Books Festival which runs from 14-17th November. The Children’s Programme is loaded with readings, book binding workshops and treasure-hunts.