Books are my business: Librarian at Bantry Library Denis Murphy
Denis Murphy is a librarian at Bantry Library, which will host numerous free events as part of this year's West Cork Literary Festival, running from July 11-18.
The library first opened to the public in 1974 and a book on its historical and architectural significance, Bantry Library: Bantry's Brutalist Bibliotheque, by Dermot Harrington marked the building's 50th anniversary.
How did you get into librarianship?
Having graduated with a BA in the late 1980s, the natural course for many students was to progress to the Higher Diploma in Education, but teaching wasn't for me and after a period of uncertainty, librarianship appeared to be a more natural fit.
I later completed a post-graduate diploma in library and information studies in UCD.
I have worked over the years in most sections of the Cork County Library and Arts Service, based in our HQ at the County Hall campus.
I spent the restrictive covid period in our Clonakilty branch before a transfer to my home town, Bantry, in January 2022.
What does your role involve?
My role includes a mix of planning, preparing and hosting of events, library administration and reports, community outreach, countywide library projects, and interacting with patrons at the issue desk.
Approaching high summer, the West Cork Literary Festival concentrates most of my attention.
It brings a terrific buzz to the town and the library, as one of eight venues, will host 13 free events, including the festival opening reception.
A mark of its continued success is the volume of repeat visitors to the library and it's also nice to see more locals attending.
What do you like most about it?
Seeing the excitement and sense of wonder children bring to the library.
We have moved beyond church-pew quietness so whether through a family or class visit, building Lego, playing chess, solving puzzles, or making crafts with the library's wonderfully creative staff, children just make the place their own.
It's also an enjoyable challenge to present library stock in an appealing way to patrons.
Removing a languishing novel from its alphabetical sequence and placing it on a themed pop-up display can be a ticket to a new home for three weeks.
When that works, it's very satisfying.
The retail side of librarianship also remains important and enjoyable.
If I turn around at the issue desk and look out the library's fabulous bow window, I can almost see the front of my father's old premises, 'The Mans Shop', where I would have first learned customer skills.
He was the best in the business at that. Whenever I slip up, I wonder how would he have handled it.
What do you like least about it?
Bantry Library is a wonderful heritage building with a book, film, and recent architectural award to its credit.
My role also involves a degree of facilities management. On occasion, chasing jobs to completion requires much patience.
Three desert island books
That Place We Call Home by John Creedon, which I really enjoyed and which would give me a sense of home if I was on a desert island.
He looks at the stories behind Irish place names and it is all done in a relatable conversational tone, in that typical Creedon way. I'm looking forward to seeing him at the festival.
I am a big fan of Michael Connelly's books, they are unputdownable and you would fly through them.
My second pick would be his book The Late Show, in which he introduced the feisty and fearless character Renee Ballard.
The third one would be The Game by the Cork writer Tadhg Coakley, who I met when he spoke about the book at the festival in 2022.
It is a fabulous book, a lovely blend of writing about his life, his involvement with the GAA and his love of sport.
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Books are my business: Head of published collections at the National Library of Ireland
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Irish Examiner
5 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Books are my business: Librarian at Bantry Library Denis Murphy
Denis Murphy is a librarian at Bantry Library, which will host numerous free events as part of this year's West Cork Literary Festival, running from July 11-18. The library first opened to the public in 1974 and a book on its historical and architectural significance, Bantry Library: Bantry's Brutalist Bibliotheque, by Dermot Harrington marked the building's 50th anniversary. How did you get into librarianship? Having graduated with a BA in the late 1980s, the natural course for many students was to progress to the Higher Diploma in Education, but teaching wasn't for me and after a period of uncertainty, librarianship appeared to be a more natural fit. I later completed a post-graduate diploma in library and information studies in UCD. I have worked over the years in most sections of the Cork County Library and Arts Service, based in our HQ at the County Hall campus. I spent the restrictive covid period in our Clonakilty branch before a transfer to my home town, Bantry, in January 2022. What does your role involve? My role includes a mix of planning, preparing and hosting of events, library administration and reports, community outreach, countywide library projects, and interacting with patrons at the issue desk. Approaching high summer, the West Cork Literary Festival concentrates most of my attention. It brings a terrific buzz to the town and the library, as one of eight venues, will host 13 free events, including the festival opening reception. A mark of its continued success is the volume of repeat visitors to the library and it's also nice to see more locals attending. What do you like most about it? Seeing the excitement and sense of wonder children bring to the library. We have moved beyond church-pew quietness so whether through a family or class visit, building Lego, playing chess, solving puzzles, or making crafts with the library's wonderfully creative staff, children just make the place their own. It's also an enjoyable challenge to present library stock in an appealing way to patrons. Removing a languishing novel from its alphabetical sequence and placing it on a themed pop-up display can be a ticket to a new home for three weeks. When that works, it's very satisfying. The retail side of librarianship also remains important and enjoyable. If I turn around at the issue desk and look out the library's fabulous bow window, I can almost see the front of my father's old premises, 'The Mans Shop', where I would