Tickets selling for fast for Ennis Book Club Festival

Ennis Book Club Festival organisers say tickets are selling fast for this year’s event in the Clare County Capital from March 6th-8th.

Man Booker Prize nominee Niall Williams, former politician Des O’Malley, Eason Novel of the Year winner Mary Costello, crime novelists Val McDermid and Paul Carson, and multi award-winning short story writer Colin Barrett will join a host of internationally renowned figures at this year’s festival which features author visits, readings, lectures and workshops in various venues.

Supported by Clare County Council, The Arts Council and Clare County Library, the three-day programme of events is expected to attract an estimated 3,000 Book Club members and literary enthusiasts from all over Ireland, Europe and North America.

The theme of this year’s Sunday Symposium in Glór is ‘The Naked Politician’, which will feature a panel discussion about life as a politician in Ireland today. Panellists include Des O’Malley, former PD leader; Professor Gary Murphy, Political Scientist at DCU; Mick Clifford, Correspondent for The Irish Examiner; and Katie Hannon; Political Correspondent for RTE.

The Festival’s “Ones to Watch” session will feature Sara Baume, Nuala Ní Chonchúir and Colin Barrett who are on track to be national and international literary sensations.

This year’s Festival also features a “Literary Lunch” on Saturday and Sunday starting with some of Ireland’s favourite poets, Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin, Peter Fallon and Michael Coady. The Sunday lunch features Natasha Fennell and Irish Times journalist Róisín Ingle, co-authors of The Daughterhood.

There will be a talk by professional genealogist John Grenham about genealogy, while Denis Sampson about his new memoir (‘A Migrant Heart’) of growing up in East Clare and living in Canada.

Elsewhere, Joe O’Connor, award-winning novelist; and Evelyn O’Rourke, RTE reporter and author of Dear Ross: An Amazing True Story of Love and Survival, will be shedding light on ’10 Books You Should Read’ on Saturday morning. (March 7th).

The Festival will be officially opened on Friday 6th March followed by Catalpa, performed by actor Donal O Kelly.  Other festival contributors include Michael Smith, author of the only biography of explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton; and Seán Rocks, presenter of RTÉ Radio 1’s Arena programme.

Tickets are on sale at Glór, Ennis, Co. Clare, and from http://www.glor.ie. Further details on the Ennis Book Club Festival 2015 are available from http://www.ennisbookclubfestival.com. Alternatively email liz@ennisbookclubfestival.com.