Star studded line-up for Hay Festival

The novelists Louis de Bernières, Jung Chang, Joe O’Connor and Gerry Stembridge are among the many writers and artists who will attend the Hay Festival Kells from 3rd to 6th July this year.
After last year’s award-winning, highly successful event, the festival returns with an even bigger and more ambitious programme. Highlights this year include appearances by novelists, Louis de Bernières, Joe O’Connor, Donal Ryan, Glenn Patterson, Anne Marie Casey, Gerry Stembridge, Eoin McNamee, Audrey Magee and John Kelly.
Poets, Nerys Williams, Eamon Grennan, Rosita Boland and Tom French will also attend, while writers for children and young adults who will be present are Darren Shan, Sarah Webb, Judi Curtin and Paula Leydon.
Detective fiction writer, Benjamin Black, journalists, Manchán Magan, Robert O’Byrne, Róisín Ingle and investigate writers, Anthony Summers and Robynn Swan will also attend.
Historians, David Reynolds, Paul Rouse and Caitriona Crowe, along with academic, Declan Kiberd, biographer, Jung Chang, broadcasters, Myles Dungan, Sean Rocks, Sinead Gleeson and special guest, Sean Boylan will also be in attendance.
Lyndy Cooke, Hay Festival Producer said at the launch of the festival in Headfort House last Wednesday night “Kells is rich in history and tradition, the spiritual home of the Book of Kells and a wonderful place to throw a party. We are thrilled to be working with such warm and generous partners here.”
Cathaoirleach of Meath County Council, Cllr John V Farrelly, told a packed audience that it was great for Kells and north Meath to have the festival return again this year. 
Former Taoiseach and chairman of the Meath Economic Forum, John Bruton, highlighted the commercial benefits of the festival to Kells and the wider area.