Their window displays are always irresistible.

And now the folks at Kerr’s Bookshop in the seaside town of Clonakilty are getting some recognition for their hard work, having secured a coveted spot on the An Post Bookshop of the Year longlist.

Twelve bookshops across the country have been longlisted for the gong at this year’s An Post Irish Book Awards, the annual literary event that celebrates and promotes Irish writing and authors to the widest range of readers possible.

Previous winners include Kennys Bookshop and Art Gallery, Galway in 2021, and Bridge Street Books, Wicklow in 2022.

The longlist of twelve bookshops around Ireland for 2023 are:

• Bridge Books Dromore, Co. Down
• Bridge Street Books, Wicklow
• Castle Book & Card Centre, Castlebar, Mayo
• The Clifden Bookshop, Connemara, Galway
• Halfway Up the Stairs, Greystones, Wicklow
• Kerr’s Bookshop Clonakilty, Co. Cork
• Liber, Sligo
• Little Acorns Bookstore, Derry
• Maynooth Bookshop, Kildare
• O’Mahony’s Booksellers, Limerick
• Tales for Tadpoles, Bray, Wicklow
• Tertulia, Westport, Mayo

“Booksellers have such an important role in connecting readers with books they love and it truly is wonderful to see them getting recognition,” said Dawn Behan, Chair of Bookselling Ireland.

“Bookshops foster a love of reading in communities, especially for those new to the word of literature, helping them find titles they will enjoy.”

Mystery shoppers will now visit the twelve bookshops as part of the judging process to establish the shortlist of six bookshops.

The shortlist will be officially announced on October 19th, with the overall winner presented with their trophy at the An Post Irish Book Awards event on November 22nd along with a prize worth €15,000 from An Post Commerce.