The National Council for the Blind of Ireland (NCBI) Audio Book Club from County Dublin has been named overall winner of Ireland’s first ‘Book Club of the Year Award’.
Organised by the Ennis Book Club Festival, in association with Clare County Library, the competition attracted dozens of entries from book clubs throughout the country. The Dún Laoghaire-based Audio Book Club will be guests at the 2010 Ennis Book Club Festival from 5th to 7th March in Co Clare.
The three-day festival is expected to attract hundreds of Book Club members and book lovers from all over Europe and North America. The Festival programme features author visits, readings, lectures and workshops, exhibitions, a professional development workshop for library staff, walking history tours, musical entertainment and chocolate tasting in various venues around Ennis. 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 stated: “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 who facilitate 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 and had never met before. You would be hard pressed to meet a more enthusiastic, vibrant bunch anywhere. Their commitment ultimately makes it happen.”
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 Audio books used include prize-winners, bestsellers, classics and wide-ranging genres, all democratically chosen. The members, some avid, some new readers, have embraced this opportunity that some thought was lost forever to them, not just to enjoy books but to discuss in a meaningful way themes and characters, and to have their opinions valued amongst new friends.”
She added that there has been a surge in membership among new and existing book clubs throughout Ireland. “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”, Ms. O’Gorman concluded.
The NCBI Audio Book Club’s winning entry can be viewed at www.ennisbookclubfestival.com.
