Bookworms asked to join free talk in Limerick to mark national event

BOOK LOVERS are being urged to "get lost in a good book" as Ireland Reads Day comes to Limerick.

Limerick City Library will be hosting a free event entitled ‘What we make and what we love' on Saturday, February 22.

The Writepace writing group from Limerick will talk about the establishment of their group and how they support one another's writing. 

Additionally, they will each share two short readings - one from a book they've recently loved, plus an extract from their own creative work. 

The event will conclude with questions and answers from the audience and some advice on how to set up and run a writing group. 

It will feature several members of the group, including writers Sarah Moore Fitzgerald, Grainne O'Brien, Dan Mooney, Eoin Devereux, Sheila Killian, Noel Harrington, Pippa Slattery and Laura Keohan. 

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Booking is essential to join this talk, which takes place from 1pm to 2pm on Saturday, February 22.

Ireland Reads Day, led by Libraries Ireland, encourages people of all ages to pick up a book during the month of February and to embrace the joy and power of reading.

Award-winning author and Ireland Reads ambassador, Marian Keyes, feels strongly about the transformative power of reading, which she discovered as a child. 

“I was an anxious, lonely child, but when I read my first Enid Blyton book, The Twins at St Clare’s, my mind was blown,” she said. 

“Suddenly, I had a gateway to another world – to infinite worlds. 

“I was able to escape the discomfort of being me by immersing myself in the lives of others. Since then, reading has been my saviour. The ability to read is my superpower.”

Ireland Reads is a great way to rediscover Limerick libraries and all the services they have to offer, according to Stuart Hamilton, head of libraries development at the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA).

“Some may be pleasantly surprised to learn that library fees were abolished in January 2019 and all previous fines were removed,” he said. 

“This means that you can return to your library with a clean slate – even if you forgot to return that last book. Libraries have hundreds of books and reading resources across people’s interests to bring great pleasure to people in today’s busy world. 

“Librarians are on-hand to assist you in finding reading for your enjoyment and support you in developing a healthy habit that is reading. Also, people are always delighted to learn about Borrowbox - your library collection and services in one app. 

“It allows you can delve into ebooks and audiobooks - as well as a selection of e-magazines and e-newspapers, free of charge.”

There is also a wide variety of e-Education options available at your fingertips through the e-Library, including language courses.

Users can also access a range of services, including career advice, employment research support and tips on how to prepare for an interview or write a job application. 

For reading recommendations and to see a list of events taking place in libraries in Limerick click here.

Led by Libraries Ireland, the campaign is an initiative of the Government of Ireland and is part of the Healthy Ireland programme.