World’s Largest Floating Bookfair Open At Cork’s Kennedy Quay Until Sunday

The MV Logos Hope, the world's largest floating bookfair, is berthed at Kennedy Quay in Cork's south docks, beside the Marina Market, and is open to the public until Sunday 23 August 2026. It is the ship's first visit to Cork since 2009, and entry costs €2 per person.

The vessel arrived on Tuesday 18 August and departs on Monday 24 August, calling to Cork as part of an Irish tour that has already taken in Dublin, with Belfast to follow in October. Doors are open from 10am to 10pm on Friday 21 and Saturday 22 August, and from 1pm to 10pm on Sunday 23 August.

No booking is needed to browse the bookfair, which stocks more than 5,000 titles, or to visit the onboard Hope Café, which serves drinks, light snacks and cakes. According to the organisers' information at the quayside, entry is free for under-12s and over-65s. Children are welcome but must be accompanied by an adult throughout their visit.

One-hour guided tours of the ship, run in small groups of seven, can be booked through OM Ireland's Cork page, priced at €5 for adults and €2 for children aged 5 to 16, with under-4s free.

The final weekend also brings a full programme. Family Day runs from 10am to 10pm on Saturday 22 August, with the Journey of Life walkthrough and photos with the ship's mascot, El Capitano. Meet the World, an evening of performances by the international crew, takes place from 6pm to 7.30pm on Saturday, while Activate, a session for young adults, runs from 7pm to 9pm on Sunday.

Logos Hope is operated by GBA Ships, a German Christian charity, in partnership with the mission organisation Operation Mobilisation, and travels with a message of "knowledge, help and hope". Its volunteer crew is drawn from more than 60 nations, and the organisation's ships have welcomed an average of one million visitors on board each year.

The ship itself has an unusual past. Built in 1973 as the car ferry Gustav Vasa for service between Sweden and Germany, she later sailed as the Norröna on routes serving the Faroe Islands and Iceland, and was chartered to Irish Sea operators during the 1990s, including calls to Dún Laoghaire. GBA Ships purchased the vessel in 2004, and following an extensive refit she entered service as Logos Hope in February 2009. She measures 132.5 metres across nine decks, at 12,519 gross tonnes.

Logos Hope is not a wheelchair-accessible vessel, and visitors who require the use of a wheelchair are asked to be accompanied and to contact visitor.assistdh.logoshope@gbaships.org in advance. Parking is not guaranteed at the quayside, and the organisers encourage visitors to use public transport, with the ship a short walk from Kent Station on the opposite side of the river.