Hello all,
I will be in Dublin and Galway (city) next week and I am hoping to find an Irish-language bookshop, or at least one with a significant stock of books in Irish, in either town. Last time I was in Dublin a man told me of one near Leinster House and one off Grafton Street somewhere but I couldn't find them. He was from Cork and perhaps he was mistaken or they are no longer in existence...
I'm grateful for any help or suggestions.

The Conradh na Gaeilge Bookshop 6, Harcourt Street in Dublin

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Conradh+na+Gaeilge,+ Harcourt+Street,+Dublin,+Irland&aq=0&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=38.775203,78.31 0547&ie=UTF8&hq=Conradh+na+Gaeilge,&hnear=Harcourt+St,+Dublin,+County+Dublin,+Re public+of+Ireland&ll=53.337068,-6.26314&spn=0.001787,0.00478&z=18&iwloc=D

Other Bookshops have a poor selection.

The Governement Bookshop in Molesworth Street used to sell books published by An Gúm, but no longer does.

Hodges Figgis on Dawson Street has the best selection of the ordinary Bookshops.

This bookshop is in Co. Dublin - but not in Dublin. Dún Laoghaire, about 10 miles away. This shop sells secondhand and antiquarian books and should be quite good. I have never been, but I have bought many books from them online - maybe if you do go you should phone first to make sure eg, they're not shut or whatever.

Naughton Booksellers
8 Marine Terrace, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin, Ireland.

Charlie Byrne's shop in Galway (http://www.charliebyrne.com/) usually has a good selection. I used to shop at Kenny's there, but I think they've gone from city centre, maybe internet-only now.

In Dublin, An Siopa Leabhar on Harcourt Street that Aonghus mentioned above has a good selection, though the prices are a bit dear. While in Dublin, check out the upper floor of Chapter's Books (http://www.chapters.ie) on Parnell St. -- there are some good deals to be had among the 2nd hand selections.

If you're willing to travel a bit south of Dublin, Carraig Books in Blackrock has some good deals, though not a huge selection. And Naughton's shop in Dún Laoghaire that CorkIrish mentioned is very good

quote:

This shop sells secondhand and antiquarian books and should be quite good. I have never been, but I have bought many books from them online - maybe if you do go you should phone first to make sure eg, they're not shut or whatever.

-- they have regular shop hours, check their site at http://www.naughtonsbooks.com for details. They were still in business when I visited a few months ago.

Just to let people know that I popped into Chapters the other day to pick up a book I had ordered and saw that there were very few Irish language books. The assistant told me that they rarely get secondhand Irish books as people tend to hang onto them.

Don't forget to check out Cathach Books which is just off Grafton Street. Downstairs they have a good few secondhand Irish books and you'll occasionally make a good find. They were doing a promotion, fifty per cent off the marked price when I went in last year. I got Mac Cionnaith's dictionary there for €40 which I was very happy with.

Kenny's is internet only now.

quote:

Just to let people know that I popped into Chapters the other day to pick up a book I had ordered and saw that there were very few Irish language books. The assistant told me that they rarely get secondhand Irish books as people tend to hang onto them.

Perhaps it depends on the day -- I bought about a half dozen books there one day last October, and there were still several dozen more on the shelf that I didn't buy.

Buying second hand books can be a lottery, and as Carmanach says owners of Irish books are hoarders.

They tend to get them in waves, usually when one of us dies and the family have no interest in the books!

Kennys was an online shop at first after they closed in the town centre. But it looks like they have a shop in Liosbán now - I haven't been there so I don't know what range they have in the shop now.

http://www.kennys.ie/help/contactus/


Easons in Shop Street, Galway, would have a certain amount of books in Irish too.

Ma tann tu i dTra Li ar uair eigin, bi cinnte an siopa leabhar 'Polymaths' a aimsiu. Fuaireas gach leabhar de mo chuid on shiopa san. Ta leabhair gaelainne ag 'Mahonys' freisin, ach is easpa an rogha de leabhar sa shiopa san.

This is good, go raibh maith agaibh. This Cathach Books looks very tempting indeed -- I shall have to watch my purse.

Unfortunately Hodges and Figgis have decreased their Irish selection dramatically. It used to be a separate section with two cases of books. Now however it is only a separate stand near the entrance. You'll still get some good stuff however.