Some of Ireland’s top authors today reflect on the power of reading – and the books that inspired them.
Marian Keyes, Sarah Webb and broadcaster Oliver Callan are among the ambassadors supporting Ireland Reads, the national campaign encouraging people to ‘get lost in a good book’ this month.
Led by Libraries Ireland and culminating in a nationwide celebration of reading on February 28th, it encourages the public to explore recommendations from libraries nationwide, where special events will also take place to mark Ireland Reads 2026. Learn more at irelandreads.ie.
Sarah WebbAuthor
Author Sarah Webb
What are you reading at the moment?
I’ve just finished Murder at the Ivy Hotel by Emily Hourican, a great cosy murder mystery for age 10+, and set in a fancy Dublin hotel.
Your favourite book in the past year?
I keep a list of all the books I read every year so that one is easy to answer. For younger readers: My Name is Jodie Jones by Emma Shevah, a remarkable novel for teens (age 14+) with a really strong and compelling main character. Unlike anything I’ve read before, it blew me away. For adults: The Wedding People by Alison Espach – that rare thing, a book that is easy to read, beautifully written and thought-provoking. I’d highly recommend it, 10out of 10.
A book that inspired you in life
Babies Need Books by Dorothy Butler is a book that made a huge difference to me as a young parent and a young bookseller. It talks about the importance of books in babies’ and toddlers’ lives and gives all kinds of helpful advice and book lists. It paved the way for my life as a children’s bookseller and children’s book champion.
What book would you recommend to someone out of the habit of reading?
For a young reader, I’d suggest a comic book or graphic novel. There are so many brilliant ones out there, including ones from Irish authors like the Pablo and Splash series by Sheena Dempsey and the Evil Duck series by Chris Judge. For an adult reader I’d suggest trying an audio book when you are walking. You can use the brilliant BorrowBox service from Libraries Ireland to listen to them. It’s free too – ask about it at your local library.
A book you couldn’t put down
Any Way You Slice It by Méabh McDonnell is such fun. It’s an “enemies to lovers” novel for teens (age 14+) set around the world of a baking competition. I loved it!
A book that you’d recommend to lift people
Don’t Trust Fish by Neil Sharpson and Dan Santat is a brilliant picture book that will make you laugh and give you a lift. It’s hilarious!
A book that changed how you see the world
Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman made me realise that I’d never do everything I wanted to do in life, but that’s okay. I just need to do what I can, stay focused on what I most want to do (like write the best books I can and help children discover great books and become readers), and learn to say no to things, so that I have time to spend on the most important things. It’s a book I often recommend to busy people, but they sometimes don’t have time to read it!
The author, living or dead, you’d love to have coffee with and why?
I’d most like to have coffee with Martina Devlin, Marita Conlon-McKenna and Judi Curtin, three writer friends that I don’t see often enough! However, I don’t actually drink coffee, so it would be hot chocolate for me.
What it is you love about libraries and your favourite library?
The world moves pretty fast and when I step into a library I feel instantly calmer. I love everything about libraries, the walls of books, the helpful librarians, the peace. My local library, the Lexicon in Dún Laoghaire, is very special to me and I couldn’t research my books without their help.
Liz NugentAuthor
Author Liz Nugent
What are you reading at the moment?
Tell Me Something True by Michael Robotham.
Your favourite book in the past year?
Nesting by Roisin O’Donnell.
A book that inspired you in life
The Book of Evidence by John Banville.
What book would you recommend to someone out of the habit of reading?
Rachel’s Holiday by Marian Keyes.
A book you couldn’t put down
The Butcher Boy by Pat McCabe.
A book that you’d recommend to lift people
Leonard and Hungry Paul by Rónán Hession.
A book that changed how you see the world
A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry.
The author, living or dead, you’d love to have coffee with and why?
Emily Brontë. I want to know where she thought Heathcliff really came from. (My theory is that he was an Irish-speaking Traveller). I also want to know if she considered it a love story and if she could rewrite the second half, what would she write? (I would be very polite about how I asked these questions).
