As part of their Read Mór initiative.

As part of Culture Night 2022, the Arts Council Ireland is gifting 4,500 books by Irish and Irish based authors to Irish rail and Bus Éireann services.

From 2pm today, a book conductor with a library trolley will be on-board the following train services: Heuston Station, Connolly Station, Kent Station Cork and Ceannt Station Galway and these bus stations, Busáras, Sligo and Waterford. The book conductor will gift each passenger a book as they board the train or bus.

All aboard for #ReadMór!

As part of @CultureNight, we're gifting 4,500 books by top Irish authors to passengers on @BusEireann @ExpresswayIRE and @IrishRail intercity services from 2pm today.

Read Mór: https://t.co/57B7LHMBi8#CultureNight #OícheChultúir pic.twitter.com/NajEkQgYjG

— The Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaíon (@artscouncil_ie) September 23, 2022

There will be 21 titles to choose from, so hopefully something for everyone aboard. According to their website:

“Passengers are encouraged to share the joy of reading when they have finished their book and regift it to another. There will be a wide variety of titles available to suit all interests and ages, from novels, short stories, poetry, memoirs, children’s and young adult books, in both English and Irish. Audiobook versions of a selection of the titles will also be available.”

If you’re curious as to what books are available, you can find the whole list HERE. It includes work from Colin Barrett, Wendy Erksine, Marian Keyes, Doireann Ní Ghríofa, Kevin Power, and many more. As a huge fan of the short story collection Young Skins by Colin Barrett, this would be my top recommendation.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Ci2AGwsgmVv/

We absolutely love this initiative. After all, there’s nothing more main character than reading a book mysteriously on a train. That they are all Irish authors only makes it better given the wealth of literary talent we have in this country.

Header image via Instagram/artscouncilireland

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