MINISTER for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan TD will be in Bantry on Friday July 10th to officially launch this year’s much anticipated West Cork Literary Festival.

The minister will see first-hand what the festival has come to mean to the residents of Bantry, and to the loyal legion of fans who return to the town every year for the eight-day programme of events.

With West Cork as a home​-from​-home for many high-profile writers, it can hardly come as a surprise that Sara Baume will top the bill. So too will Dearbhla Mescal, mother of the Gladiator-star Paul Mescal, who has a house locally.

Dearbhla has described West Cork as ‘my happy place’ which is fitting given that her bestselling book of poetry is entitled, Finding Joy.

Meanwhile, high profile personal trainer Karl Henry, who moved with his family from Dublin to Clonakilty in 2022, should be another sell-out success given the high level of interest in his latest book, The Walking Effect.

With West Cork already a top destination for walkers in thrall to the rugged beauty of the Beara Way and the Sheep’s Head Peninsula, Karl promises to be persuasive on the subject.

He poses the question: ‘If there was a pill that could improve your health, give you mental clarity, supply moments of peace, help with creativity, and aid sleep and weight loss, would you take it?

‘Well, there is no pill, but all of these benefits, and more, can be achieved by simply putting on your runners and going for a walk,’ said Karl, who believes it is possible to recharge with solo strolls; improve your sleep with a calming walk; burn more fat and build strength with some simple walking strategies; as well as going faster and further by unlocking the potential of your daily walks.’

Never a fan of fads or gimmicks, Karl said he is passionate about what he does. And his book offers a realistic route to better health, sleep and mental clarity.

Accessible and encouraging, it is especially appealing for readers who want wellbeing advice that feels achievable rather than overwhelming in everyday life.

He told The Southern Star: ‘I am delighted to be taking part in this year’s West Cork Literary Festival. I’m looking forward to the interview at The Marino Church.

‘As part of the session we will be looking at the benefits of walking and wellbeing; I will be answering any questions people have; and I will be doing some aging health checks as well.’

Among the many inspirational speakers attending this year’s event, which runs until July 17th, will be Margaret Busby, who is Britain’s youngest publisher as well as the first black female book publisher in the UK when she and the late Clive Allison co-founded the London-based publishing house Allison and Busby in the 1960s.

Anton Hur will be speaking about translated literature from Korea and the life of a literary translator.

Also in attendance will be Jonathan Coe, Elaine Feeney, Anton Hur, Charlie Mackesy, Andrew Miller, RTÉ’s Miriam O’Callaghan, Ian Rankin, Catherine Ryan Howard, Jessica Traynor, Djamel White, Nussaibah Younis, Emer McLysaght and Sarah Breen.

Charlie Mackesy will be dicussing his book The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse.

‘Whether you are a writer or a reader,’ festival director Eimear O’Herlihy told The Southern Star, ‘we have so much to offer, including readings by international and Irish authors, as well as a good mix of Cork talent.

‘There’s also an increased focus on translated literature to celebrate Ireland holding the Presidency of the Council of the European Union for the next six months, a Pop-Up Gaeltacht, our annual trip to Whiddy Island, showcases of new and emerging writers, as well as yoga on the lawn of Bantry House,’ she added.

Meanwhile, this year’s West Cork Chamber Music Festival runs until July 5th. It’s enjoying good audience numbers and fine weather as it runs through a programme that opened with a homage to Ukraine and will conclude with a memorable finale that will see the stage at Bantry House crammed with string players for Mendelssohn’s Octet, a perennial favourite for musicians and audiences alike.