Isn’t it lovely to bring together two complimentary reading events?

Céad Míle Fáilte, Chairde – Welcome, friends!

I do hope I’ve got that right! As I want to give you all a warm welcome to today’s post which has a strong Irish flavour to it.

World Book Day in Ireland is being celebrated on Thursday 5th March 2020. Over more than two decades World Book Day has become established as one of Ireland’s biggest annual events promoting the enjoyment of books and reading. It’s aim is to encourage children to explore the pleasure of books and reading by providing them with an opportunity to have a book of their own.

Find out about the 12 World Book Day €1.50 books for 2020 here. Along with those titles there is an additional book available in Ireland only, Where Are You Puffling? written by Erika McGann and illustrated by Gerry Daly, published by The O’Brien Press.

Northern Ireland – National Trust celebrates WBD

World Book Day (5 March 2020) is being celebrated on the weekend 7-8 March 2020 by 50 National Trust places across Northern Ireland, England and Wales it will be running events for bookworms of all shapes and sizes. You’ll be able to exchange your £1 book token for an exciting new read. These NT bookshops are stocking eight of this year’s WBD titles. Simply hand over the token, given to all children at participating schools or nurseries, and pick one of the World Book Day Books.

• Castle Ward, Downpatrick
• Mount Stewart, Newtownards

With four Nobel Prize winners and six Booker Prize winners Ireland has a wealth of excellent reading. So why not join Reading Ireland Month, affectionately know as The Begorrathon, 2020?

It takes place 2-29 March and is hosted by Cathy at 746Books. It celebrates all things Irish through book and film reviews, poems, music, interviews, giveaways and more. Just checkout Cathy’s blog and like her Facebook page here . “I’ll be hosting a giveaway each week and rounding up the posts of everyone taking part.” Says Cathy.

Cathy writes: “This year, once again, I am theming my posts – you can join in with this schedule if you like, but if you don’t, don’t worry!”

The Themes

2–8 March: Contemporary Irish Novels|9–15 March: Classic Irish Novels|16th–22nd March: Irish Short Story Collections|23-29 March: Irish Non-Fiction

Women’s Prize for Fiction 2020

Great to see Irish writers Anne Enright, Edna O’Brien and Maggie O’Farrell included in this year’s long list.