Copies now available on-line

This celebrated community arts publication The Book of Sligo was published by Blue Raincoat Theatre Company in November 2021.

An elegant and beautifully designed publication The Book of Sligo is a completely unique celebration of one county. Each page draws upon ancient Civic Parish structures, to bring the reader an eclectic sampling of Sligo’s diverse social, archeological, and ecological heritage from every corner of the county.

Between November 2021 and May 2022, 32,000 free copies of the book are being distributed to households throughout County Sligo as the key part of one of the most ambitious community arts projects to have been staged in Ireland. This delivery programme is being carried out by a host of Community Groups and volunteers. 

Due to the keen interest of many Sligo people who are not resident in the county at present, and indeed from our diaspora around the world, Blue Raincoat Theatre Company has now put in place this on-line facility for ordering the book.

As a publicly funded arts organisation, our company is not in a position to distribute The Book of Sligo free of charge beyond the existing project commitment of delivering one free copy to each household in County Sligo. Accordingly, the book is being made available for the cost of printing, nominal cost charges for packaging and administration, plus the delivery charge appropriate to the delivery address specified in online orders.

The Book of Sligo is an exciting and unique community-based arts initiative taking place in County Sligo in November and early December 2021. Produced by Blue Raincoat Theatre Company for Sligo Colmcille 2021, the project involves publication of a book celebrating interesting diverse facts and curiosities gathered from across Sligo’s 41 recognised civil parishes.  

Equal in ambition to the publication, is a drive to deliver a hard-bound copy of the book into each of County Sligo’s 24,500 households.

With the publication of the book complete, the project was publicly launched by Tommie Gorman in mid November and the delivery element of the project is now well under way with the assistance of a county-wide network of local volunteers. 

The delivery by hand of copies of the book, undertaken by volunteers and community groups, is a key aspect of the project as it celebrates and embodies the importance of community connection and relationships with our neighbours. Though the Book of Sligo was conceived prior to the current pandemic, it will hopefully be a timely reminder of shared community bonds as well as a celebration of our community as we navigate our way through these challenging times. 

Building upon a history of producing and delivering large-scale cultural and community initiatives, Blue Raincoat Theatre Company has assembled two project teams who are working in tandem to deliver The Book of Sligo. One, an editorial team comprising Sligo-based literary figures, musicians, historians, and archaeologists is responsible for curating the book, and a second, comprised of experienced project organisers and administrators, is responsible for co-ordinating the delivery of the book to every household in the county.

 This will be a unique celebration of Sligo as a people and a community, but we need your help to make it happen. For this reason, we are asking community groups and organisations of every kind, and from every part of the county, to please consider becoming involved. If you are a community leader or member of a local community or voluntary organisation, and are interested in learning how your group might engage with this unique project, please contact us at info@blueraincoat.com.