Some of the most recognisable names in Irish and international literature will participate in the Ennis Book Club Festival 2009, details of which were announced today. The County Clare capital will host the third annual festival from 6-8 March 2009.
The three-day programme of events, in association with Clare County Library, is expected to attract hundreds of book club members and book lovers from all over Europe and North America.
Festival organisers today unveiled a line-up that includes John Boyne, author of "The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas"; Salley Vickers, best selling British novelist and author of "Miss Garnet's Angel"; John Breen, author of "Alone It Stands"; Jennifer Johnston, Booker Prize nominated writer; Allan Guthrie, Scottish crime novelist; Mark O'Halloran, award winning writer and actor; and journalist and broadcaster Kevin Myers.
The Festival programme will feature author visits, readings, lectures, workshops, exhibitions, musical entertainment and chocolate tasting in various venues around Ennis.
One of the highlights of the weekend will be the Sunday Symposium during which the theme of ‘Reading Politics' will be explored by journalist and political analyst Conor O'Clery, Public Relations consultant Terry Prone and Labour politician Michael D. Higgins.
Meanwhile, students from Trinity College Dublin will stage an exclusive performance of "The Trial of Oscar Wilde" at Ennis Courthouse. The only other enactment of the trial, which led to Wilde's public disgrace and two year imprisonment for acts of "gross indecency", was held at Trinity College in April.
Other festival participants will include Gerry Stembridge; novelist, film director, playwright and co-author of the satirical radio show ‘Scrap Saturday'; Gerard Donovan; author of the Booker Prize nominated "Schopenhauer's Telescope"; Aifric Campbell, author of "The Semantics of Murder"; and Denis Sampson, broadcaster and author of a book on John McGahern entitled "Outstaring Nature's Eye".
Poetry will also feature prominently at the festival. Winner of the Rooney prize for Irish Literature, Medbh McGuckian; founder member of Aosdána and winner of the Marten Toonder prize for Literature, Micheal O'Siadhail, awarded an Irish American Cultural Institute prize for poetry in 1982 and in 1998 the Marten Toonder prize for Literature.; Dublin-based Russian poet, Anatoly Kudryavitsky; winner of the 2003 Cúirt Festival Poetry Grand Slam, Kevin Higgins; and poet and dramatist Rita Ann Higgins, whose many accolades include the Peadar O'Donnell Award, will all delight and challenge their audiences during the Festival.
According to Francis O'Gorman, Chairperson of the Ennis Book Club Festival: "The festival presents a unique opportunity for book club members from Ireland and beyond to get together to share their joy of reading, to meet authors, to discuss books, and to have a weekend break with friends."
Commenting on the festival line-up, Ms. O'Gorman said: "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."
The inaugural Ennis Book Club Festival was held in 2007. Past participants include Patrick McCabe, Edna O'Brien, Ann Enright, Joanne Harris, Brian Keenan, Roddy Doyle, Diarmuid Gavin, Hugo Hamilton, Dermot Bolger, Fintan O'Toole, Theo Dorgan, Lorna Landvik and the late Nuala O Faolain.
Both previous festivals have attracted literary enthusiasts from all over North America and Europe, including members from many of Ireland's 150 Library Book Clubs and 300 Private Book Clubs.
For further details on the Ennis Book Club Festival 2009 see www.ennisbookclubfestival.com.
Alternatively email info@ennisbookclubfestival.com
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