Irish Book Week 2025: Call for Ambassadors!
IRISH BOOK WEEK DATES: 18–25 October 2025
ABOUT:
Launched in 2018, Irish Book Week is a nationwide celebration of Irish books, publishers, writers, illustrators, poets and bookshops. A collaboration between trade organisations Bookselling Ireland and Publishing Ireland, the week involves events taking place throughout the country in bookshops to celebrate Irish books and the central role bookshops play in Irish society and culture.
The week aims to encourage people into their local bookshop with events, readings, parties, displays and more. The campaign also aims to highlight the role bookshops play in the fabric of Irish life – fostering cultural creativity, community spirit and generating economic activity. Irish Book Week will be supported by a traditional media campaign, as well as social media activity.
REQUIREMENTS FROM AMBASSADORS:
We would like 3 – 4 Irish creatives to work with us as our campaign media spokespeople, and for them to commit to taking part in bookshop events during the campaign week. The ambassadors should be authors, poets or illustrators who would be available for media opportunities (including photo opps and national/regional print, broadcast or online interviews) in
advance of, and during the campaign.
The ambassadors should also be able to commit to at least one key event (or a number of events) during the week (18-25 Oct). These events need not have been created specifically for Irish Book Week, they do need to take place during the campaign and involve a partnership with a bookshop in either the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland (so if you have already organised a tour or launch event in, or with bookshops, those will work perfectly).
Ideally the ambassadors will all be based in Ireland and be happy to speak to media about the value of books and bookshops. We would like at least one of our ambassadors to be a fluent Irish speaker, and at least one of our ambassadors to be from, or based in Northern Ireland. We have found that it works best for all parties if the ambassadors have a new book published at some point in October, though this is not an essential requirement.
About Bookselling Ireland:
Bookselling Ireland is part of the Booksellers Association of the UK & Ireland and represents booksellers in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The Bookselling Ireland committee meets at least six times a year to discuss Irish trade issues; liaises with other trade bodies in Ireland, including publishing and writing organisations; runs networking events and bookshop campaigns for Irish members; and represents Irish bookselling to the wider trade in Ireland and in the UK.
Publishers should send their suggestions to Emma Bradshaw (emma.bradshaw@booksellers.org.uk) by the end of February.
Contacts:
Emma Bradshaw, Head of Campaigns, Booksellers Association of the UK and Ireland emma.bradshaw@booksellers.org.uk
Mary Crotty, Crotty Communications mary@crottycomms.ie
Maria Mooney, Crotty Communications maria@crottycomms.ie
