Explore our Top 20 Non-Fiction bestsellers—a curated selection of the most popular, thought-provoking books across a variety of genres. From inspiring memoirs and historical deep-dives to groundbreaking self-help and investigative journalism, these top picks showcase today’s most engaging non-fiction reads. Whether you’re seeking insight, inspiration, or a new perspective, our bestseller chart has something for every reader. Discover the stories and ideas capturing readers’ imaginations this season.
1. The Dodger: DJ Carey And The Great Betrayal
by Eimear Ní Bhraonáin
€16.99
There was a time when DJ Carey didn’t need a surname. The star player of a Kilkenny hurling team that dominated the sport for a decade, he had a rare, natural talent that led his county to five All Ireland titles and won him nine All Stars. DJ wasn’t just a hero on the pitch - his easy charm, generosity, and readiness to meet young fans made him a national treasure. Throughout his meteoric rise, strange rumours followed him. In 2003, shocking claims that DJ was dying of cancer swept the country. Who would spread such a story about one of Ireland’s most beloved sporting legends? And what could possibly be gained from it? Two decades later, the truth emerged. DJ Carey was arrested and charged with deception and forgery - accused of faking cancer to con money from those who trusted him most. For years, he had been telling the same lie to generous supporters who believed they were funding life-saving treatment in the U.S. In this riveting exposé, Eimear Ní Bhraonáin uncovers the extraordinary fall from grace of a national icon, and how he betrayed the fans that once loved him.
Paperback
3. Miriam: Life, Work, Everything
by Miriam O'Callaghan
€24.99
I started writing this book as an exclusively work memoir, but the work and the personal kept overlapping. I don’t know if that’s because I’m a woman or a mother or both — or none of those reasons. I just know that for my story to be authentic and truthful, I couldn’t simply focus on the work side of my life. Miriam O'Callaghan is one of Ireland's best-known broadcasters, covering every election, referendum, major controversy, and important public event for TV, while also hosting an award-winning radio show. Combining career success, high-octane glamour, and motherhood to eight children makes her a truly unique figure in Irish public life. In her absorbing memoir, Miriam shares touching stories from her personal life — from the life-changing impact of losing her beloved sister and father in a matter of months, and the end of her first marriage that same year, to the joys and challenges of bringing eight children into the world and juggling a frenetically busy life (“give up on perfection” is her wise advice!). Miriam includes fascinating insights into a career that has given her a ringside seat to a changing Ireland. Like attending Bobby Sands’ wake even before she was a journalist, and life coming full circle when she championed John Hume to be declared the greatest figure in Irish history. She describes extraordinary debates, important and heart-breaking conversations with people in the eye of a media storm, and how she prepares for and conducts the big interviews — as well as what happens when things go wrong. Miriam also addresses the recent RTÉ controversies that cast a shadow over its high-profile presenters, not least herself.
Hardback
4. An Irish Word A Day: 365 Ways To Speak Irish Everyday
by Hector Ó hEochagáin
€18.99
Many of us wish we had paid more attention in Irish class and could still speak the cúpla focal. When we lose our language, we lose a part of who we are. Here, Hector makes adding an Irish word a day to your vocabulary a habit that's as easy as brushing your teeth. Month-by-month, through stories, words and phrases, Hector takes us through the year with words from the practical to the magical, for every season and new moon. When you start the day, you'll be able to name the gallúnach (soap) and ubh brúite (boiled egg). When you head to the chipper after a few pints you'll be able to order an ispín buailte (battered sausage). And when you look out your window and see the robin is building his nest again in spring, you'll be able to greet the spiteog through Irish. Reclaim your heritage (oidhreacht) by learning an Irish word a day and with Hector.
Hardback
5. Dynasty: Scandals, Triumph, Turmoil and Succession at the Heart of Dunnes Stores
by Matt Cooper
€21.99
The real story behind Dunnes Stores, the most quintessentially Irish shop of all, and the family drama behind it This is the story of the extraordinary family behind one of Ireland's most famous businesses, Dunnes Stores, over three generations and covering nearly 80 years of retailing but going back as far as the 19th century. With drama worthy of the popular TV drama Succession, a real-life Irish family drama shows the children of a dominant founder argue as to who should run the supermarket empire after his death and take the money from it, and how they dealt or not, with addictions and ill health, including alcoholism.
Hardback
6. The Only Way I Know: The Autobiography
by Andy Farrell
€24.99
The Only Way I Know: The Autobiography Andy Farrell’s life has moved from rugby-league rookie to international coaching legend. This is his story — told with warmth, honesty and heart. At just 16, Andy made his first-team debut for Wigan Warriors — and became a father. He later earned the Man of Steel award, switched codes to rugby union, and represented England and Saracens at elite levels. As a coach, he’s led Ireland to Six Nations glory and gained praise for his leadership and vision. In this deeply personal memoir, he reflects on the challenges, sacrifices and moments of daring that shaped him — from the playing field to the touchline — and shares what rugby has taught him about life, identity, and legacy.
