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BOOK READING IS a solitary occupation but reading a book with a book club transforms it into an activity where you connect with people, often in deeper ways than you normally would.
My first exposure to a book club was back in the 1980s when I lived in Copenhagen and joined a book club full of lively Irish women.
We were quite isolated, living abroad in pre-internet days. We still read the paper on Saturday, but a week late, when it arrived by post.
An Irish voice on the street was excuse enough to stop and say hello. And our book club was a place where we laughed and cried and understood one another, our link to home.
Moving to Ennis with a young family was a different form of isolation, and in some ways, it was more difficult to meet people, as an Irish accent wasn’t reason enough to talk to someone.
Again, a book club was a lifeline, and I’ve been with my current book club in Ennis for over 20 years. For me, talking about a book with others crystallises my thoughts and it’s eye-opening to hear a different response to my own.
A couple of times a year our book club head off on outings – maybe a hill walk, trip to a city or whatever. I recall a meeting almost 15 years ago when we were planning our next outing.
We talked about how great it would be to have a weekend that combined reading and books with fun and chat, an event that would be stimulating and engaging. What I took to be idle dreaming turned out to be anything but.
Next thing, a core group of our book club joined forces with two people who had organised an Ennis arts festival and were busy planning the Ennis Book Club Festival.
It was intended as a one-off event but was so successful that it has been held the first weekend of March since 2007.
A steady stream of leading and upcoming authors have come to Ennis, entertaining and inspiring us.
For me it was a revelation to hear authors reading from their book, it brings nuances that I haven’t always picked up when reading their words in my voice.
I remember laughing while Ian McEwan read On Chesil Beach, a book I had cried my way through when reading it.
Learning about the authors’ lives, their passions and the process of writing enriches the reading of their books. And it’s clear that they love to meet readers and other authors in a relaxed, friendly environment.
More recently, I lived in Helsinki for a few years. In the internet age, there was no difficulty in keeping abreast with friends, family and news from Ireland. But I still needed a book club and was driven to forming one.
My Helsinki bookclub was a mix of several nationalities and we read books from everyone’s home countries. There we read some great Finnish authors, such as Sofi Oksanan.
An Italian member introduced us to Elena Ferrante, a book club favourite in Ireland too.
A mediocre memoir about growing up in East Germany was vividly brought to life by a German club member whose life had closely paralleled that of the author.
I remember her speaking in fascinating detail about her upbringing, with the time, focus and depth that a book club can permit.
And it is that depth and breadth of discussion and the consequent bonding that mean most to me in book clubs. And this connection is not just within the confines of my own book club.
I know that at the Ennis Book Club Festival this weekend, I can turn to the person beside me and immediately find common ground. I will listen to authors like Conor O’Cleary, Elif Shafak and Emilie Pine, and I know that something they say will touch a chord in me, and stay with me.
I also plan to go to the yoga session and some poetry and music for a bit of chill time.
For this, I am grateful to those capable women who had the vision and confidence to set it up, to the volunteers, county library, venues, businesses and local authorities who supported it especially to the many speakers who transported me to their world.
And this year will be special for me, as five members of the Copenhagen book club gather together at the Ennis Book Club Festival, a reunion after almost 30 years.
Bridget Ginnity is a committee member of Ennis Book Club Festival and long-term book club member. The Ennis Book Club Festival takes place from 1-3 March.
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Why have no Orange/UVF/UDA suspicions been mentioned?
I’m no fan of SF or their IRA background but for a supposed “security expert” would you not have to look at both sides of the coin to see wether other organisations were involved?
@Trevor Hayden: Probably because the article is about a dissident republican resurgence.
@Clifford Brennan: That does not mean these bombs were carried out by dissident republicans.
@Trevor Hayden: You should have a read of this too. https://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/post-conflict-northern-ireland-is-still-plagued-by-political-violence-1.3470229
@Clifford Brennan: I have read it, but the article above seems to be centred around the IRA and these bombings without any reference to the unionist terrorist groups who during the troubles were just as violent.
@Trevor Hayden: Because. That. Is. Not. What. The. Article. Is. ABOUT.
What’s so hard to understand?
@Nick Caffrey: Stock photo. Republican violence. Linking them together.
Understood.
@Trevor Hayden: It’s the broken sectarian mindset rooted in experience of childhood bullying/abuse and the consequent symptomatic justifying of hateful vengeful bigotry that sustains the division of our island. You can break the cycle.
@Dan Jacobson: True Dan, but I believe it’s sloppy journalism to automatically bring republican violence of the past into the fore as soon as something like this arises.
During the 70s and 80s both republican and unionists were involved in the very same thing.
To automatically jump on one of the sides without proof is reckless.
Peace is what both sides need without provocating journalism.
Either side could be to blame for this for their own means with the brexit referendum or it could simply be a drugs or personal vendetta.
But journalists should not stoke the flames and let the police do their job.
@Clifford Brennan: not only have you spectacularly missed his point. But you willfully missed it…twice. Bag of hammers stuff, Clifford.
Don’t give them the satisfaction of being labeled as anything other than common criminals.
@Dan: that would make the British army common criminals too , or any army that exloses bombs for that matter
Paul Quinn 2007
No justice for his family to date .
£1bn security bill. You could build a wing of a children’s hospital with that.
If these thugs/criminals think their actions will encourage Ireland to be united, they are deluded. Why on earth would the south ever want to have to deal with these prats?
Don’t sully the term Republican by labelling them that. Call them what they are, terrorists.
@GrumpyAulFella: No. Criminals is what they are.
I thought the dinosaurs were extinct !!Prehistoric animals should stay just that.
Yes Gus, but dont forgot that Collins and the 1921-2 crop were also called toe-rags and worse. What I find very intriguing about this later Derry bombing is that no-one has claimed responsibility for it. Do people not find that odd – from a group we are told wants to make a big splash entrance onto the big stage?
‘Skilled’? ‘Military’?
Why use terms like this to describe people whose only ‘skill’ is to break and tear down?
Any fool could wreak mayhem and destruction, and frequently does.
These people share one thing in common, apart from a hatred of anyone who duffers from them in race or religion. They believe that you can persuade people of your point of view by killing them, their families or random strangers.
@John Mulligan: *differs*
@John Mulligan: worked for Michael Collins
@reabhloid: different world now but for some it’s still 1922. The current crop of toe rags only represent themselves.
REALLY???
its concerning, Derry seems so much closer to Dublin than it use to. i feel fear around this incident,
Some.people.just waiting for any excuse to start! Political my back side! Cause me granny! Criminals plain and simple. Dirty usless peolle with nothing better to do than cause havoc. Lets hope our Derry neighbours nip this in the bud. Sent them young fellas off to see the world and expand their tiny perspectives
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