Dolly Parton's remarkable gift of books to Leitrim children

Parton, who died last week aged 80, founded the Imagination Library after being inspired by her father, Robert Lee Parton, who could neither read nor write.

The programme provides children with a free, age-appropriate book every month from birth until they turn five, helping families build their own collection of books at home.

Ireland joined the international initiative in 2019, with the first programme established in Dublin 24 through the Childhood Development Initiative in Tallaght, supported by Dublin Rotary Club, An Post and Shamrock Rovers.

Since then, hundreds of thousands of books have been delivered to preschool children in Ireland.

While the programme has not been confirmed as operating in Leitrim, its aim of providing children with free access to books echoes the work being carried out through libraries and reading initiatives across the county.

Parton established the Imagination Library in her home county in Tennessee in 1995.

Growing up as one of 12 children in a poor rural family, she never forgot that her father had missed out on an education.

What began as a small local project eventually became a worldwide literacy programme, distributing more than 300 million books.

Her father lived long enough to see the project flourish and Parton later recalled his delight when children began calling his famous daughter “The Book Lady”.

For generations she will remain the unmistakable voice behind Jolene, 9 to 5, Coat of Many Colors and I Will Always Love You.

But for millions of children, Dolly Parton also leaves another legacy.

A project inspired by one rural father who never learned to read has put books into the hands of children across the world — including hundreds of thousands of books delivered here in Ireland.