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A book found in a London flat has been returned to an Irish library more than 53 years after it was taken out.

The copy of Christy Brown's Down all the Days, borrowed from the Aidan Heavey Library in Athlone more than half a century ago, was due back on 10 September 1971.

It was returned to the library on Thursday.

Paula O’Dornan from Westmeath Libraries said staff were delighted when a woman contacted them to say she was returning a book that was “a bit overdue”.

Fines abolished

“The lady returning the book said it had made its way to a flat in London and she was recently entrusted with its return,” Paula told ������̳ News NI.

She added: “The book has been returned in great condition, and Westmeath Libraries will always welcome long lost books back into the fold.”

Fines for overdue book returns were abolished in all Irish public libraries in January 2019.

“At that time, we would have seen some overdue books returned but I can confidently say that none of them were on loan for over 50 years,” Paula said.

Still in demand

Irish writer Brown was born with cerebral palsy.

His life story was told in the 1989 Oscar winning film My Left Foot.

Published in 1970, Down all the Days became an international best-seller and is widely regarded to be his best work.

Paula said it’s a book still in demand.

Another edition is “currently on loan from the Westmeath Libraries showing that there is still interest in the writing of authors of the calibre of Christy Brown,” she said.