Goodbye to Reading Ireland Month 2020
Well that’s a wrap for Reading Ireland Month 2020!
Despite a wobble of confidence midway through, I’m glad I kept going and actually found the whole thing to be a welcome distration.
Thanks to everyone who joined in! We had two late entries this week:
- Fiction Fan reviewed The Judge’s House by Bram Stoker
- The Once Lost Wander reviewed At Swim Two Birds by the incomparable Flann O’Brien
My partner-in-Begorrathon-related-crime, Niall at Raging Fluff was with us in spirit this year, but he did manage to take part with a live YouTube reading of his work ‘A Face Made of Truth’
Thanks so much to everyone who was so enthusiastic about this month of reading, from posting to tweeting, sharing to commenting. We had a whopping 98 posts and you can see them all here at the linky.
I have enjoyed it a lot this year and given that I almost decided not to do it anymore, I am delighted that I went with my better judgement!
Will we do it again next year? What do you all think?!
April will be a quieter month on the blog. I am reading a few books from the 746 which I plan to review and I am taking part in the 1920 Club hosted by Kaggsy and Simon. I’ll be reading Agatha Christie’s The Affair at Styles for that.
Are there any other reading challenges that any of you are taking part in over the coming months?
Then I will have to decide if 20 Books of Summer will make a return – it’s always a good way to reduce the 746 but it’s hard to know what to do at the moment other than get through the day and then get through the next!
Go raibh maith agaibh go léir (thank you all!) for making this Reading Ireland Month one of the best, even when it was one of the strangest! x
Cathy746books View All →
I am a 40 something book buying addict trying to reduce the backlog one book at a time!
746books.com 
Cathy, thank you so much for keeping Reading Ireland going this month. I’ve found so many recommendations for new reads in the past and I’ve seen several books to put on my TBR from this year’s posts. And I loved reading the poem posts. Those email alerts were particularly welcome. I’m not a huge poetry person as a rule, but reading them is especially rewarding right now.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much Sunita, that means a lot x
LikeLike
ive loved Reading Ireland Month!! thanks for all your work promoting so many amazing Irish works this month☺
LikeLike
Thank you Fatma, you’ve been a great supporter – it’s much appreciated 😘
LikeLiked by 1 person
Aargh Cathy – I am finally writing my Marian Keyes review today, but I’ve already had two long interruptions and I’m not sure I’ll finish it tonight. Never mind, I’ll stick it on my own blog tomorrow! At least I managed the Maeve Binchy in time. I really love these challenges and I’ll look forward to reading about any more you decide to do. And I am going to do the #1920 Club – I’ve had my book for thar ready for weeks!
Thanks again and many apologies for being so slow this time.
Take care and keep well,
Rosemary
LikeLike
No problem Rosemary – it’s been an odd month for everyone I think! Stay well x
LikeLike
Congrats on another successful run, and thank you for the welcome distraction! 😊
LikeLike
Thank you Callum!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well done on keeping going through such a difficult month. I personally think we should carry on as normally as we can, and I’m glad you’ll be joining us for 1920 – it should be another welcome distraction! 😀
LikeLike
Yes, I’m looking forward to it, and enjoying the Agatha Christie. it’s just what I need at the moment.
LikeLiked by 1 person
No pressure Cathy, but I am all ready to take part in 20/10 Books of Summer if you decide to run it again. 😁
LikeLike
I probably will, it gets my reading nice and focused!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks so much for sticking with it, Cathy, despite strange and trying circumstances.
LikeLike
Thank you Susan x
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s been wonderful Cathy, thanks so much for doing it. I really wanted to join in but all that’s been going on stopped my reading in its tracks! Blogs like yours have helped me feel better when I’m struggling to find my usual solace in books so thank you 🙂
LikeLike
Thank you for those kind words. It’s a tough time and we are all dealing with things the best we can. Stay safe x
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, please! I have been sorting and reorganizing my bookshelves and boxes these last couple of days and find I have on hand lots of #readingirelandmonth-worthy books still to read – more quite a few more than I realized. And everyone’s posts make my list bigger. Glad you went ahead with it. And next year, please god and the weather, the world will be a bit less grim. If not, well, we’ll be able to use the distraction again.
LikeLike
Thank you Lara, you’ve been such a fantastic support xx
LikeLike
Thanks for organising, Cathy. I actually read three Irish books this month but have only had the energy to review one. I’m working from home at the moment and have never been so busy mainly doing Covid-19 comms (!!) and running marketing campaigns to push a change in business model. It has been stressful but I am pleased to be busy and am fortunate that I can work remotely. Stay safe xx
LikeLike
Don’t worry Kim, I know we are all at home, but that doesn’t necessarily mean we all have loads of spare time! Look forward to hearing about what you read when you do share x
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Cathy, it’s a wonderful initiative and I look forward to next year:)
LikeLike
Thank you so much Lisa!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Though I hoped to read more titles for Begorrathon I’ve rather overfaced myself with book event commitments this year. Still, every month is potentially a Reading Ireland Month, is it not? 🙂
I bought the Agatha Christie just for an occasion like the 1920 celebration, but I hope to read a couple or more authors with centenaries this year: the second of Anne Brontë’s novels and a couple of Rosemary Sutcliff’s YA titles (she was born a century after Anne). I’ m sure there’ll be more!
LikeLike
Indeed – we can Read Ireland all year round 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well done to everyone who managed to contribute even though the world has gone insane! Hopefully next March will be less weird – looking forward to it already. 😀
LikeLike
Thank you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Congratulations on such a wonderful project. Always delighted to be some small part of it Cathy.
Stay well
Regards Thom
LikeLike
Thanks Thom, your contributions are always really appreciated!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Cathy. That was interesting and enjoyable. Best wishes, Janet
LikeLike
Thank Janet – I appreciate you sharing your reviews x
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s been fun! Cathy and enjoyed reading yours and some of the other contributors. J x
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’d love to do it again next year! And I hope to do 20Books too!
LikeLike
Brill Liz! As of now 20 Books is on 😀
LikeLike