Hardback
7. Midwinter: A Journey Through A Season
by Michael P. Harding
€19.99
A stunning meditation on the season of winter from bestselling author Michael Harding. On frosty nights, as he sits by a flickering fire, Michael Harding withdraws into the stillness of winter and begins to reckon with age and death. As stories emerge from the shadows, we meet a young boy whose arrival brings hope, but whose journey will know winter's path. November is a rainstorm, December a bleak twilight, but as January dawns and the ice thaws, the fragile light of love penetrates the dark, bringing beauty to the earth and making new beginnings possible. In writing of shadowed beauty, Midwinter is a poignant exploration of a season of loss, and the glimpses of hope that can follow even the longest nights.
Hardback
9. Ninety-Nine Words For Rain (And One For Sun)
by Manchán Magan
€18.99
Meet the néaladóirí (cloud-watchers) and réadóirí (star-gazers) from our past who, without the luxury of Met Éireann at their disposal, observed birds, trees, animals, as well as markers on land and sea for signs of weather change. The sheer richness and variety of terms they amassed reveal the closeness with which they observed the world around them. Swallows flying low foretold rain. The heron's behaviour offered many hints: Aimsir chrua thirim nuair a bhíonn an corr éisc suas in aghaidh srutha chun na sléibhte (when the heron flies upstream to the mountains the weather will be dry but rough). Fearthainn nuair a thagann sí an abhainn anuas (when she goes downstream, it will rain). Evoking countless sodden, shivery experiences on this Atlantic-swept Island of ours, this beautifully illustrated gift book uses Irish words to grasp an almost-lost world through the wisdom stored in the Irish language.
Hardback
10. Crooks 2: More Stories Behind the Headlines
by Paul Williams
€16.99
In this sequel to the explosive bestseller Crooks , Paul Williams digs deeper into his reporter’s notebook to reveal the inside stories behind his biggest scoops, some of which made international headlines. Beginning with the unmasking of one of the world’s most infamous drug-traffickers, Crooks 2 covers some of Williams’ most notorious reporting spanning political corruption, the secrets of the Catholic Church, gang wars and the Anglo-Tapes. For forty years Williams has shone a light where others dare not look. Here he brings us inside the world of undercover operations, stings and stakeouts in the way that only he can.
Paperback
11. The Gobshite Guidebook: A Survival Manual
by Jarlath Regan
€12.99
Every family has one. Every WhatsApp group. Every office. You know the type - the lane-hogger, the queue-jumper, the clueless loudmouth who somehow thinks they’re the normal one. But what exactly is a gobshite? And more importantly, how do we deal with them? The Gobshite Guidebook is the first no-nonsense, laugh-out-loud manual for surviving the gobshites that walk among us. From the barista who dries cups with a floor cloth to the history-making egomaniacs who derail entire nations, gobshites are a universal nuisance - and they’re not going anywhere. Part survival guide, part social commentary (with a dash of therapy), this book dives into the mindset, mayhem and mystery of the gobshite, with tips on how to spot them, outwit them and protect your peace. Because recognising a gobshite is step one. Not becoming one? That’s the real goal.
Hardback
12. Eddie Jordan: Full Throttle
by Keith O'Loughlin
€18.99
LIFE LESSONS FROM AN F1 LEGEND Eddie Jordan was one of a kind, a maverick F1 team boss, a brilliant mentor and a magnet for talent. He believed in going all in, lifting others as he rose. FULL THROTTLE is a riveting account of a life lived at the heart of motorsport, filled with raw insights and untold stories from Eddie Jordan's wildest moments. At its core is the Jordan Code: twenty-five powerful, punchy principles drawn from Eddie's extraordinary journey to founding Jordan Grand Prix; to discovering future champions like Michael Schumacher; to closing billion-pound deals; all the while making mischief around the world. The book also contains contributions from many of Eddie's friends and inner circle including Richard Branson, David Coulthard, Michael Flatley, Jake Humphrey, Ian Poulter, Stephen Roche, Roger Taylor, Mark Webber and Keith Wood. Eddie Jordan had a fearless life philosophy. It means backing yourself no matter what others say, taking bold risks, and never asking permission to succeed. Eddie lived with energy, instinct and defiance. With this book you can too.
Paperback
13. The Race: The Inside Track on the Ruthless World of Elite Athletics
by David Gillick
€19.99
The Race offers an exhilarating, behind-the-scenes look at the cut-throat world of elite athletics. With vivid recall, David Gillick, one of Ireland’s most celebrated 400m sprinters, describes the sacrifices, triumphs and devastating setbacks that define a life spent chasing greatness. From the punishing grind of training camps to the mental anguish of injuries and the darker side of athletics, this memoir captures the intensity of a career defined by fractions of a second. As an Irish athlete competing against the odds, Gillick recalls the unique challenges of representing a small nation: limited resources, enormous expectations and the constant push to prove you belong among the world’s best. But The Race is more than a story of sport. It’s an exploration of human resilience and the fight to find balance in a life consumed by the pursuit of perfection. It’s about enduring heartbreak, overcoming burnout and discovering who you are when the race is over.
Hardback