Tullamore man's significant historical songbook to be unveiled this weekend
A Tullamore man’s nine-year journey to complete his 512-page historical songbook has come to fruition.
'Ten Faithful Years (1913–1923) in Song and Story' compiled by Raymond Daly will be launched on Sunday.
This Historical Songbook tells the true story of the Irish heroes and their brave and daring deeds in events leading up to, and participating in the Great War and the Fight for Irish Freedom between the years (1913-1923).The writings deal specifically with historical events which took place in Tullamore, Offaly and South Westmeath, which were mirrored throughout Ireland during those turbulent years.
Raymond recalls how he was inspired by a commemorative event which took place in 2016 to mark 100th anniversary of the first shots being fired by Irish Volunteers, on March 20, 1916, in Tullamore.
"My granduncle John (Jack) Martin was one of the Volunteers in the Sinn Fein room that night," he said of the 1916 incident.
"On the night of March 20, 2016 the crowd who attended made their way down town from the Tullamore courthouse with lit candles in a glass to the spot where the Sinn Fein rooms were on William Street. Local historian Michael Byrne gave a powerful inspiring speech on the events which had took place 100 years previously," he said.
"Secondly, on Easter Monday 2016 myself, my wife Nicola and our two daughters Sarah and Roisin went to Dublin on the 100th anniversary of the Easter Rising. This was a wonderful emotive occasion with a great sense of national pride and honour in our heroic 1916 leaders."
He said the events had brought him on "an amazing journey of detailed and comprehensive research" with the end result being the book of 512 pages.
There are 105 songs and ballads from before, during and after the Revolutionary period (191- 1923), plus songs and ballads from the Great War (1914-1918). Each one has a brief introduction giving details about the author or background to the song.
Songs featured include The Rising of the Moon, The Wearin’ of the Green, Down by the Glenside, It’s a long way to Tipperary, Pack up your Troubles, The Ballad of James Connolly, Grace, The Foggy Dew, On The One Road, The Merry Ploughboy, The Ballad of Michael Collins, The Galtee Mountain Boy, The Patriot Games, Four Green Fields, Only Our Rivers Run Free
The first book launch takes place in the Central Hotel, Main Street, Tullamore, on Sunday November 23 (3pm until 7pm) with talk and songs and ballads from (3pm until 4pm).