When the possibility of Ireland building submarines for defence was discussed by Michael Collins and the British Prime Minister, David Lloyd George during the negotiation of the Anglo-Irish Treaty (the 1921 treaty that laid the foundations for Ireland's independence). A thread . . . .1/

As a dandelion turns from seed to flower to fluffy puffball, she wonders what life is all about. A tender tale of growth and change that’s perfect for bedtime reading coming this February. @roisinhahessy.bsky.social

Award-winning ‘Run Home, Little Fox’ is back in stock 🦊 Run to the bookstore and grab a copy of this touching tale! @erikamcgann.bsky.social @shannonbergin.bsky.social

A dandelion seed fell on the soft grass. ‘Tell me,’ said she, ‘just what can I be?’ As a dandelion turns from seed to flower to fluffy puffball, she wonders what life is all about. A tender tale of growth and change. Out this February 🌼

irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/artsandculture/arid-41760578.html Christmas murder-mystery has suspense, snow, festive glow and wholesome advocacy of cheese on toast. @nosycrow.bsky.social @fleurhitchcock.bsky.social @alexcotter.bsky.social @theobrienpress.bsky.social @erikamcgann.bsky.social

Every family has a history buff, and we’ve got you covered when it comes to picking out their perfect present! Available in all bookshops!

🎁 Little daily thread of some gift ideas from me aul shop/siopa from now until d'Christmas. This hard-working canine companion warms themself by a familiar range in this watercolour and pencil illustration of a well-loved, cosy, rural Irish kitchen. Prints: www.ciaraioch.com/artprints/p/...

📌 ciaraioch.com is now taking Christmas orders for prints, cards, and vouchers - each archival-quality print on heavy art paper is made in Ireland, ships internationally in eco-friendly packaging with discount tracked postage, and comes with a FREE card and treats for every customer 🎁 #SpéirGorm

Described in The Irish Times as ‘one of our foremost writers for young people’, Sheena Wilkinson has published 11 acclaimed novels for children, teens and adults. Join Sheena for a 6-week course developing your historical writing for children and YA📖 Booking: irishwriterscentre.ie/courses/yest...

Enemies-to-lovers has never tasted so sweet! @meabhmcdonnell.bsky.social’s debut YA has charmed reviewers all over Ireland and is set to delight many more! Grab your copy and get reading, you’ll find that one slice just won’t do 🍰

The National Mentoring Programme, run by the @irishwriterscentre.bsky.social, is open for applications until the end of December. An excellent chance to be mentored by a professional writer, and I'm not just saying that 'cos I'm one of the mentors. irishwriterscentre.ie/national-men... #SpéirGhorm

In my latest piece for @thebookseller.com, I talk about my experience working as a Champion of Reading in a secondary school in Dublin with reluctant readers. Rather than concentrating on text, I made my focus the point where language triggers the imagination. www.thebookseller.com/comment/copy...

Puffling and the Stormy Sea in the Toy Show Leabharlann 😀 Well done the book reviewers! @erikamcgann.bsky.social @theobrienpress.bsky.social #picturebook

An illustrated children's/YA novel set in the Irish town where the first fires of Samhain were lit. An ancient faerie shape-shifter awakes in the modern world. As humans wander the streets wearing monster masks, there is a monster among them wearing a human mask.

Just a remind that I'm running a six-week illustration course after Christmas – and the Irish Writers Centre in Dublin does gift vouchers! @irishwriterscentre.bsky.social #SpéirGhorm #SpeirGorm irishwriterscentre.ie/courses/book...

The WINNER of the 2025 @specsaversie.bsky.social Children’s Book of the Year - Junior is... Run Home, Little Fox, Tom McCaughren & @erikamcgann.bsky.social, Illustrated by @shannonbergin.bsky.social (@theobrienpress.bsky.social) #APIBA #StoriesMakeUs

‘Run Home, Little Fox’ has charmed Irish readers! With heartwarming illustrations by @shannonbergin.bsky.social, Tom McCaughren and @erikamcgann.bsky.social’s stunning story is one to read over and over again. Available in all bookshops!

