Audio book club wins inaugural Ennis festival prize

THE National Council for the Blind of Ireland (NCBI) Audio Book Club has been named by the Ennis Book Club Festival organisers as the overall winner of Ireland’s first Book Club of the Year award.
The Dublin-based club, located in Dún Laoghaire, will be special guest at the Ennis Book Club Festival from March 5 to 7.
This year’s festival is expected to attract hundreds of book club members and book lovers from all over Europe and North America.
Among the contributors to the fourth annual festival will be Lionel Shriver, David McWilliams, Joseph O’Connor, Tim Pat Coogan, Diarmaid Ferriter, Paul Howard, Fiona Looney, Thomas Lynch; Claire Kilroy; Joe Duffy, Paul Durcan and Ruth Dudley Edwards.
Commenting on the Book Club of the Year Award, Frances O’Gorman of the festival organising committee explained that entrants to the competition were asked to say why their book club is special.
“The NCBI Audio Book Club stood out as a deserving winner for a number of reasons. Lots of people cooperated to get it started including Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown library service that facilitates the meetings and supply the club with multiple book copies. The NCBI also provide a cosy meeting space and transport for the participants, who come from diverse backgrounds. You would be hard pressed to meet a more enthusiastic, vibrant bunch anywhere. Their commitment makes it happen,” she said.
Ms O’Gorman continued, “The group is made up of seven participants and includes one honorary member – the infinitely patient Hughie, who lies at Peggy’s feet throughout. Where else would you find a canine book club member? The reality is that Peggy could not attend without him, so his role in the Book Club meeting is vital.
“The members, some avid, some new readers, have embraced this opportunity not just to enjoy books but to discuss in a meaningful way themes and characters, and to have their opinions valued amongst new friends.”
“The significant increase in interest in book clubs is the focus of a questionnaire by the Ennis Book Club Festival organising committee. We are inviting people to complete the questionnaire on our website, which aims to gather information on the scale and nature of book club activity across Ireland,” she said.