Fair and festival to bring book lovers to Ennistymon

Ennistymon looks set to make a national first next month when it hosts a literary festival and a book fair concurrently.
In addition to the Dylan Thomas Literary Weekend, which will be based at the Falls Hotel on May 18, 19 and 20, Ennistymon will be hosting its first annual book fair.  
Organisers believe this will be the first time Ireland, with all its separate literary festivals and book fairs, will see both elements in the same place at the same time.
The Western Writers’ Centre and the Falls Hotel have produced a programme of events that will be complemented by the book fair. “There will be something for everyone, from children’s activities as part of the literary weekend to children’s books on sale at the fair. For lovers of books and reading, these two events will offer a variety of interests and activities, which should satisfy all tastes,” said Gerry Harrison of Banner Books, Ennistymon.
Following the example of the annual book fair at Graiguenamanagh in County Kilkenny, which attracts hundreds of visitors each September, booksellers from across Ireland and some from Britain will be arriving in Ennistymon in May.  
“As at Graiguenamanagh, they will be occupying empty retail premises in the centre of the town, in Main Street, Parliament Street and the Square and so bringing the town, usually quiet over a weekend, back to life. The Courthouse Gallery has led the way by making space available for six booksellers and it is expected that many owners of empty properties will now follow. Funding applications have been made to cover publicity, rentals and insurance,” he explained.
“In addition to children’s books, there will be other specialists based in these shops, who will be selling antiquarian books, books of Irish interest, books in the Irish language, fiction and non-fiction, new books at bargain prices, second-hand and used books and what are known as collectibles. It is hoped that three booksellers from County Clare will be among them, myself, Gerald Griffey from Ennis and Cindy Sinnott from Doolin,” he added.
The weekend begins with a welcome for visiting booksellers at Banner Books and then at 8pm in the Courthouse Gallery, Tony Kirby will be introducing a film based on the poem West Cork by Sean Dunne. “This will be accompanied by certain North Clare voices,” Tony said. On the Saturday and Sunday the Courthouse Gallery and up to 15 shops will be open for business.
“The initiative is supported by the Clare Tourism Forum as one of the smaller-scale activities, which will help demonstrate the depth of attractions the county has to offer. We hope the event will become an unmissable fixture in Ireland’s calendar,” Gerry concluded.