Our #BlackFriday sale is now on! 🖤 📚 Enjoy 25% off children's and YA books with the code 'BF25' - only at littleisland.ie until 2 Dec 2025. #books #BlackFriday2025 #BlackFridayDeals #childrensbooks #kidsbooks #YAbooks #booksale #bookstagram #booktok

Surrounded on all sides by water, Ireland and its people have long been shaped by the sea. Read the stirring adventures of Ireland’s seafaring adventurers, available in all bookstores!

I've a new 6-week Book Illustration course starting on the 14th of January, from 6.30pm - 8.30 pm at the @irishwriterscentre.bsky.social in Dublin. Want to learn the basics of communicating stories with pictures? Check out the course description. #SpeirGorm irishwriterscentre.ie/courses/book...

I will be posting about this non stop in the days to come but v excited to say this auction is LIVE! Funds will go to Emergency Response Rooms in Sudan. Perfect xmas presents and treats for you! app.galabid.com/creatives4su... #keepeyesonsudan

Something for all the children’s books fans out there, but especially in Ireland! #SpeirGorm

Happy #BookWeekScotland! We’re super excited that every P2 child in Scotland is receiving a copy of The Ballad of Cactus Joe. That’s a lot of books in the hands of young readers! I hope everyone enjoys the story. Thank you @scottishbooktrust.bsky.social @oxfordchildrens.bsky.social #readwritecount 💙

Join us for our annual Books of the Year Online event on Monday 24th November. Check out the fab line up of authors we’ll be talking to below! And we will be giving out a 10% discount code on the night! Book your free ticket here: halfwayupthestairs.ie/product/2411... @sarahwebbwriter.bsky.social

The story of Niamh and Oisín in Tír na nÓg, the land of eternal youth, is one of Ireland’s best-loved legends. A tale of love and heartbreak, it's beautifully retold by @erikamcgann.bsky.social and lavishly illustrated for young readers by Conor Busuttil.

Fab to spot Puffling’s new book in Dublin’s Winding Stairs window with the gorgeous new book from Lauren O’Hara and Oscar Wilde 😊 @erikamcgann.bsky.social @theobrienpress.bsky.social #illustration #picturebooks

@eilishfisher.bsky.social just popped in to sign copies of Fia and the Last Deer (now out in a beautiful paperback edition!) and also the The Waters and the Wild! Available in store and online at www.halfwayupthestairs.ie

Lovely to visit J. Joyce & Co. shop in Cork today and sign / doodle lots of new Puffling books! 😊 @erikamcgann.bsky.social @theobrienpress.bsky.social

The shortlists are out! We are celebrating another brilliant year for Irish literature, with some incredible books, authors, illustrators, bookshops & publishers on our 2025 shortlists. But have you had your say? Pick your favourite books in each category NOW! scxo9qtv33a.typeform.com/apiba25-vote

There are still tickets left for our talk on Friday for @dublinbookfest.bsky.social in the @irishwriterscentre.bsky.social. We'll be offering publishing and business advice for children's writers and illustrators who are just starting out. dublinbookfestival.com/event/proper... #SpeirGorm #BookSky

Puffling’s new book by @erikamcgann.bsky.social and me spotted in the Eason window on Nassau Street Dublin. Already looking pretty Christmassy! @theobrienpress.bsky.social

A huge thanks to Antonia Daly of Antonia's Bookstore in Trim for including The First Fire of Halloween in her four recommended books on the Late Lunch on LMFM! A great spot to get. The book section starts at 14min 28 secs in. shows.acast.com/b693e735-811... #Samhain #PucaFestival #SpeirGorm

Perfect Halloween read 🎃👻🎃

“The nomination recognises Pierce’s contribution to Irish historical writing and storytelling, joining a competitive category” Thank you Drogheda Leader for celebrating Nicola Pierce’s shortlisting in the @irishbookawards.bsky.social You can vote here www.irishbookawards.ie/vote/

We are running our Lucky Dip right through midterm! So pop in this week to choose a surprise book for only €5, or order online here halfwayupthestairs.ie/product/Luck...

