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02 Oct 2025
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This national award, part of the prestigious An Post Irish Book Awards, celebrates independent and chain bookshops that go above and beyond in serving their local communities.
Castle Book & Card Centre in Castlebar has been named among the twelve longlisted finalists for the An Post Bookshop of the Year award for 2025.
The ‘An Post Bookshop of the Year’ category is designed to acknowledge the significant role played by independent bookshops and local branches of bookshop chains in helping their local communities to find and savour the titles of their choice.
Larry Mac Hale, Chairperson of the An Post Irish Book Awards, says bookshops are the cornerstone of many communities across Ireland.
“This category was established to honour the central role they play - not only within the book trade, but in celebrating Ireland’s extensive literary heritage. More than just shops, they are cultural havens that spark creativity and foster a love of reading for people of all ages. We are proud to support this award and delighted to see such worthy bookshops on the longlist. Our warmest congratulations and best wishes to them all.”
The longlist was compiled following a nationwide public vote, where customers were asked to nominate their favourite bookshop and share what makes it special. The shops that received the most votes were then invited to submit a written entry to the judging panel.
The next step in the competition will see the longlist whittled down to a shortlist of six bookshops, set to be announced on October 22. The overall winner will be crowned at the An Post Irish Book Awards ceremony on November 27 and will receive a prize worth €15,000 from An Post Commerce.
Previous winners include Little Acorns Bookstore in Derry (2024), Halfway Up the Stairs in Greystones (2023), and Kennys Bookshop and Art Gallery in Galway (2021) – meaning Castle Book & Card Centre is in good company.
The judging panel includes key figures from the Irish book trade, including Maria Dickenson, Chair of the Irish Booksellers Association, and Jenni Doherty, owner of last year’s winning bookshop.
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