What it is you love about libraries and your favourite library?
That’s like asking me to pick my favourite child! Libraries are portals to other worlds to which I often escaped. I have a soft spot for Tramore Library, though. That was the first library to invite me to do an event.
Marian KeyesAuthor
Author Marian Keyes. Photograph: Dean Chalkley
What are you reading at the moment?
The proof of the new novel by Gill Perdue, All of Them Lied. It’s her fourth novel, her first stand-alone and she’s a great writer, lovely knack for a sentence, lots of emotional intelligence and great plots. I hope she’s a huge success.
Your favourite book in the past year
Love Forms by Claire Adam, Trinidadian writer.
A book that inspired you in life
The same novel, and it deserves to be winning prizes, left, right and centre.
What book would you recommend to someone out of the habit of reading?
Oh My God, What A Complete Aisling by Emer McLysaght and Sarah Breen. The absolute charm of this book (the whole series, in fact) would make ardent readers out of the most reluctant.
A book you couldn’t put down
Anything by Jane Harper (Australian crime writer).
A book that you’d recommend to lift people
Welcome to Glorious Tuga by Francesca Segal. It’s gorgeous.
A book that changed how you see the world
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver.
The author, living or dead, you’d love to have coffee with and why?
Can I say three? Liane Moriarty, her sister Jaclyn and their youngest sister Nicola. They’re all novelists, they’re all enormously talented in different ways, they’re so interesting but fun and very grounded.
What it is you love about libraries and your favourite library?
Reading has been a lifesaver for me, it has always given, and continues to give me, huge comfort and pleasure. I’m lucky enough to be able to buy the books I want to read. The thought of having nothing to read terrifies me. Libraries bring about a lot of happiness.
Oliver CallanComedy writer and broadcaster
Broadcaster Oliver Callan. Photograph: Bryan Meade
What are you reading at the moment?
Imperium by Robert Harris.
Your favourite book in the past year
Let Me Go Mad in My Own Way by Elaine Feeney.
A book that inspired you in life
The Count of Monte Cristo.
What book would you recommend to someone who is out of the habit of reading?
The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne is always a great return-to-reading page-turner, or anything by Liz Nugent.
A book you couldn’t put down
The Compound by Aisling Rawle.
A book that you’d recommend to lift people
Nicholas Nickleby by Dickens.
A book that changed how you see the world
Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari.
The author, living or dead, you’d love to have coffee with and why?
Patrick Kavanagh, to tell him to quit drinking so he could live into his 70s and give us the third wave of Kavanagh poetry lost to his death.
What it is you love about libraries and your favourite library?
The modernising of libraries is very heartening and having been to Ennis’s brand new library, I find it the most impressive. Despite the poor choice of naming it after Dev, an avid book censor!
Molly Nic CéileAuthor and founder of Gaeilge i mo ChroíWhat are you reading at the moment?
Tromluí by Áine Ní Ghlinn.
Your favourite book in the past year
Snowflake by Louise Nealon.
A book that inspired you in life
Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom by John O’Donohue.
What book would you recommend to someone who is out of the habit of reading?
A Sally Rooney book.
A book you couldn’t put down
Madame Lazare by Tadhg Mac Dhonnagáin.
A book that you’d recommend to lift people
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig.
A book that changed how you see the world
Thirty-Two Words for Field: Lost Words of the Irish Landscape by Manchán Magan.
The author, living or dead, you’d love to have coffee with and why?
Manchán Magan. I was devastated by his loss in October 2025, as were many. Since becoming a part of the Irish language community, Manchán has always been an inspiration to me and I had even hoped that our paths would cross someday. I would love to learn more about his personal journey with spirituality. I have learned a lot from his knowledge of Irish in his books, shows etc and I am very grateful for all the wonderful work he did while he was here but I would love to hear more about his own experiences and outlooks.
