The Ennistymon Town of Books Festival runs this weekend from 10am Saturday until Sunday evening. The event is in its eleventh year and the town will be filled with pop-up bookshops catering for all tastes and budgets.
This year there will be a new participant, Daniel and Isabella’s Bookshop, run by Ireland’s youngest booksellers. “We are on a mission to promote curiosity and love for books in other children like us. In our world, books open doors to new places, allow us to walk in someone else’s footsteps,” said Daniel, aged 8.
“We read, share and promote books and stories to help others choose their next favourite book. …. We are bringing a lot of books that we have read and really loved. We know that other children would enjoy reading them too!” added his younger sister, Isabella, aged 6.
Daniel and Isabella’s Bookshop will be in the Courthouse Gallery Ennistymon alongside Cooney Rare Books from Cork and Mairead Sharry, who will be selling and talking about her adult’s and children’s fiction from the Aran Islands, and Sean Sexton from Liverpool.
Other participants at the event include Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop in Skerrett’s on Church Street (next door to Cullinan’s Bar); Foyles in Byrne’s Restaurant; Tall Stories from Kilkenny, Doolin Dinghy from Doolin, Joe Collins Rare Books from Dublin, and Red Books and O’Brien’s from Wexford, who will be in the Teach Ceoil. Other sellers are yet to be confirmed.
And not forgetting Ennistymon’s two permanent bookshops, Banner Books in The Square, and Salmon Bookshop in Parliament Street.
Readings, launches, signings, and a writing workshop will take place over the weekend.
Programme:
Bookshops open Saturday and Sunday 10–5 at venues throughout the town.
Saturday 27th, Ennistymon Library, 10.30–12.30, Jayne Shor will facilitate a Word-scaping workshop – a guided exploration in gathering ideas and thoughts from our environs, to shape, craft and sculpt into short poems and prose. Contact Jayne on 089 221 3017.
Saturday 27th, 2 pm Salmon Bookshop Garden, The Man in the Big House, Eddie Lenihan.
The Art of Place: People and Landscapes of County Clare, Eds Peadar King and Anne Jones. Participants Peadar King, Jessie Lendennie, Sarah Clancy and Michael McGaughan.
Sunday 28th, 2 pm Salmon Bookshop Garden, Launch of Sue Hubbard’s Swimming to Albania, and readings by Salmon poets.
For more information contact John Heddon 086 406 1049.