Parnell is distinctly ecclesiastical in tone if you start out at the top of the hill near The Holy Trinity Cathedral, but I would coax you to the bottom of the hill past the bricked paths of Parnell village and the Chocolate Boutique where apparently Bill Clinton once stopped for in for a Hot Chocolate with Chelsea. (His thank you letter from the White House is framed on the wall.) As you pass the boutiques and cafes, just as the road threatens to turn you’ll spot Lamplight Books on the right-hand side of the road. The entrance is tucked away in the enclosed courtyard in the centre of the building and when you walk in, you walk into a space made of warmth, light and a love for books.

Opened by two retail-loving friends, Melanie and Courtney, off the back of the global pandemic, here there is a true sense of care for their customers and a shared appreciation for books. There’s a beautifully stocked section on the arts and a great range of non-fiction, but my favourite corner of the store was the fiction section where the floor-ceiling shelves were stocked with both best sellers and those off-beat, hard to find books that make your heart sing! I came away with a copy of Thin Places by Kerri ni Dochartaigh and a resolution to return as soon as possible.

The love of books often extends to a love of all paper products and stationery and on your way back up the hill towards a hot chocolate or perhaps a perfectly wood-fired pizza with an Aperol Spritz at Non Solo Pizza, call into the beautiful Passion for Paper on the opposite side of the road. A beautifully curated space, their are printed wrapping papers, French fountain pens, glittered cards from Los Angeles and all sorts of journals where you might want to track your reading!