What it is you love about libraries and your favourite library?
The silence that is reserved to fully engross ourselves in books, in other worlds. Letterkenny.
Dave RuddenAuthor
Author Dave Rudden
What are you reading at the moment?
CivilWarLand in Bad Decline – George Saunders.
Your favourite book in the past year
The Secret History – Donna Tartt.
A book that inspired you in life
Going Postal – Terry Pratchett.
What book would you recommend to someone who is out of the habit of reading?
The Stinging Fly literary journal.
A book you couldn’t put down
Our Game – John le Carré.
A book that you’d recommend to lift people
You’re Grand: The Irishwoman’s Secret Guide to Life – Tara Flynn.
A book that changed how you see the world
Catfish Rolling – Clara Kumagai.
The author, living or dead, you’d love to have coffee with and why?
Terry Pratchett – his books are foundational to how I see the world, and I’d just like to say thank you.
What it is you love about libraries and your favourite library?
My favourite library is the school library in Loreto on the Green (the school I do a residency at) because it is always thronged – immense work has been done by the staff to meet kids where they are, to keep a lively, modern, challenging collection, and to give the students their own voices by organising events and talks where they take centre stage. It exemplifies what I love about libraries; they are a community linchpin, a place where you go to connect to stories, to yourself, to potential, all guided by smart and empathic caretakers who are carrying forward a grand tradition of making knowledge and imagination accessible to all.
Dr Richard HoganPsychotherapist
Dr Richard Hogan
What are you reading at the moment?
Milkman by Anna Burns.
Your favourite book in the past year
Milkman.
A book that inspired you in life
The Catcher in the Rye (JD Salinger).
What book would you recommend to someone who is out of the habit of reading?
The Old Man and the Sea (Ernest Hemingway).
A book you couldn’t put down
Of Mice and Men (John Steinbeck).
A book that changed how you see the world
The Catcher in the Rye.
The author, living or dead, you’d love to have coffee with and why?
Earnest Hemingway – he just seems a very interesting person.
What it is you love about libraries and your favourite library?
A space free from the crowds and technology.
Conor O’DonnellActor
Actor Conor O’Donnell
What are you reading at the moment?
Joe The Great by Paul O’Flynn. This book is about a famous hurler from Galway, Joe Canning.
Your favourite book in the past year
Holes by Louis Sachar. This book is about a young boy sent to prison for stealing Michael Jordan shoes. It is an exciting story which has some mystery in it as they try to uncover secrets about the prison warden and the prison camp.
A book that inspired you in life
Joe The Great because it has encouraged me to watch and follow my own county (Kildare) and other GAA teams, such as Louth. What I really liked was it has inspired me to play sport like floorball, rugby and many others. The book emphasises the importance of team sports.
What book would you recommend to someone who is out of the habit of reading?
The Diary of a Wimpy Kid series because it has funny elements to the story and it is an easy read. The book makes you laugh out loud and I think this would be a nice way to get back into the habit of reading, rather than reading something very serious.
A book you couldn’t put down
Gordon’s Game: Lions Roar by Gordon D’Arcy and Paul Howard: this book is about rugby and Gordon’s opportunity to play with the British and Irish Lions in South Africa. There were some challenges and obstacles that got in the way of this so it created a lot of anticipation as I was reading it.
A book that you’d recommend to lift people
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone as it can distract you in a good way and you can enter the fictional world.
A book that changed how you see the world
Dr Seuss, Oh, the Places You’ll Go! because it brings me back to memories of when I was a child. It makes me happy and excited, thinking of when my parents read me the book. This book shows that life has its ups and downs and encourages me to keep going.
The author, living or dead, you’d love to have coffee with and why?
Paul O’Flynn and Joe Canning because I am really interested in the GAA and the hurling and I am sure this would be an interesting story to tell.
What it is you love about libraries and your favourite library?
Newbridge Library. I love to relax and read books there. It’s a calm environment.