Scríobhann Molly Nic Céile, ambassador for Ireland Reads 2026 and author of Gaeilge i mo Chroí faoi na nósanna léitheoireachta.
Ag fás aníos (growing up), I went through phases of reading.
Bhain mé sult as leabhair (I took enjoyment out of books) in which the characters were similar to myself but had what I thought was a much better or cooler saol (life).
Judy Moody comes to mind. I also had a few opportunities to read leabhair in which the main character was a young female like myself, but with a much harder saol than mine such as in Under The Hawthorn Tree and The Diary of Anne Frank.
I was nine and thar lear (abroad) for the first time in The Netherlands. Chuaigh muid (we went) to the Anne Frank House one day and I'm very glad that we did.
I still have a vivid memory of it agus is cuimhin liom (and I remember) buying an leabhar with my own pocket money.
The experience had such a profound impact on me, I couldn’t help but put myself in her shoes. I had to learn more. It wasn’t the traditional diary, it was this lovely light purple picture book of sorts, that told her story in a different way.
Thosaigh mé (I began) reading the book pretty soon after agus is cuimhin liom ag caoineadh (crying) a few times throughout.
These leabhair and many others that I read ag fás aníos helped me to get lost in worlds that I will never get to experience myself, and understand them. I was eager to do so as a child and when I remembered how transformative reading a leabhar can be, I became eager to do so again as an adult.
So after cúpla bliain (a few years) of saying "I would love to read more", in 2025 I finally committed to it. After getting back on to Goodreads, I saw that I could set myself a dúshlán (challenge) to read a certain amount of leabhair by the end of the year.
Is breá liom dúshlán (I love a challenge) and this was just the kick up the tóin that I needed! Cén fáth? (Why?)
As I said, reading as I grew up was often a transformative experience but once I got to a certain age and bogged down with the realities of adult life, I forgot to read.
I forgot that I could get lost anytime I wanted to. We can’t always pack up and head off ar laethanta saoire (on holidays) whenever we would like but we can pick up a leabhar and visit a completely different world or our world through a completely different lens.
After the stress of writing mo leabhar féin (my own book) 'Gaeilge i mo chroí’, and the joy of knowing that it would offer whoever read it some form of escape, I knew that it was about time that I had my own.
In 2025, I achieved my goal of reading 25 books and it really has changed my life. Ar dtús (at first), it wasn’t so easy to escape.
I struggled to pay attention to the focail (words) in front of me, being chronically online for obair (work) and fun. I stuck with it, however, and by the summertime, 10 leabhar in, I started to pick up the pace naturally and I squeezed reading in whenever I could.
Tá sé chomh tábhachtach (it’s so important) as busy adults to escape our own world and get lost in another. Even though many of the stories might be fictional, they are a reminder that our world isn’t the only one that exists.
This Saturday, I strongly encourage you to get lost, even if only for a little while, to remind you that you can.
*Ireland Reads is the national campaign inspiring people to pick up a book and continue reading habits. Led by Libraries Ireland and culminating in a nationwide celebration of reading this Saturday, it encourages readers to explore recommendations from their local library, where special events will also take place to mark Ireland Reads 2026. Learn more at www.irelandreads.ie.
