Wexford Book Fair goes ahead ‘virtually’

By Dan Walsh

The annual Wexford Book Fair is taking place this weekend as a virtual online event. Due to Covid 19, over thirty Irish book fairs were cancelled this year with Wexford being the first and only fair taking to the internet.

Organisers say they have some incredibly rare books on offer including a first illustrated edition of Oscar Wilde, a battle-damaged propaganda leaflet printed by the republican leadership in the Four Courts prior to the start of the Irish Civil War and a rare volume of WB Yeats autobiographies.

“We have some incredible books on offer from booksellers across Ireland,” Wally O’Neill, one of the organisers, told WexfordLocal.com; “People always expect to see fine Irish histories at the Wexford Book Fair so we have Hores, Musgraves and Kavanaghs. We also have beautiful old collectible sets like a ten-volume set of the works of Robert Browning and a set of the Arabian Nights.”

“The Book Fair is not all about rare and exquisite volumes though.  There will be books for everyone, from all price ranges.  We also hope the open nature of this year’s fair may bring new people in who are yet to experience the charm of an Irish Book Fair,” concluded Mr. O’Neill.

The Wexford Book Fair will be held online until midnight on Sunday.  You’ll be able to find it at www.theirishbookshop.com.