A brilliant night at the GPO for the 2025 An Post Irish Book Awards Shortlist launch! 💚📚 From powerful debuts to beloved favourites, we’re celebrating Irish writing at its best. Now it’s your turn to choose the winners! Vote here ➡️ scxo9qtv33a.typeform.com/apiba25-vote #APIBA #StoriesMakeUs

Londoners! Lauren O’Hara will be on a tour of London indie bookshops later this week! 📚 Grab a limited-edition signed copy of #OscarWildesStoriesforChildren from one of these bookshops while stocks last! #OscarWilde #kidsbooks #childrensbooks #books #Christmasgifts #signedbooks

So excited that Run Home Little Fox by Tom McCaughren, @shannonbergin.bsky.social and me has been shortlisted for the @irishbookawards.bsky.social Junior Children’s Book of the Year! 🌟🦊🌟 Published by @theobrienpress.bsky.social 😊 You can vote for this and many others at www.irishbookawards.ie

Return to Old Ireland! Tír Na n'Og by @erikamcgann.bsky.social & Conor Busuttil & The Stolen Child by W.B.Yeats, illustrated by Erin Brown; glorious gifts that evoke a timeless, magical past. Perfect! @theobrienpress.bsky.social #DiscoverIrishKidsBooks fallenstarstories.wordpress.com/2025/10/24/r...

Join us at our Festival Hub where Claire Gleeson and June O’Sullivan will be in conversation with Sophie Grenham about their beautifully written and deeply affecting debuts exploring resilience and hope in the most challenging of times 🎟️ bit.ly/4oFBS4C

The artist at work! Some photos of Lauren O’Hara painting The Happy Prince in the iconic window of Dublin’s @booksupstairs.bsky.social The illustration is from our new edition of Oscar Wilde’s Stories for Children, out now and available wherever good books are sold!

Voting is now open, make sure to show some love to your favourite books. www.irishbookawards.ie/vote/?fbclid...

A fabulous evening celebrating our outstanding authors and stories shortlisted in the @irishbookawards.bsky.social An immense congratulations to Paddy Donnelly, Tom McCaughren, Erika McGann, Shannon Bergin, Kevin Moran, Méabh McDonnell and Nicola Pierce.

Congratulations to everyone, but especially to my sister Erika, and her co-creators, Tom McCaughren and Shannon Bergin on their shortlisting for Run Home, Little Fox, and to Nicola Pierce for Great Irish Wives. Brilliant news!

Good morning! Check out Lauren O’Hara’s Happy Prince painting in @booksupstairs.bsky.social’s window! 😍 Launching this evening at 6.30pm, all welcome!

“This mostly rhyming picture book has bright, eye-catching illustrations that will appeal to younger children” m.independent.ie/life/family/... @erikamcgann.bsky.social @clivemcf.bsky.social

In spite of yesterday’s rain, the creators behind ‘Run Home, Little Fox’ braved Dublin’s chilly streets to sign copies of their wonderful new picture book. Signed copies will now definitely warm the hearts and spirits of many readers, grown or young 🦊 @erikamcgann.bsky.social

Thanks so much to Natasha Mac a’Bhaird for calling in to sign copies of her books, The Tower Ghost and her latest, The Vanished Girl, yesterday! We love this mystery series set in a boarding school in Donegal!

1/ We can’t wait to welcome our good friends @sineadohart.bsky.social & @unawoods.bsky.social this coming Sat at 3pm! They will read and draw front their brilliant new book, Ellora McGee, Trainee Banshee. You can order a copy to be signed here halfwayupthestairs.ie/product/9781...

Wonderful event this Saturday in Greystones at The Whale Theatre with @halfwayupbooks.bsky.social 🌟🌟🌟