Launch of new book ‘We Are Mayo’
VETERAN Mayo News columnist Sean Rice has combined with Charlestown-born, Fremantle resident, Tom Brett to produce an exciting new hardback, coffee-table style book, ‘We are Mayo’, to be released to coincide with Mayo Day 2020 this Saturday, May 2.
While the Covid-19 pandemic put paid to any plans to host an official launch at this time, the book is being made available online, courtesy of Castle Book Shop, Castlebar.
As the title implies, it’s a book about Mayo, about its geographic location in the world, about our rivers and lakes and mountains, about our history, our infrastructure, our people, our sporting and other legends.
Followers of the game will get their fair share of Mayo football with some exceptional historical photos of our 1936 and 1950/51 teams, including some great images from the celebratory boat trip to New York. Some players past and present are featured.
Ireland’s first lady and fervent Mayo GAA supporter, Sabina Higgins, provides a very appropriate foreword which details her own childhood and adolescence in Ballindine. Those of similar vintage will understand and be familiar with her childhood memories.
In keeping with supporting Mayo business and employment, the authors insisted on keeping it local with printing undertaken through KPS Colour Print in Knock.
“It was an interesting exercise producing and editing draft chapters, collecting and curating photographs as well as undertaking proof-reads – all done electronically in that great triangle between Fremantle, Islandeady and Knock,” reported Tom Brett.
“KPS Colour print were very professional in their approach while Sean and I did our best to keep to our timelines of an end of April production deadline.”
Other memorable images are from the Liam Lyons Collection and from the lens of Michael Donnelly.
An ideal chance for nostalgia, especially for some of our more senior citizens and die-hard Mayo supporters especially in these forced, stay at home, isolation days.
Apart from reports and photos of our GAA legends and modern-day GAA heroes, the book contains an interesting chapter about football rivalry in Mayo’s border towns and villages as well as a story about the blood relationship between two of Ireland’s greatest sporting heroes – Tom Langan and Ronal O’Gara. A must read for the true Mayo supporter!
The photographic images in the book are exceptional and Sean and Tom are grateful for the support of mayo.ie and Fáilte Ireland for making their collection of Mayo photos available for 'We Are Mayo'. The generosity of all those who supplied the photographs is acknowledged.
The front cover image is that of the traditional Mayo jersey first worn by Eamonn Brett, brother of Tom, on making his Mayo debut at right-half back in the All-Ireland minor final of 1974 while the back page hosting the splendid Aurora Borealis image of Dun Briste is the work of Brian Wilson.
Spot the Mayo colours of the aurora off our own north-west coast – magical!
'We are Mayo' seeks to reach out to all Mayo people – those living not only in Ireland and Britain but also to the very large, worldwide Mayo diaspora who for various reasons now live their lives in places far away from County Mayo and the country of their birth and youth.
While it was aimed to launch the book in conjunction with Mayo Day, the coronavirus intervened. It was then decided to make it available online from Castle Book Shop, Castlebar https://www.mayobooks.ie/. It will be available in bookshops everywhere when they re-open .
('We are Mayo' cost: €30 for single copy or four for €100).