Immediate release

   Issued by Publishing Ireland 

GREAT IRISH BOOK WEEK AIMS TO GET THE NATION READING AGAIN

A national campaign was launched today to help revive the local book industry by rekindling the nation’s passion for books. The Great Irish Book Week (24-31 October) will see Irish book publishers collaborate with booksellers across the island of Ireland, to help attract more people to bookshops and encourage readers to support local authors and publishers.

An independent panel of booksellers has selected 30 new fiction, poetry, Irish language and non-fiction books to showcase the best new Irish books. The list includes books by Joseph O’ Connor, Alice Taylor, Eddie Hobbs and many others.

Between 24 and 31 October anyone buying a book displaying the special Great Irish Book Week sticker will receive a free 210-page paperback book, which contains extracts from the 30 recommended reads. Authors will also be participating in events in Dublin, Cork, Galway and Belfast.

“Literature is Ireland’s greatest export and as a nation we have always been fascinated by books. However, in recent years there has been a decline in the number of book published in Ireland. This is a sad state of affairs for a nation that prides itself on its literary heritage,” said Alan Hayes, President of Publishing Ireland, the national association of book publishers.   

The campaign will focus primarily on promoting Irish published books. Mr Hayes said that at present Irish published books account for only 15% of sales: “These are challenging times for Irish publishers, overall booksales are down, but more significantly, we have to compete against large multi-national publishers who flood the market with cheap imported books.”

Mr Hayes added that local publishers play a vital role in fostering emerging talent. “Before many of our finest writers, such as Joseph O’ Connor and Eoin Colfer, went on to international fame they were given their first break by Irish publishers. Without a vital national book sector emerging authors may never see their work published, and we will be the poorer for it as a nation,” he said.

The campaign is being led by Publishing Ireland with support from over 200 booksellers from across the country.

For a full list of the GIBW titles visit: www.greatirishbookweek.com.

NOTE TO EDITORS:

Alan Hayes, President of Publishing Ireland (formerly CLÉ), is available for interview. Please contact Gert Ackermann: M: 086 176 9287 E: gert.ackermann@gmail.com.

Accompanying photographs will be released to photo-desks on Thursday, 1 October

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