Local author Desmond Egan launches his new book Athlone Athlone, with photographs by Noel Finnerty, this weekend.
In Athlone Athlone Desmond Egan both celebrates the town of his birth and a wide cross-section of its people, and laments the changes that have altered the character of the town where he was bred, born, and reared - hence the double name in the title.
Egan was recently described by Professor Brian Arkins of NUI Galway as “a major poet: both midland poet but also universal one” - a description echoed by many commentators and critics, including Athlone’s John Broderick, who wrote: “Padraic Fallon was the first of our poets and is at rest. Who will take his place? I would be prepared to lay a bet on Desmond Egan.”
In October Egan travels to Italy to receive the Serpillo Award. A poem of his has been commissioned to feature on the famous Poetry Wall in Arpino, Rome, next April - the first Irish writer so honoured.
The handsome A4 size of Athlone Athlone is well suited to feature the fascinating photographs of Noel Finnerty. These alone would make the book a must for all lovers of the town. There are a couple of especially evocative shots of Athlone in the rain, from the lens of this noted photographer-cum-designer.
The book will be lanched by Dr Paddy Murray. Dr Murray was born in Athlone and has a doctorate in English from the NUI and in modern history from Trinity. His books on literary subjects include Milton: The Modern Phase and The Shakespearean Scene, as well as studies of Maria Edgeworth, Eamon DeValera and Samuel Beckett.
The launch of Athlone Athlone by Desmond Egan takes place this Saturday September 25 in the Prince of Wales Hotel Athlone at 2pm. The 72-page A4 size paperback is available to buy for €20. To book, email [email protected] or call (086 ) 3671039.
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