The Bookseller Focuses on Ireland

The June edition of The Bookseller magazine has focused on Ireland thanks to the efforts of our tireless Partnerships Committee and Books Ireland. Among the highlights in the edition are pieces from Penguin Random House Ireland’s Michael McLoughlin on his optimism in recent positive sales figures in Ireland and the emerging success that is Gill Books in its new, ‘native’ incarnation having broken away on its own from Macmilln a few years ago.

The Irish publishing sector has evolved to the point where around 20{1242e6fa0da84f367e0f1ee6d30a8040af2734be4204b5a1a00eb52a7c2b34a2} of books bought in Ireland are published here. Every country needs to have its own cultural conversation, so this is extremely important, but that 20{1242e6fa0da84f367e0f1ee6d30a8040af2734be4204b5a1a00eb52a7c2b34a2} is hard won- Ivan O’Brien

The 64 – page feature includes an editorial from Philip Jones on the dominance of London over the Irish market and the challenges it faces as well as a great opinion piece from PI Vice President Ivan O’Brien on opening the O’Brien Press in the ‘heady days’ of 1974 where children’s books had more to do with ‘cucumber sandwiches’ and ‘white cliffs’ than anything an Irish child would recognise until the arrival of OBP’s children’s publishing in 1990.

Launch speech by Sarah Crossan for Needlework – Little Island

FutaFata Launch Bliain na nAmhrán by Brian Fitzgerald

Irish publishing is vibrant and continues to be the backbone of our bookshops’ success- Maria Dickenson

Ivan’s piece is joined by Dubray MD Maria Dickenson who delves into the impact of Brexit on Irish bookseller’s tills.‘ Irish consumers migrate’ when the pound is weak’ says Dickenson and the attraction of sterling retailers in Northern Ireland is ever-more tempting for consumers.

Irish Publishers Are Resilient

Natasha Onwuemezi finishes things off with an appropriately optimistic report for the week that’s in it (#IWB 2017) and Irish Indies’ cautious optimism. Newly-elected president of PI Ronan Colgan speaks in the article about the impact of last year’s success for Indie publishers on the back of the 2016 centenary celebrations. Maverick House publisher John Mooney added that since the recession hit in Ireland, its publishers have become ‘very resilient’ in the face of overwhelming challenges.

To sum up- the June edition is not one to be missed so do head out and buy your copy immediately if not sooner!