Sir, - That's a sad story from Garry Clarke. It may be that if he cannot get the books he wants in Dublin bookshops it is because the booksellers can't stock everything and may not have the time to search for specific titles.
But we booksellers in West Cork have both the time and the facilities and the patience to make searches, so if Mr Clarke cares to contact us we will happily help him to find the books he wants thereby enabling him to spend his money in Ireland - and in a part of it which needs it.
It's a far cry from the days, 20 years ago, when we were able to advertise ourselves as "the only bookshop between Cork and New York". Nowadays there are at least half-a-dozen in this area, none (so far as we know) becoming millionaires but most, certainly, willing to give good service.
We have plenty of customers in Dublin. - Yours, etc.,
Jack O'Connell, Schull Books, Ballydehob, Co Cork.