  In this paper we report on the detection of $\gamma$-ray emission coincident
with the Galactic supernova remnant Kesteven 79 (Kes 79). We analysed
approximately 52 months of data obtained with the Large Area Telescope (LAT) on
board the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope. Kes 79 is thought to be interacting
with adjacent molecular clouds based on the presence of strong $^{12}$CO J = 1
$\rightarrow$ 0 and HCO$^{+}$ J = 1 $\rightarrow$ 0 emission and the detection
of 1720 MHz line emission towards the east of the remnant. Acceleration of
cosmic rays is expected to occur at SNR shocks, and SNRs interacting with dense
molecular clouds provide a good testing ground for detecting and analysing the
production of $\gamma$-rays from the decay of $\pi^0$ into two $\gamma$-ray
photons. This analysis investigates $\gamma$-ray emission coincident with Kes
79, which has a detection significance of $\sim 7 \sigma$. Additionally we
present an investigation of the spatial and spectral characteristics of Kes 79
using multiple archival XMM-Newton observations of this remnant. We determine
the global X-ray properties of Kes 79 and estimate the ambient density across
the remnant. We also performed a similar analysis for Galactic SNR Kesteven 78
(Kes 78), but due to large uncertainties in the $\gamma$-ray background model,
no conclusion can be made about an excess of GeV $\gamma$-ray associated with
the remnant.
