The Bord Gáis Energy Book Shop of the Year

Bord Gáis Energy has launched a competition to find Ireland’s top bookshop.

The competition, The Bord Gáis Energy Book Shop of the Year, offers readers and members of The Bord Gais Energy Book Club the opportunity to vote for their favourite store.

The competition asks those voting to ask themselves:

Does the book shop provide a wide range of books for you to choose from?
Are the staff in the shop approachable, helpful and knowledgeable?
Is it easy to find the book you are looking for?
Do you trust that you will enjoy the books recommended by the shop?
What is your overall impression of the shop?

Ten stores, (two from each of five regions; Leinster, Munster, Ulster, Connacht and Greater Dublin) will be shortlisted for the award. The winner will be announced on 17 November 2011 at a Gala Dinner to celebrate the Bord Gáis Energy Irish Book Awards in the Convention Centre, Dublin.

The winning store will receive an honorary award as well as €5000 worth of gas and electricity from Bord Gáis Energy.

On recent visits to Sligo I noticed that Keohane's Bookshop has closed. The Book Nest bookshop in the town centre also closed some time ago.

In Trim we are lucky to have Antonia's bookshop. And of course on Friday this week we go to Charlie Byrne's bookshop in Galway for our Galway Boyne Berries launch.

Votes can be cast here.