At Gallowglass Books, we’re having our semi-annual 25% off sale, starting Friday, May 28th and running till closing Saturday, June 5th.  Every book in the store is discounted as we clear our overstock and look to make room for plenty more books to hit the shelves this summer.

So whether you’re looking for a paperback mystery to bring down to the beach (regularly $3.75 each, now only $2.81!) or any of our many rare books — or something in between –  expect to get a great deal!

Note: We will NOT be taking in books to buy anytime in June. Please check back in July if you have items to sell. Thanks!

There’s been a temporary change to our bookstore’s hours, as we’ll no longer be open on Sundays in the near future. This is NOT a permanent thing, just temporary as we adjust to having a new member of the Gallowglass family arriving soon, a baby girl due any day now!

So the store hours, until further notice, are:

Monday to Saturday 10:00-5:00 pm

One more thing…

There may be a few days in the next couple weeks where these regular hours are not adhered to either. Our apologies in advance for any inconvenience this may cause, and we invite you to call the store at 250-746-4104 if you have any questions.

Thank you!

On Tuesday Sept 22nd we had Armstrong B.C. author Gordon Schnare at the bookstore all day promoting his book “Uncovering Treasures from the Earth: The Life Story of Prospector Thomas James McQuillan.”

McQuillan grew up in Courtenay and went on to become one of Canada’s most successful prospectors, laying claim to four major ore bodies (all major producers) over his career. He served in the Canadian Navy in W.W.II as a petty officer aboard a Corvette and was also a coastal logger for a time.  The author was a long-time friend.

The book retails at $25.00 and is currently available for sale.

So why this very unusual name anyways?  Where does it come from, why was it chosen and why do so many have so much trouble remembering it?

It’s been a pleasure fielding the constant inquiry about the meaning of Gallowglass over the years.  There’s been times where it has flowed quite naturally and times where even I have not felt confidant with my acute knowledge in this regard.

A quick Wikipedia search defines `gallowglass`as:

“The gallowglass were a mercenary warrior élite among Gaelic-Norse clans residing in the Western Isles of Scotland (or, Hebrides) and Scottish Highlands from the mid 13th century to the end of the 16th century. As Scots, they were Gaels and shared a common origin and heritage with the Irish, but as they had intermarried with the 10th century Norse settlers of the islands and coastal areas of Scotland and the Picts, the Irish called them Gall Gaeil (”foreign Gaels”).

They were the mainstay of Scottish and Irish warfare before the advent of gunpowder, and depended upon seasonal service with Irish lords. A military chieftain would often select a gallowglass to serve as his personal aide and bodyguard, because as a foreigner, the gallowglass would be less subject to local feuds and influences.”

Essentially The name “gallowglass” means servant, summarized as `one indebted to another’.

The Store Gallowglass Books has been in existance since it’s founding in 1990. It was started, and of course named, by a gentleman called Terry Malone. Terry was very well read in his Celtic history and folklore and revered the Gallowglass as bodyguards, protectors, per se, of the nobility that contracted their services. Perhaps, the metaphor of the ‘gallowglass’ being the protector of literature and books that span the ages, can summarize a possible purpose for his giving the name to the business.

For whatever reason, the name was truly chosen, I have been very comfotable with it’s unique nature and the connotation to service that defining the role of these medieval warriors can lead to.  In a time when service is somewhat compromised in place of perceived price discount and larger purchasing power, if this business were remembered for anything, I would wish it to be it’s dedicated and consistent focus on service.

GALLOWGLASS - in dictionary

Gallowglass: gal·lo·glass or gal·low·glass
Pronunciation Key (gl-gls) n. [Irish Gaelic gal-
loglach : gall, foreigner + oglach, soldier (from
óg, from Old Irish óac. See yeu in Indo-
European Roots).] \Gal”low*glass`\, n. [Ir. gal
loglach. Cf. Gillie.]

Galloglass or gallowglass (Irish gallóglach, from
gall, ‘foreigner’, and óglach, ‘young warrior-
servant’). An armed servitor or foot soldier in
ancient Ireland. Shakespeare speaks of kerns
and gallowglasses as coming from the Western
Isles of Scotland. See also KERN.

Greetings everyone and Happy New Year! This is my first official post at our new blog at gallowglassbooks.com and I do promise to make it a more regular occurrence. It will be a wonderful means of recording some of the happenings, and comings and goings at the Bookshop.

The overwhelming feeling that I have at the close of 2008 is one of sincere gratitude. With completing my 12th Holiday Season at Gallowglass, I am left with the deep sense that the bookstore is very much appreciated. This is so important and is really the lifeblood of a Used & Rare Bookshop; to know that your work matters and is important in your community. We have been so well patronized, even through the most unpredictable of weather here in Cowichan; the door just never stopped opening, and the shop had a true feel of vibrancy the whole year through. Success in my business really is measured by ‘appreciation for your existence on an ongoing basis’.

It is very evident to me that the passion for books and reading is very much alive and that is true, both here locally and internationally. We definitely see that one of the great truths is that ‘reading breeds more reading’. A part of one’s personal evolution is the result of a lifetime of reading, whether the individual is young or old, or somewhere in between. Reading is one of life’s great pleasures, and it seems that even more people are finding their way to discovering the merits of a well stocked and carefully selected used & rare bookstore inventory with titles that span the ages (well, the past couple hundred years, in any event!).

I want to thank all of the individuals, far too many to mention, who through small or large contribution over the past year, have made Gallowglass Books what it is. We have clients from next door to us, on each side, and from as far away as Australia and New Zealand, and many many places in between, and I truly wish to offer sincere thanks to all of you. I believe that in plying the trade of used & rare books, one gets to know their patrons as friends and in terms of what their passions are in many cases, and that is just so rewarding.

I would like to thank the two who share in my delight with the running of the shop, Richard Neftin and Pat Ormond, whom I feel are very closely connected to the spirit of the business. Also to my lovely wife Alanah who, in her spare time (which is practically non-existent) came up with the wonderful idea of enhancing the store’s ability to interact with it’s clients with this new website. And also, I wish to thank my mentor and inspiration, my Dad and business partner Andy Downie, who has always believed so strongly in Gallowglass, even I times when I was in doubt of its ability to survive. Dad was the one who instilled the passion for books in me at such a young age and that gentle madness of always feeling that the next great find is only a box lid away, and another box, and another box, etc. etc. etc…..

I am very much looking forward to what the New Year brings and I feel that we shall have ample opportunity to help with all of your book requests, buying, selling, searching and sharing. It has been a true pleasure to have made it this far and I am very eager to see what the future holds for this business.

Best Wishes!

Jeff Downie, manager

Gallowglass Books Ltd.