Kevin Barry topped the charts of books checked out of West Cork libraries in 2025 with his novel The Heart in Winter, while Roisin Meaney’s Moving On was the next most popular, followed by Carmel Harrington’s The Lighthouse Secret and Jo Sapain’s The Trial.

For children, Jeff Kinney’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid series cleaned up in 2025, with 210 checkouts of No Brainer, 158 of The Meltdown, and 147 checkouts of The Getaway. The most popular musical instrument borrowed by West Cork children was the ukulele, with 302 checkouts of the popular Portuguese/Hawaiian guitar-like instrument.

In individual branches, Julia Donaldson’s Songbirds Phonics was the most checked out children’s title in Bandon (343 checkouts), Bantry (69), and Skibbereen (132). The most popular book for kids in Clonakilty was Harry and the Dinosaurs go to School by Ian Whybrow (39), in Castletownbere it was My Thomas the Tank Story Library by Rev W Awdry (38), and in Dunmanway the famous blue train was as popular as Belle’s New Friend topped the children’s list in 2025 (124 checkouts).

For Kinsale kids, Dog Man and Cat Kid by Dav Pilkey ruled in 2025 (75), and by those who use the mobile library, the Mr Men Complete Collection by Roger Hargreaves was checked out 294 times. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: No Brainer was the top choice in both Schull (34) and in  Oilean Chleire (Cape Clear), where to be fair it was checked out just once, which technically makes it the most popular kid’s book on the island.

In adult fiction, the aforementioned The Heart in Winter was the top choice in Bantry (28), Clonakilty (35), and Schull (11). The Lighthouse Secret by Carmel Harrington was the top choice in Kinsale (17) and in Oilean Chleire (10), while in Bandon it was Catherine Kirwan’s The Seventh Body (41 checkouts). 

Castletownbere readers opted for Triangle by Danielle Steel (10), in Dunmanway it was The Trial by Jo Spain (25), and in Skibbereen it was John Boyne’s Earth (22). Among the mobile library users, there were 14 checkouts of The Hidden Girl by Lucinda Riley.

Finally, among non-fiction titles, a children’s mindfulness book topped the list across many West Cork branches. Niall Breslin’s Follow my Lead was the most popular non-fiction book in Bandon (13), Bantry (10), Clonakilty (18), Castletownbere (6), Dunmanway (12), and among West Cork mobile library users (6). 

However, the late Micheál  Ó Muircheartaigh’s The Story of Croke Park dominated in Kinsale (11), Schull (5), and in Skibbereen (11). No figures were provide for the most popular non-fiction book on Oilean Chleire for 2025.

At the close of 2025, Cork County Council’s library service also announced the winning entry of the children’s category of their  ‘Make One Change’ photography competition. 

Ten-year-old Stevie Lynch, Clonakilty, won the prize, with an image of micro-fauna growing underground in a space where no natural sunlight has ever reached. 

The title was ‘Nature always finds a way’.