WEST Cork is renowned for its brilliant bookshops and a much-loved outlet in Bantry is in the hunt for the An Post Bookshop of the Year title.
Bantry Bookshop on William Street is one of 12 on the longlist for the title. The bookshop is owned by sisters Marney Smyth Fischer and Kate Smyth.
‘We are simply thrilled to be on the An Post Bookshop of the Year 2024 longlist,’ they said. ‘It is so exciting to know our readers are as passionate about books and reading as we are. What a great boost for Bantry and for West Cork. We thank the people who have already voted for us, and hope they will continue to support us.’
The reduced shortlist of six bookshops will be revealed on October 24th, with the overall winner announced at the An Post Irish Book Awards on November 27th.
The An Post Irish Book Awards is an annual literary event that celebrates and promotes Irish writing and authors. The Bookshop of the Year category is designed to acknowledge the role played by independent bookshops and local branches of bookshop chains in helping local communities to find and savour the titles of their choice.
Customers were asked to vote for their favourite bookshops and to explain the reason for their choice.
The bookshops that received the most votes were then longlisted and have been invited by the judges to enter a written submission.
Mystery shoppers will now visit the 12 bookshops as part of the judging process to establish the shortlist of six bookshops.
The overall winner of the An Post Bookshop of the Year will be presented with their trophy at the awards on November 27th, along with a prize worth €15,000 from An Post’s commerce division.
