A SPECIAL ANTHOLOGY has been commissioned by Dublin City Council to mark the 20^th anniversary of the One Dublin One Book initiative.

One Dublin One Book, led by Dublin City Libraries, encourages everyone to read a book connected with the capital city during the month of April every year.

Each year, the public and library staff are invited to suggest titles, and Irish publishers are also encouraged to make suggestions.

Last year’s choice was Snowflake by Louise Nealon.

This year, to mark the 20^th anniversary of the initiative, Dublin City Council has announced a new, special anthology in celebration of the city as the One Dublin One Book choice for 2025.

The anthology, titled ‘Dublin, written in our hearts’, will include works of fiction, poetry, essays and memoir pieces.

Dublin, written in our hearts is described as a collection of works that captures Dublin in the first quarter of this century.

It has been edited by Declan Meade and published by The Stinging Fly Press.

The special anthology will feature works by Roddy Doyle, Anne Enright, Deirdre Madden, and Paula Meehan.

It will also include works by Kevin Barry, Estelle Birdy, Niamh Campbell, Kevin Curran, FELISPEAKS, Sarah Gilmartin, Róisín Kiberd, and Caitríona Lally.

Other writers featured include Belinda McKeon, Thomas Morris, Niamh Mulvey, Nuala O’Connor, Sean O’Reilly, Keith Ridgway, Peter Sirr, Stephen James Smith, Rere Ukponu and Karl Whitney.

A spokesperson said the “main character front and centre of the collection is Dublin”.

“Readers are witness to the daily interactions which take place, from the lonely misfit in Caitríona Lally’s Eggshells to the loud antics of a Welsh stag party in Thomas Morris’ All the Boys to the eerie reflections of Róisín Kiberd in Night Gym,” said the spokesperson.

“There is much in this anthology that may seem familiar, chance meetings in taxis and pubs, working in a busy restaurant, even planning for a wedding but it’s when we peel the layers back from story to story, the city reveals itself more vividly.”

Dublin City Librarian Mairead Owens remarked that this year’s choice for the One Dublin One Book initiative “reflects the spirit of Dublin and its inhabitants in the first quarter of the 21st century from new and award-winning writers”.

Meanwhile, Declan Meade, Stinging Fly publisher, noted that he moved to Dublin in 1995 and will mark 30 years in the capital this summer.

“Putting together this anthology has been a great opportunity to discover and revisit some of the wonderful writing that’s been produced about the city as it’s been changing and growing throughout the time I’ve been here,” said Meade.

“It’s also been lovely to reflect on how much the city in all its many guises means to me.”

Further details of the One Dublin One Book programme will be announced on 4 March.