Summer Stars Reading Challenge 2026

Hello and welcome to Sligo Library Summer Stars Reading Challenge 2026

Summer is here! And that means that libraries around the country are once again celebrating reading with our Summer Stars Reading Challenge for children.

Running from June 2nd until mid-August, Summer Stars is an opportunity for children to enjoy reading during their summer holiday with FREE events, rewards, and incentives along the way.

The Reading Challenge is for all children, with no restrictions on how many books must be read.

SUMMER STARS 2026 COMPETITIONS

Website Header Competition

Design a Summer Stars website header! The winning entries will be displayed on sligolibrary.ie from the start of July to mid-August!

Website Header Design Competition sheets are due back by 26th June.

Click here to download and print your own!

Bookmark Design Competition

Design a bookmark! The county-wide winner will have their design printed and distributed across Sligo Library branches!

Bookmark Design Competition sheets are due back by 10th July.

Click here to download and print your own!

Comic Book Competition

Create your own mini comic book story! The comic should be based on the theme of summer and include both writing and drawing!

Bookmark Design Competition sheets are due back by 24th July.

Click here to download and print your own!

Your Summer Star Competition

Nominate your Summer Star! Write about someone important in your life and why they mean so much to you. They can be someone you know, a character, or a famous person! (Feel free to attach extra pages if needed for writing!)

Bookmark Design Competition sheets are due back by 7th August.

Click here to download and print your own!

SUMMER STARS 2026 EVENTS

~ Click location below for details ~

SLIGO CENTRAL LIBRARY BALLYMOTE COMMUNITY LIBRARY TUBBERCURRY COMMUNITY LIBRARY ENNISCRONE BRANCH LIBRARY

Lego & Boardgames Hour

Date/Time: Every Wednesday (Weekly from 1^st July – 5^th August) | 2.30pm – 3.30pm

Ages: 5+ Location: Sligo Central Library

No booking required

Family Time Storytime

Date/Time: Every Friday (Weekly from 3^rd July – 7^th August) | 10.00am – 10.30am

Ages: All Ages Location: Sligo Central Library

No booking required

Investigators Bookclub

Date/Time: Every Friday (Weekly from 3^rd July – 7^th August) | 2.30pm – 3.30pm

Ages: 10 – 12 Location: Sligo Central Library

BOOKING REQUIRED | 0719111675 | sligolib@sligococo.ie

Siarscéal Young Adult Creative Writing Workshops with Sarah O’Keeffe

Date/Time: 4 Sessions: Saturday 27^th June from 1.00pm – 3.00pm & Saturday 4^th, 11^th & 18^th July from 2.00pm – 4.00pm

Ages: 13 – 18 Location: Sligo Central Library

BOOKING REQUIRED | sokeeffe417@gmail.com

Robothink Workshop: Build a Robot Car!

Date/Time: Thursday 2^nd July | 1.00pm – 2.30pm

Ages: 6-12 Location: Sligo Central Library

BOOKING REQUIRED | 0719111675 | sligolib@sligococo.ie

In this exciting RoboThink workshop, kids will build and explore their very own robot car! Using hands-on materials, they’ll follow guided steps to assemble their car and bring it to life, all while learning how different parts work together. Along the way, they’ll develop key skills like problem-solving, creativity, and critical thinking as they test, adjust, and improve their design. With plenty of opportunities to experiment and have fun, this workshop is a great introduction to robotics in an engaging and rewarding way.

Cairde Festival: Stories & Crafts with Author Niamh Donnellan

Date/Time: Tuesday 7^th July | 11.00am – 12.00pm

Ages: 4 – 7 Location: Sligo Central Library

No booking required

Boardgames with Wayne O Connor

Date/Time: Thursday 9^th July | 10.00am – 11.30am

Ages: 8+ Location: Sligo Central Library

BOOKING REQUIRED | 0719111675 | sligolib@sligococo.ie

Come join artist and storyteller Wayne O Connor, who also runs Sligo Gaming Society, as he introduces you to the world of modern board games. Discover the reason boardgames are now a multimillion industry and ever-growing hobby. Wayne will introduce you to a variety of games of all kinds…it’s going to be guaranteed fun as you explore many card games, party games and boardgames over the course of this workshop.

3D Creatures Workshop with Rachael Grainger

Date/Time: Tuesday 14^th July | 2.00pm – 4.00pm

Ages: 6 – 10 Location: Sligo Central Library

BOOKING REQUIRED | 0719111675 | sligolib@sligococo.ie

Mindfulness Session with Eadaoín Dooley

Date/Time: Friday 17^th July | 10.00am – 10.30am

Ages: All Ages Location: Sligo Central Library

No booking required

Drama Workshop with Miriam Needham

Date/Time: Tuesday 21^st July | 10.00am – 11.30am

Ages: 8 – 12 Location: Sligo Central Library

BOOKING REQUIRED | 0719111675 | sligolib@sligococo.ie

Join Miriam for a fun, imagination-filled drama workshop where we will explore drama using improvisation, movement, and stories that we create together.

