100 stories to share with children this Seachtain na Gaeilge
‘It’s never too early or too late to lose yourself in a leabhar Gaeilge.’ That’s according to Laureate na nÓg, Patricia Forde, as she launched Léigh Leabhar Gaeilge, a new Irish language reading guide, today (03.03.2026) during this year’s Seachtain na Gaeilge celebrations.
The reading guide is a collaborative project between Children’s Books Ireland and Foras na Gaeilge, supported by the Love Leabhar Gaeilge initiative. The featured titles range from boardbooks to picturebooks, non-fiction, poetry collections, comics, middle-grade fiction, all the way up to young adult fiction. This is an informative and inspiring resource packed with one hundred brilliant leabhair Ghaeilge for schools and families to discover and enjoy. Copies are available in 91 participating bookshops and 40 libraries islandwide and it is free to download on childrensbooksireland.ie and loveleabhargaeilge.ie.
Speaking about the guide Forde said: ‘Léigh Leabhar Gaeilge celebrates the richness and imagination of Irish-language storytelling and offers something for every young reader. Whether they’re growing up speaking Irish at home or are learning through the language at school, this guide is the perfect companion.
With 100 books on offer, this guide celebrates the Irish language as well as the artists crafting stories in ár dteanga dhúchais, making it accessible and most of all, enjoyable, for readers of all ages. I firmly believe that reading together is one of the best ways to build confidence in a language – while journeying into other worlds created by some of our finest writers on the island of Ireland.’
The new reading guide is also supported by a specially designed resource pack – Léigh Leabhar Gaeilge – Pacáiste Acmhainní – which works in tandem with ten titles as featured in Léigh Leabhar Gaeilge. These resources have been specially designed by the team at Children’s Books Ireland for use in the classroom to highlight great books for young readers as Gaeilge. The accompanying resource pack is filled with thoughtful questions and engaging activities to bring the book to life in the hands of every reader.
Elaina Ryan, CEO of Children’s Books Ireland said: ‘Léigh Leabhar Gaeilge is not just a recommended reading guide, but a call to action. This year, for Seachtain na Gaeilge – and indeed far beyond it – we are inviting young readers to delve into the treasure trove of wonderful leabhair Ghaeilge and find something that sparks their interest. From brilliant boardbooks for the littlest readers through to graphic novels that will capture teenagers’ imaginations, there is something here for everyone to love.’
Edel Ní Chorráin, Director of Publishing, Lexicography and Terminology Services, Foras na Gaeilge said: ‘We are very happy to once again be working in partnership with Children’s Books Ireland to showcase the wide range of books available from Irish language publishers for all ages and covering all interests. The reading guide is a great asset for bookshops and libraries, with the Léigh Leabhar Gaeilge – Pacáiste Acmhainní available for teachers. These resources all greatly support our Love Leabhar Gaeilge initiative’
Léigh Leabhar Gaeilge, is available in participating bookshops and libraries nationwide, with a downloadable version of the guide and the corresponding resource pack available at childrensbooksireland.ie and loveleabhargaeilge.ie.
📸 Hannah McCallum
Share:
