President presents bookseller award

The President, Mrs Robinson, presented the 1997 O'Brien Bookseller Award to Ms Helen Clear and Ms Gemma Barry of Dubray Books…

The President, Mrs Robinson, presented the 1997 O'Brien Bookseller Award to Ms Helen Clear and Ms Gemma Barry of Dubray Books at the gala dinner of the Booksellers Association annual conference last night.

Ms Clear set up the Bray Bookshop in Quinsboro Road over 30 years ago, before moving to larger premises on Main Street.

Her daughter, Gemma, took what many regarded as a huge, risk in setting up the Dublin Bookshop in Grafton Street, which has now become a successful feature of the street.

Now trading as the Dubray Group, Ms Barry has now opened a shop in the Swan Centre, Rathmines, and another in Kilkenny.