The program for the fifth Ennis Book Club Festival  has been launched and features author visits, readings, musical entertainment, and lectures and workshops in various venues around Ennis. It also includes the ‘Irish Book Club of the Year Award’ and a professional development workshop for library staff.

The line up for 2011 includes Booker Long-listed Paul Murray, Booker Prize winner, Anne Enright, broadcaster Marie-Louise O’Donnell, comedian and author Pauline McGlynn, bookseller Des Kennt, and former governor of Mountjoy Prison, John Lonergan.

Festival Chairperson Ciana Campbell  said, ‘The numbers attending the Festival have grown year-on-year and we expect up to 3000 people from throughout Ireland, the UK and beyond to travel to Ennis this March.’

The festival runs from 4 March to 6 March 2011 which clashes with the Dublin Book Festival running from 2 March to 6 March 2011.

The inaugural Ennis Book Club Festival was held in 2007. Past participants include Patrick McCabe, John Boyne, Lionel Shriver, Edna O’Brien, Joanne Harris, Brian Keenan, Roddy Doyle, Diarmuid Gavin, Hugo Hamilton, Allan Guthrie, Jennifer Johnston, John Connolly, Dermot Bolger, Salley Vickers, Fintan O’Toole, Tim Pat Coogan, Lorna Landvik, Gerry Adams and the late Nuala O Faolain. 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 more than 300 Private Book Clubs

The festival is supported by Clare County Library.