Stories beyond the shelves

Five independent bookstores in Cork have received grants of up to €5,000 each to turn creative community ideas into reality.

The funding comes from the Books At One Community Fund 2025, a national initiative that helps bookstores reimagine their role as local hubs for connection, creativity, and culture.

The Cork winners are:

· Antiquity @ The Time Travellers, Skibbereen

· Fermoy Books, Fermoy

· Leaf and Bower, Ballincollig

· Midleton Books, Midleton

· Philip’s Bookshop, Mallow

The support means these shops can now run new projects—like local storytelling events, creative workshops, or youth programmes—that bring people together and highlight the role of books in community life.

It gives Cork bookshops the freedom and resources to try new ideas, open their doors wider, and offer welcoming spaces for everyone.

The winning ideas will be brought to life in the months ahead, with events and activities designed to encourage people to connect through books and storytelling.

“We believe the power of a bookshop goes far beyond bookshelves,” said Eoghan Stack, Chairperson of The One Foundation. “This fund was developed to support independent bookstore owners in creating new and interesting ways their store could be used for community engagement, creating more welcoming spaces that reflect the voices in their local towns.”

The Cork stores are among 21 across Ireland selected for funding from the Books At One Community Prize Fund.

The programme is supported by The One Foundation. It was set up to help independent bookshops develop new ways to strengthen links with their local communities.