Books

Belfast: fluorescent brick, fluorescent with history, ingenuity, and potential.

Let Declan Hill guide your eyes around the unique and fascinating city of Belfast. Born in Belfast, Declan gives a personal insight into his native city not found in any generic guidebook.

This is a historic city, a revitalised city, a city of invention and creativity but also a divided city with large areas of abandonment and neglect.
Each walk has a map with numbered stepping stones of buildings, landmarks, and places to show you the way.

This book opens the city to the visitor but also invites people from Belfast to explore their home city.

From fearless aviator, Lady Mary Heath, the first woman in the world to parachute from an aeroplane, to Margaret Bulkley, the 18th-century surgeon who lived as a man, meet 28 remarkable Irish women who have taken the world by storm.

You may have already heard some of their names, like Countess Markievicz and Mary Robinson, but others, like Anne Sullivan, Lilian Bland or Anna Haslam, may be new to you.

Packed with fun, fascinating facts and stunning, full-page illustrations, this book celebrates the trail blazers who have shaped the world we live in.

Ready to walk in their footsteps? A world of bravery and discovery awaits you.

Made by two remarkable women, author Sarah Webb and illustrator Lauren O'Neill.

Conor Devine’s life changed forever after sitting in a neurologist’s office for seven minutes in 2007. At twenty-eight years old he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, advised to stop playing his beloved football and told to give up his job. Over the next four years he struggled with every aspect of life as his debilitating symptoms took hold. In 2010 Devine made a decision to fight back against his illness to get his life, body and mind back. He did this through embracing a vigorous exercise campaign along with completely changing his diet and approach to food.

During a goal-setting session at Christmas 2014, the author came up with an Against All Odds campaign comprising a training programme that would see him complete two marathons, two triathlons, a half Ironman and a full Ironman triathlon in twenty weeks. An Ironman is a 2.4 mile swim, an 112-mile bike and a full marathon, and it’s internationally recognised as one of the most severe endurance races on the planet. In this book Conor explains the training programme he adopted, the importance of nutrition and the key ingredients to developing an iron mindset. Wherever you are in your own life right now, there is no doubt that this truly inspirational account will encourage, inspire and motivate you to go on and achieve your goals in life. This is a very personal account of how one man overcame significant adversity to become an Ironman against all odds

This book tells the story of five Irish women who were unusual in a variety of ways - mostly because of their ruthlessness, political cunning or merely because they rebelled violently against the repressive mores of their times. 

Perfect for the strong Irish women in your life.

Kitty just can’t get to sleep. It’s the fairies you see, they’re everywhere. Messing about, playing games, chasing each other, singing songs, dancing and demanding some very unusual sounding snacks. She knows she should be asleep, but what can she do? Dad will have to come and sort the fairies out. If only he’d believe her…

Written by Michael O’Neill, illustrated by Stephen Pierce.

The Adventurous vegan cook book is crammed with over 60 recipes packed with flavour and really simple to follow! All recipes are free from animal products. 

Written by Colleen McIvor in Northern Ireland. 

From patriots to pirates, warriors to writers, and mistresses to male impersonators, this book looks at the unorthodox lives of inspiring Irish women.

In times when women were expected to marry and have children, they travelled the world and sought out adventures; in times when women were expected to be seen and not heard, they spoke out in loud voices against oppression; in times when women were expected to have no interest in politics, literature, art, or the world outside the home, they used every creative means available to give expression to their thoughts, ideas and beliefs.

In a series of succinct and often amusing biographies, Marian Broderick tells the life stories of these exceptional Irish women.