Green Ink
Green Ink Bookshop, established by the Green Ink Writers Group, served as a vital resource for the Irish community in Archway, London.
The bookshop showcased Irish literature, political publications like An Phoblacht, and creative writing, while also running the successful London Irish Bookfair funded by the London Arts Board (LAB).
The bookshop had a specialised stock of 2,000 titles, focusing on Irish history, papers, magazines, music, videos, posters, feminist books, and Gaelic books for both adults and children.
Despite its significant contribution to the community, the bookshop was forced to close after ten years due to a £32,000 funding cut from LAB, leaving them insufficient time to seek alternative funding. Green Ink Bookshop's closure marked the end of a key cultural hub for the Irish community in London.
The loss of funding was a significant blow, as it not only provided access to a wealth of Irish literature and political thought but also supported a variety of cultural and literary events that enriched the community.
"Green Ink Bookshop closed in the 1990s, but its façade was still visible as late as 2015. I was wondering down the alley at the base of the tower and was struck by the word ??? on the wall - books"
- David Convery
Sources:
Radical Bookshops Listing, Radical Bookshop History Project (November 2023) [Available online here, accessed 15.05.2025]
Brian Campbell, 'Irish Community Bookshop Closes, 16.01.1997, An Phoblacht [https://www.anphoblacht.com/contents/1522, accessed 15.05.2025]
Islington Life article [https://islingtonlife.london/discover-islington/blog/the-irish-in-islington/, accessed 15.05.2025]
The Radical Bookseller, Issue 75, 1991
