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Book-lovers put Crannóg tops in Ulster

by Sinead Hogan  Updated: Wednesday, 2nd November, 2011 5:30pm

The first ever Irish Bookshop Of The Year award will be handed over at a ceremony in Dublin on November 17 and Crannóg Bookshop is in the the running.

Crannóg was one of 10 bookshops shortlisted in the Bord Gáis Energy Irish Bookshop of the Year Award 2011 following a nationwide search and web poll. As part of the Bord Gáis Energy Irish Book Awards, now in its sixth year, this is a new prize category designed to recognise the role Irish booksellers play in connecting readers with authors and to reward those bookshops who play a vital role within their community.

Asked what it is that's special about a bookshop, Crannóg owner John McEvoy, said: "It's a nice quiet refuge for people where they can spend a leisurely time. I suppose it's a place where we help customers find the books they are looking for, and match readers with authors."

He believes a bookshop is an integral part of the community and "reflects the community it's in".

With technology moving on from mass priting, the role of the bookshop is changing, according to John. "It's challenging. Books are moving online and we've e-books," he said. "All we can keep doing is to try to do the best we can."

It's an approach that has won Crannóg the affections of Cavan book-lovers who voted them on to the shortlist.

"It's hard to know what people like so we try to do what we think is right and do our best every day," says John who says they're "not expecting to win, but it'd be lovely if we did". He was keen to thank customers and staff. "Without our customers we wouldn't be what we are," he said. "We are also very proud of the staff who work here; it's a nice reward for them as well."

Two bookshops each have been shortlisted from Ulster, unster, Leinster, Connacht and Greater Dublin), the other one in Ulster being Eason in Letterkenny. These ten shops will go through a rigorous judging process by a panel of experts from the Irish books and publishing industry. The winner will receive an honorary award as well as €5,000 worth of gas and electricity from Bord Gáis Energy.