"Fantastic bookshop, really well curated with lots of Irish/local authors' work."
Fordham House · South Square · Sneem · Ring of Kerry
Tar isteach, mo chara
— Come in, my friend —
An independent bookshop and craft gallery in the heart of Sneem. Best sellers, second-hand treasures, antiquarian finds and Irish-interest titles, alongside art and crafts made by local hands. Pull up a chair at the big table, pour a coffee, and stay a while.
Our story
A bookshop the village built its days around
Sneem Book Shop opened its doors in December 2021 in Fordham House, on the South Square of one of Ireland's most photographed villages — the "knot" in the Ring of Kerry. What began as a bookshop quickly became something more: a meeting place, a coffee stop, a gallery for local makers, and a reason to linger in Sneem a little longer.
Behind the counter you'll find Úna, the shop's owner: enthusiastic, endlessly knowledgeable, and famously generous with recommendations — whether you're after the right book, the right walking route, or simply a good chat.
"Tourists have been known to walk out with a brand new novel, an old edition of Ulysses, a hand-turned oak bowl from the Sneem Men's Shed and a scarf knitted by Úna." — Paraphrased from The Gloss magazine's guide to Ireland's best village bookshops
Explore
What's waiting inside
Books
New releases, 1,000+ second-hand titles, antiquarian rarities and a strong Irish-interest collection.
Browse the shelves →Art & crafts
Original artwork by local artists, Men's Shed woodwork, knitwear, candles and wool.
See the gallery →Community
Conversational Irish, a knitting club and a writers' group — all around the big table.
Join in →Ordering in
Not on the shelf? Úna takes requests on the spot and orders titles in for collection.
Ring the shop →
Word of mouth
What visitors say
4.9 / 5 on Google
A visitor from Canada stopped in mid-road-trip and left with a book to help them learn Irish — and a promise to come back one day for another chat with Úna.
"For a book lover it has everything one could wish for."