Books at One marks 10th anniversary with successful festival weekend in Mayo
Large crowds, bestselling authors and community support celebrate a decade of literature in Louisburgh
Books at One Louisburgh has celebrated the success of its 10th anniversary festival weekend, with large crowds attending a packed programme of literary and community events from July 17 to 19.
The independent bookshop welcomed readers of all ages over the three-day celebration, with manager Lisa Murphy describing the turnout as the “best anniversary gift” the team could have hoped for.
“We were simply blown away by the turnout and the warmth shown to us,” she said. “Seeing so many members of our community, young and old, filling the shop and enjoying the events truly showed that Books at One is a beloved third space for everyone.”
Festival highlights included an interview with historian and biographer Anne Chambers by former Taoiseach Enda Kenny, a crime writers’ panel featuring Una Mannion and Gill Perdue, and an interview with award-winning novelist Paul Lynch.
Family events, including children’s readings, traditional súgán-making demonstrations, a Pop-up Gaeltacht and live music, also proved popular.
A special feature of the weekend saw several audience members discover golden tickets hidden beneath their chairs, winning surprise books, while all participating authors received a book as a thank-you gift.
Books at One acknowledged the support of local organisations and businesses, including Louisburgh Community Futures, Louisburgh Music School, The Beacherie Food Truck, Gala and Louisburgh Area Men’s Shed.
Lisa Murphy thanked customers, authors, volunteers and staff for their continued support and said the bookshop is already looking forward to the next decade of bringing literature and culture to the heart of the Louisburgh community.