Mayo's Books at One celebrates 10th anniversary

BOOKS at One, Louisburgh, hosted a hugely successful festival weekend to mark its 10th anniversary. The bookshop was overwhelmed by the outpouring of community support, with large crowds turning out across all three days to celebrate a decade of literature and local culture.

“We were simply blown away by the turnout and the warmth shown to us,” said Lisa Murphy, manager of Books at One. “Seeing so many members of our community, young and old, filling the shop and enjoying the events was the best anniversary gift we could have ever wished for. It truly showed that Books at One is a beloved third space for everyone.”

All featured authors were presented with a special gift of a book as a token of appreciation for sharing their time and talent. Adding a spark of magic to the author talks, several audience members discovered golden tickets hidden beneath their chairs and took home a surprise book.

The festival’s success was bolstered by the incredible generosity of local businesses. Books at One extends a heartfelt thank you to Louisburgh Community Futures, Louisburgh Music School, The Beacherie Food Truck, Gala, and Louisburgh Area Men’s Shed for their invaluable support, which helped make the weekend a true community-wide celebration.

Event highlights included a fascinating opening interview with biographer Anne Chambers by former Taoiseach Enda Kenny, a riveting Crime Writer’s Panel with Una Mannion and Gill Perdue - as interviewed by poet Lorna Shaughnessy - and a packed house for the interview with author Paul Lynch by poet Geraldine Mitchell.

Families flocked to the Saturday children’s reading with Anne Printer and the traditional Súgán making demonstration by Seamus McNally, while the Pop-up Gaeltacht and live music from Shrallabawn kept spirits high.

The weekend drew to a wonderful close with a family fun day featuring music from Louisburgh Area Men’s Shed and guests.

“From the golden ticket surprises to the incredible support from our local businesses, the whole weekend felt like a giant celebration of everything we love about this community,” Lisa added. “Thank you to everyone who came out, to our amazing authors, and especially to all our employees, past and present. Here’s to the next 10 years.”

For more information about Books at One, Louisburgh, and future events, please visit booksatone.ie, call (098) 66885, or email booksatone@gmail.com.