Sir, – Manchán Magan (Arts Ideas, February 20th) unknowingly touched a few literary nerves which have been raw for some time. He acknowledges that an independent bookstore would be unable to afford the property necessary to fulfil his dreams of a tatty, welcoming place which would not only provide a broad stock of books but a venue for readings and coffee imbibing.
He suggests the State might provide such a property. However, that is highly unlikely given that none of the national literary organisations headquartered in Dublin have a home to call their own. In fact, they are in the habit of changing their address every two or three years as they are shunted from one property to another.
Several years ago I wrote to every member of the Oireachtas protesting that there was no “House of Literature” where the Dublin-based national organisations could be housed rent free (freeing up more money for actual literary activity) and which could act as a literary hub for a city of four Nobel prize winners. Nothing resulted from that endeavour.
Literature is still peripatetic in a city that provides no end of permanent homes for the visual arts, music and theatre. The Dublin Writers’ Museum will not allow even the posting of literary events on its premises and the Joyce Centre is more focused on heritage than contemporary practice.
Our writers, dead and alive, are trotted out by our politicians at home and abroad whenever they try to sell Ireland as a cultural Mecca. But the writers themselves and their representative organisations are expected to exist in garrets.
On another note, as a former bookseller who spent 15 years in that business, I can say that property problems would not be the only obstacle to Mr Magan’s dream independent bookseller. The uncompetitive discounts commanded by the major chains, the competition from supermarkets, the free carriage offered by Amazon – all these factors make independent bookselling a very foolhardy business these days. – Yours, etc,