GAA President in Longford to launch Seamus McRory's new book 'Crossing the Divide'

GAA President, Larry McCarthy will officially launch a new book ‘Crossing the Divide’, written by Longford resident Seamus McRory on Thursday, October 19 at 7pm in Longford library.

Master of ceremonies for the occasion will be former RTE Midlands Correspondent Ciaran Mullooly and the public are welcome to attend, with Declan Nerney, who was inducted into the Irish Country Music Hall of Fame on last Friday’s Late Late Show Country Special also appearing at the launch.

Derry native Seamus McRory, a retired primary school principal, lives in Abbeycartron, just outside Longford Town, with his wife Olive.

He is a former student of St. Joseph’s College of Education and Queen’s University, Belfast. He is the author of six other books - “The Voice from the Sideline: Famous GAA Managers” (1997), “The Road to Croke Park: Great GAA Personalities”(1999), “The All Ireland Dream” (2005), “James McCartan, the King of Down Football” (2010), “The Dove of Peace” (2013) and “Born to Lead” (2019). And along with Eamonn Brennan, Seamus was joint Editor of “The Gaelic Field”(2022), a Longford GAA publication.

'Crossing the Divide’ is a 29 chapter memoir of GAA, musical, historical and political stories which runs to over 470 pages.
No county, as small as Longford, has contributed so much to two Anglo-Irish Agreements over seven decades apart. Ballinalee men Henry Wilson and Seán MacEoin were competing protagonists prior to the 1921 Anglo-Irish Treaty.

New book ‘The Gaelic Field’ chronicles triumph of Longford communities

In the 1990s, a grandson of Ballinalee, David Trimble, and Longford TD, and Taoiseach, Albert Reynolds were key stakeholders on the pathway to the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.

Between a description of Seamus McRory’s native Lissan parish and the impressive careers of two Irish government ministers – Mary Coughlan and Heather Humphreys – is a compendium of different tremendous achievements.

The outstanding accomplishments of three Derry GAA clubs in winning All-Ireland Senior club championships, along with the exciting exploits of Senior All-Ireland medallists Colm McAlarney, Tony Scullion, Ronan Clarke and Philip Jordan, are amongst a plethora of other equally talented personalities.

Seamus gives a marvellous insight into the skillsets of talented RTÉ broadcaster Tommie Gorman, the Queen of Country Music, Philomena Begley, and Pioneer priest Fr Bernard McGuckian. The positive attributes of twelve fellow alumni from St Patrick’s College, Armagh are narrated too. Comprehensive profiles of world-class boxing journalist Harry Mullan, legendary showbusiness impresario.

Author Seamus McRory recalls journey to 'Ireland’s most discriminated city' for funeral of 'truly courageous' Bloody Sunday victims

Jim Aiken, and the all-embracing work of powerful Civil Rights advocate and People’s Democracy founder Michael Farrell are featured amongst many others.Seamus said, “I wanted to talk about many people who are household names on both sides of the border and in some cases, draw parallels. My own experience of political activism in the early days of the Troubles helped to shape this book. It is a memoir which draws-in people who have influenced our society, north and south, in so many ways.”

The book will be on sale for €20 in various local outlets. Please note that electronic payment will not be available for sales at the launch.

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