Ciorcal Comhrá Speisialte do Dhaoine Óga Fásta

(Ciorcal Comhrá Young Adult Special)

Date/Time: Friday 24^th July | 12.30pm – 1.30pm

Ages: 13+ Location: Sligo Central Library

No booking required

Ultimate Football Heroes / World Cup Family Quiz

Date/Time: Saturday 25^th July | 3.00pm – 4.00pm

Ages: All ages. 2 – 4 per team, including one adult Location: Sligo Central Library

BOOKING REQUIRED | 0719111675 | sligolib@sligococo.ie

Pop Art Workshop with Lisa Cannon

Date/Time: Thursday 30^th July | 2.30pm – 4.00pm

Ages: 6 – 10 Location: Sligo Central Library

BOOKING REQUIRED | 0719111675 | sligolib@sligococo.ie

Get creative and explore the colourful world of pop art in these fun, hands-on workshops for children aged 6-10. Young artists will have the opportunity to experiment with exciting techniques, bold colours, and imaginative designs while creating their own unique masterpieces to take home.

Children’s Canvas Painting Workshop with Zara O’Connor

Date/Time: Tuesday 4^th August | 2.00pm – 4.00pm

Ages: 6 – 9 Location: Sligo Central Library

BOOKING REQUIRED | 0719111675 | sligolib@sligococo.ie

Contact Sligo Central Library for booking or further details:

0719111675

sligolib@sligococo.ie

COMING SOON!

Contact Ballymote Community Library for booking or further details:

0719111669

ballymotelibrary@sligococo.ie

COMING SOON!

Contact Tubbercurry Community Library for booking or further details:

0719111705

tubberlibrary@sligococo.ie

Contact Enniscrone Branch Library

0719111653

enniscronelibrary@sligococo.ie

WORLD CUP OF FOOTBALL HEROES BOOKS!

Sligo County Library have organised a World Cup of Books initiative to coincide with the World Cup taking place this Summer, using the Ultimate Football Heroes series of books https://heroesfootball.com/, Taking place between the 2^nd of June and the 8^th of August.

Structured like the FIFA World Cup, the initiative features 32 titles of top footballers divided into eight groups, encouraging readers to explore, read, and review their favourites.

A total of 32 books, each linked to a well-known footballer, will compete in a World Cup style format – Group Stages, Knock Out Rounds, Quarter-Finals, Semi-Finals, and Final.

Children will be encouraged to come into their local library branch and read books of their favourite footballers.

Along with checking out the books, children can also vote on a rotating Wallchart of football players, which will add to the overall statistics, encouraging an excitement of the final outcome.

There will be prizes and events along the way, including a World Cup Quiz.

Final:

The Golden Book Trophy

The book with the most loans in the final round is crowned the World Cup of Books Champion.

The goal of the programme is to promote children’s reading and literature, encourage exploration of different genres and create excitement coinciding with the FIFA World Cup.

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Our awards ceremonies will be held in August. All children who participated will receive a Summer Stars medal and certificate.

Please see below for the date of the awards ceremony at your library branch.

Summer Stars Awards Ceremony Concerts with Lisa Cannon and Guest: Celebrate your Summer Stars reading achievements with an interactive musical experience for the whole family! Sing along to favourite children’s songs and well-loved family classics in a lively, engaging concert full of fun, participation, and plenty of smiles.

SLIGO CENTRAL LIBRARY
__________________________________

Monday 10th August

Session 1 – 10.00am

Session 2 – 11.45am

Details of which session Summer Stars participants should attend will be sent closer to the event date.
BALLYMOTE COMMUNITY LIBRARY
__________________________________

Thursday 13th August

10.00am
TUBBERCURRY COMMUNITY LIBRARY
__________________________________

Tuesday 13th August

10.00am
ENNISCRONE BRANCH LIBRARY
Pick up your child’s medal and certificate in Enniscrone Library starting mid-August.

JOINING THE LIBRARY

Anybody can join. Just complete the online form and provide identification which shows your current address when visiting the Library. Under 18s will need a guarantor.

SEARCH AND RENEW

Our main catalogue is a great place to start as it contains the majority of the Library’s collection of books, journals, newspapers, maps and more.

Click to access Library Catalogue

Sign in using your library membership card barcode number and PIN. Your PIN number is given to you when you join the library. If you have forgotten it you can have a new one created, please ask on your next visit to the library.

Borrow up to 5 e-books and 5 e-audiobooks at a time by visiting bolindadigital.com

Click me to access Borrowbox

Summer Stars Reading Challenge 2026

Hello and welcome to Sligo Library Summer Stars Reading Challenge 2026

SUMMER STARS 2026 COMPETITIONS

SUMMER STARS 2026 EVENTS

Contact Sligo Central Library for booking or further details:

0719111675

sligolib@sligococo.ie

COMING SOON!

Contact Ballymote Community Library for booking or further details:

0719111669

ballymotelibrary@sligococo.ie

COMING SOON!

Contact Tubbercurry Community Library for booking or further details:

0719111705

tubberlibrary@sligococo.ie

Contact Enniscrone Branch Library

0719111653

enniscronelibrary@sligococo.ie

WORLD CUP OF FOOTBALL HEROES BOOKS!

Our awards ceremonies will be held in August. All children who participated will receive a Summer Stars medal and certificate.

JOINING THE LIBRARY

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