Massive numbers of people showed up to support Castlebar’s own troubadour and author John Hoban. The magical, unique, and heart-warming evening started off with music and songs from Paul Holmes, Michael McCarthy, and Brian Lofthouse. Then Emer Mayock officially launched the book, From the Plain of the Yew Tree, and played a beautiful tune that she learned from John. The crowds kept pouring in, like a real show of force, as the man himself took to the stage and started reading from his powerful book.
This was followed by musician Billy Clark, singing a soulful rendition of Bob Dylan's ‘To Ramona’. John followed with more reading and singing of his song ‘Castle Lane’. Then there was a presentation to Kate Donnelly, the book's editor. After that, the Derrada Céilí Band (Dominick Grady, Rose Nixon, Eamon and Mary Connolly, John Chambers, and Oliver Tennyson ) played into the night accompanied with set, sean nós dancing and recitations. The auld stock and the new stock were to be seen in great numbers. The launch was an authentic cultural, artistic event and a great success.
