Throughout February and especially on Ireland Reads Day, February 24th, we’re calling on people across Ireland to 'Get Lost in a Good Book'. It doesn’t matter what you read, where you read or how well you read, as long as you read.

Because taking time to relax and do things you enjoy is important and reading is good for you. It relaxes your body by lowering your heart rate and easing the tension in your muscles. Studies have even shown that reading boosts your mental health by reducing stress by up to 68%.​

Ireland Reads is an initiative of the Government of Ireland to celebrate the joy of reading. It is funded by Healthy Ireland and supported by public libraries and many organisations that promote reading, literacy and the arts.

All you have do is sit down for a read, for as long or as short a time as you can, and lose yourself in an adventure, a thriller, a romance, a comedy or all of the above. So go on, get lost.

Take part in an Ireland Reads event

We have a great programme of events organised to celebrate Ireland Reads Day in our libraries. On Saturday, 24th February we will host special storytime and craft sessions in Athboy, Kells, Navan and Trim libraries. We will also host a number of special events for schools, with readings by Patricia Forde, Ireland's Laureate Na nÓg, and 'Monster Reads' with author and illustrator Tatyana Feeney. 

For adults, be sure to drop into your local library from Tuesday, 6th February and tells us about your favourite read to enter our competition and be in with a chance to win a €50 book token.  

Looking for a book recommendations?

The Ireland Reads website offers book recommendations suited to a person’s interests and the time they have available. There are more than 2400 recommendations from librarians all around the country, including Meath.

And we'll have lots of recommended reads on display in our branches in the run up to February 24th. And if that's not enough we also have some resources on our own website that will help you find something to read as well. Check out our Book News section for more reviews and recommendations, news of Book Awards, newly published titles to watch out for and more. And keep on eye on our Social Media pages for more reading recommendations and news of the Ireland Reads campaign.