Literary devotees to descend on Ennis for annual book club festival

HUNDREDS OF literary enthusiasts will visit Ennis, Co Clare, this weekend to celebrate the second annual book club festival.

Over the three days more than 30 internationally renowned authors will gather for a programme that features author visits, readings, lectures, workshops, exhibitions, cookery demonstrations, musical entertainment and chocolate tasting in various venues around Ennis.

The festival will stage a speed-dating style networking session for book club members to meet one another and exchange views.

Ciana Campbell of the Ennis Book Club Festival organising committee said the festival was a unique opportunity for book club members to share their joy of reading, to meet authors, to discuss books, and to have a weekend with friends.

"The involvement of so many high-profile authors, academics and literary figures will no doubt contribute greatly to what will be a diverse programme of events."

Those billed to attend include: Booker Prize winner, Roddy Doyle; author of best-seller Chocolat, Joanne Harris; winner of the Rooney Prize for Irish Literature, Hugo Hamilton; author of eight novels and winner of the Samuel Beckett Award, Dermot Bolger; and author of Are You Somebody? Nuala O'Faolain.

Concerning book clubs, Joanne Harris said she thought they were "a fabulous idea . . . I just wish that at a certain time in my development I would have had chance to be a member of a book club because it would have done me a lot of good".