have first learned customer skills. He was the best in the business at that. Whenever I slip up, I wonder how would he have handled it. What do you like least about it? Bantry Library is a wonderful heritage building with a book, film, and recent architectural award to its credit. My role also involves a degree of facilities management. On occasion, chasing jobs to completion requires much patience. Three desert island books That Place We Call Home by John Creedon, which I really enjoyed and which would give me a sense of home if I was on a desert island. He looks at the stories behind Irish place names and it is all done in a relatable conversational tone, in that typical Creedon way. I'm looking forward to seeing him at the festival. I am a big fan of Michael Connelly's books, they are unputdownable and you would fly through them. My second pick would be his book The Late Show, in which he introduced the feisty and fearless character Renee Ballard. The third one would be The Game by the Cork writer Tadhg Coakley, who I met when he spoke about the book at the festival in 2022. It is a fabulous book, a lovely blend of writing about his life, his involvement with the GAA and his love of sport. Read More Books are my business: Head of published collections at the National Library of Ireland
Irish Times
6 hours ago
- Irish Times
Lions diary: A relaxed Johnny Sexton, Dostoevsky and questions of identity
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At their base in the Radisson Hotel, they climbed out of the plunge pools set up in the garden and ambled in their budgie smugglers back into the hotel. Go Los Pumas! Today though, the blue sky and warmth spark off a brief personal reminiscence of glorious Nice and the last Rugby World Cup. Three weeks of belly up in the Med, occasionally drifting out to sea from La Promenade des Anglais, watching orange EasyJets low in the sky, wheels down coming into land. There is a drone or two in the air at Belvo, one of them peering directly down on a scrum on the far pitch. An answer comes back to the girl. Felipe's the one in the peaked cap. Small groups of people sprawled around the side of the pitch have turned up to watch. Inside, the former Irish Lion Ollie Campbell is the image you cannot fail to see turning from the bar to walk down the stairs. An eight-year Irish career but just 22 caps. Two Lions Tours, the first in 1980 to South Africa and in 1983 again to New Zealand. Seven Lions caps there. Former Ireland player Ollie Campbell. Photograph: Billy Stickland/Inpho This is, after all, Ollie Campbell Park and the picture is of Campbell in that famous kicking pose. Are there any other images of him not of the follow through after the kick, the boot of his straight right leg at shoulder height and the long striations of muscle and tendon. The drones come in to land as the players stream off the pitch. Felipe, now 47 years old, picks up his little boy and grabs a ball. It is 20 years since he was top scorer with Leinster in both the 2005–06 Celtic League and the Heineken Cup. It is seven years since he was appointed as the new backs coach for Leinster, succeeding Girvan Dempsey, who moved to Bath. A colleague points towards the entrance to the grounds at a house which backs on to the club car park. Matt Doyle used to live there, he says of the likable Irish American tennis player who sadly died less than five months ago. There's history in these grounds. The takeaway is some Matt, but more Felipe kicking ball with a little boy in the warm summer wind. Wednesday Team announcement day in Aviva Stadium. Andy Farrell and Maro Itoje walk in through the door to the media auditorium, the Lions coach in blue, the team captain in red. Farrell holds a fixed semi-smile that gives the Rugby League Man of Steel an amiable, big softie head. The Lion's secondrow, Itoje, looks like a mature student who could be finishing his PhD. Note to self: How looks can deceive. The pair sit at the top table. 32 journalists, 10 cameras, nine microphones. Itoje sits on Farrell's right. The table is covered in Lions livery with large lettering of the tour message. There is always a tour message, an aspiration. 'WE GO BEYOND.' Maro Itoje and head coach Andy Farrell. Photograph: Billy Stickland/Inpho 'It's the best of the best,' says Tommy Freeman of the squad during his interview. 'It's the best of the best,' says Tadhg Beirne when he arrives. 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Burgundy tackle bags bearing the Lions logo of the four unions are gathered up by Simon Easterby and taken to the goal area. Former England scrumhalf Richard Wigglesworth and Andrew Goodman (Beasterby, Wig and Goody) space them for the players' arrival. A terribly desolate place, this stadium when devoid of bodies. The echoes tell you nobody is here, an empty cathedral. But there is something about Aviva's size from the pitch that compels you to stand and aimlessly gaze up to the terraced seating. That is existential. BIL the mascot. Photograph: Billy Stickland/Inpho Then the players break out of the tunnel for 'The Captain's Run', a quaint exercise where accredited journalists stand at the side of the pitch for 15 minutes watching unusual things take place like Garry Ringrose deliberately throwing a pass to Tom Curry, or Henry Pollock breaking from the group with a four-foot cuddly lion called BIL (British and Irish Lion) and chucking him on a table at the side of the pitch. 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Irish Examiner
a day ago
- Irish Examiner
Win a break away and tickets to the West Cork Literary Festival
As a proud media partner, we have teamed up with the West Cork Literary Festival and the Maritime Hotel to give one lucky reader the opportunity to win a weekend in Bantry for the West Cork Literary Festival and stay in the luxury of the Maritime Hotel with breathtaking views over Bantry Bay. West Cork Literary Festival runs from July 11 - 18. This year's line-up includes Graham Norton, Richard E Grant, Eimear McBride, Salena Godden, Neil Jordan, Carol Drinkwater and many more. Find out more here Prize details One night's luxury accommodation in the Maritime Hotel, Bantry on Saturday, July 12 A pair of tickets to the 2.15pm reading on Whiddy Island, 6.30pm event in Marino Church and an evening with Richard E. Grant in the Maritime Hotel, Bantry on Saturday, July 12 Terms and conditions apply. No cash alternative. Editor's decision is final. Closing date noon, Friday, July 4, 2025.
