Night of song and story planned at major Offaly book launch

TEN Faithful Years, the book compiled by Tullamore man Raymond Daly, will have its Clara launch this Friday, February 27 at Clara Heritage Society, the Old Bank, Church Street, Clara (8pm), with a Night of Song and Story.

Ten Faithful Years (1913–1923) in Song and Story is a 512-page illustrated hardback compendium which maps out not only Offaly and Ireland's revolutionary period and Great War involvement, but also lists the lyrics of scores of popular ballads.

The launch night in Clara will feature live renditions of many of those old favourites by singer Michael Middleton.

Raymond Daly (pictured below) says the night will give people an opportunity to “step into one of the most defining decades in Irish history through story and song”.

He says the book chronicles the key events of the era—from the Great War (1914–1918) to the fight for Irish freedom — honouring the courage, bravery, and sacrifice that helped shape modern Ireland.

The historical songbook features 105 songs and ballads from before, during, and after the revolutionary period.

Each song is accompanied by a concise introduction, offering insight into the author, origins, and historical background—providing valuable context for readers, performers, and historians alike.

Sample titles include The Foggy Dew, Grace, The Rising of the Moon, The Wearin’ of the Green, The Ballad of Michael Collins, and Four Green Fields.

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Another launch of the book has been scheduled for Thursday, April 2 in the Esker Arts Centre (8pm) to coincide with the 110^th anniversary of the Easter Rising.

The event will include songs, music and stories illustrating some of the contents of the book and is in aid of Accessible Counselling Tullamore (ACT) (tickets €10 plus booking fee).

Ten Faithful Years: (1913-1923) in Song and Story is a unique blend of history and song that captures one of the most turbulent decades in 20^th century Irish life.

The book shines a light on the period from an Offaly perspective, but also chronicles the Irish struggle for independence from a broader viewpoint, through ballads and narrative commentary.

The launch night on April 2 falls between two very significant dates in 1916. While the Easter Rising itself took place mainly in Dublin on April 24 that year, an event widely interpreted as its precursor, the Tullamore Incident, occurred a few weeks before on March 20.

Raymond recalls that his granduncle, John (Jack) Martin was one of the Irish Volunteers in the Sinn Fein rooms in Tullamore on the night of March 20, 1916 where the incident occurred.

The Tullamore Incident became known as 'the first shots of 1916' and it was commemorated on its 100th anniversary.

Raymond adds: “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.”

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“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.

“These events brought me on an amazing journey of detailed and comprehensive research with the end result - 512 pages – with over 100 songs and ballads from before, during and after the Revolutionary period (1913 - 1923), plus songs and ballads from the Great War (1914 – 1918).”