At All Libraries NI branches in the borough · Various - Armagh, Portadown, Lurgan, Craigavon, Banbridge, Keady, Co. Armagh
The Big Summer Read is Libraries NI’s flagship summer challenge for primary school children, running for 66 days from late June through to September. The idea is straightforward: children collect a free Adventure Poster from their local library, read for at least 15 minutes a day over the holidays, and track their progress as they go. With libraries across the borough taking part - Armagh City, Portadown, Lurgan, Brownlow (Craigavon), Banbridge, Keady, and Richhill - it is easy to get involved wherever you happen to be in Co. Armagh. It suits families with children in primary school who want to keep them reading through the long break, and it costs nothing to join.
This year’s theme is The Story Tree, giving children a way into all kinds of books - fiction, non-fiction, picture books, whatever catches their interest. The challenge is built around the idea that 66 days is enough time to form a real reading habit, and the poster format lets children track each session themselves, which tends to appeal to that age group. During the summer, local Libraries NI branches also run free events, workshops, and activities tied to the theme, so there is often something happening beyond just the at-home reading.
Children collect their Adventure Poster from any Libraries NI branch in the Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon borough from 27 June. When the challenge is complete, participants receive a certificate to mark what they have done. Library membership is free, and you do not need to have a card already - staff can sign children up on the spot.
Armagh City Library sits at 2 Market Street, right in the city centre and easy to reach on foot from the main car parks off English Street and Friary Road. The library has lift access and accessible facilities. Portadown, Lurgan, Brownlow, Banbridge, Keady, and Richhill libraries all serve their own towns, so most families in the borough will have a branch within a short drive.
Armagh is well served by Bus Eireann and Translink services from Newry, Dungannon, and Belfast. If you are travelling from south of the border, the N1/A1 route from Dublin to Newry and then the A28 into Armagh is the most direct road option.
Armagh city is one of the oldest settlements on the island, with two cathedrals facing each other across the low hills and the Armagh County Museum a short walk from the library. A trip to collect a summer reading poster can easily stretch into a morning out. There is more to see in Armagh and across Co. Armagh.
Heading to All Libraries NI branches in the borough in Armagh? Armagh has plenty more to see. Read the Armagh area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.