On Saturday Sept 7th, we’ll publish the winners of the Best Shops in Ireland 2013. Before that, we want to introduce you to some of the shortlisted shops. The third in this series is from Charlie Byrne’s bookshop in Galway.

Charlie Byrne is a former archaeologist turned bookshop owner. He runs one of the best-loved independent books shops in the country, situated in Cornstore Mall, Middle Street in Galway city. This labyrinthine ode to the written word has walls literally lined with books, both new and second-hand and there are comfortable chairs at every turn to encourage you to stay. This is a place you can browse for hours without obligation.