Tipperary venue was a vibrant hub of energy for the very successful annual book fair

The Tipperariana Book Fair 2026, organised by the Fethard Historical Society, took place in the Ballroom Fethard on Sunday, February 8.

Once again, the venue was a a vibrant hub of energy with a constant stream of visitors from the time the doors opened. The book dealers coming from places as far afield as Armagh, Wexford, West Cork and Dublin.

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The pop-up café was beautifully decorated as usual and, for the first time the flower arrangements on each table featured a very apposite book quote.

The organisers were once again delighted to invite Tipperary authors to display their books. The society sees it as an opportunity to support local writers. Julie Kennedy Fogarty from Moyglass brought along her enchanting children’s books, Theresa Jones and Rosemary Joyce offered poetry, while Fitzpatrick printers brought along a selection of historical journals.

Also present were Margaret O’Sullivan, ‘The Lismore estate under William Robert Hood Rochfort, 1891-1902 in Counties Cork, Limerick and Tipperary’, James Ryan, ‘Insurrection The Insurrection in Carrick-on-Suir, Co. Tipperary, South Kilkenny and East Waterford 1848’ and the Moycarkey-Borris group with ‘The Oldest of the Old Kriegies’. Susan Imaginario’s ‘Clash of the Tricksters’ and ‘R.A.T.S. The Random Artists of Tipperary’ rounded out the author’s circle.

BOOK OF THE YEAR
The Tipperariana Book of the Year Award 2025 went to, ‘Silvermines, A Heritage of Mines and Miners: Interpreting an Ancient Mining Landscape’, edited by Greg Finnegan and Laura McSherry. The book is a collection of erudite essays on the geology and history of mining in the Silvermines. It gives a comprehensive insight into the various aspects of that history, is beautifully illustrated throughout and it is an invaluable addition to the Tipperary archives.

Eamon O’Dwyer, who presents the Down Your Way programme on Tipp FM, elected to visit the Book Fair for the third consecutive year to record a selection of those present, including the winners of the Tipperariana Book of the Year Award, members of the Fethard Historical Society, authors, book dealers and members of the public. The programme will be broadcast in a few weeks’ time on Tipp FM.

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The Fethard Historical Society is already planning for next year’s Tipperariana Book Fair which will take place on Valentine’s Day, Sunday, February 14, 2027. It will actually be the 30th Book Fair so the organisers look forward to hosting a special celebration of what has become known as, “the best one-day book fair in Ireland.”