What is the best bookshop in Ireland?
The hunt is on to find the An Post Bookshop of the Year 2026, with book lovers across Ireland invited to vote for the bookshop that means the most to them.
The category is now back for the sixth year running at the An Post Irish Book Awards, the annual literary event that celebrates and promotes Irish writing to the widest range of readers possible.
The An Post Bookshop of the Year award celebrates the vital role that independent bookshops and local branches of bookshop chains play in their communities, from helping readers discover their next great read to creating welcoming spaces where a love of books and literature can thrive.
Previous winners include:
- Chapters Bookstore, Dublin 1 2025
- Little Acorns Bookstore, Derry 2024
- Halfway Up the Stairs in Greystones 2023
- Bridge Street Books, Wicklow 2022
- Kenny’s Bookshop and Art Gallery, Galway 2021
Bookshop customers across Ireland can now nominate their favourite bookshop by visiting Anpost.com/bookshopoftheyear. Readers can also vote by scanning the QR code displayed on posters in participating bookshops and following the instructions to cast their vote.
Everyone who votes will be entered into a draw to win 1 of 3 €100 One4all vouchers.
Voting for the An Post Bookshop of the Year will close at 11:59 pm on Wednesday, 9th September. The 12 bookshops around Ireland that receive the most online votes will then be longlisted and invited by the judges to enter a written submission. Mystery shoppers will also visit the 12 shops as part of the judging process.
Following this, a shortlist of six shops will be finalised for the An Post Bookshop of the Year, which will be officially announced in October. The overall winner will be presented with their trophy at the An Post Irish Book Awards ceremony on Tuesday, 1st December in the Convention Centre Dublin. The winner will receive a trophy along with a prize worth €5,000 from An Post Commerce.
Celebrating its 21st year, the An Post Irish Book Awards champion Irish writing and connect books and authors with the widest possible audience. The awards bring together a passionate community of readers, authors, booksellers, publishers and librarians to celebrate the very best of new and established Irish writing talent – and 2026 will be no different.
Categories in the An Post Irish Book Awards include Novel of the Year, Children’s (Junior and Senior), Crime Fiction, Popular Fiction, Non-Fiction, Sports, Short Story, Poetry, Teen and Young Adult and Irish Language. A television programme will be broadcast on RTÉ One television in December, culminating in one of the 2026 winning titles being announced as the An Post Irish Book of the Year 2026.
Sinéad McCorry, Chairperson of the An Post Irish Book Awards, says: “Bookshops are at the heart of communities across Ireland, offering far more than just books. They are places where readers can discover new authors and stories, connect with others and share a genuine love of literature. The An Post Bookshop of the Year award gives us an opportunity to recognise the important role that bookshops and booksellers play in enriching their local communities and supporting Ireland’s vibrant literary culture.
“Now in its sixth year, this award has become a wonderful celebration of the bookshops that bring readers together and help foster a lifelong love of books. We encourage book lovers across the country to get behind their favourite local bookshop and cast their vote for the An Post Bookshop of the Year 2026.”
