It was fitting that the launch last Saturday night  of a book that reveals such much of Castlelyons local history was such a community affair.

There was a packed house at the community hall long before the launch got underway. Refreshments were partaken before Maurice Gubbins of the Evening Echo did the honours.

Sinead Hickey, one of the editorial committee who worked on the book, explained what it entailed. A lot of hard, painstaking work, by all accounts. The result is a 700-page tome detailing the occupants of over 750 houses. It contains some 1200 photos and goes back over 250 years. Articles on local history, a full colour map of the parish and its townlands and the history of each townland is included. No wonder there was such interest, not to mention lively sales, on Saturday night!

The book was conceived as a Gathering project by the local community council.

A representative of Avondhu Blackwater Partnership was also on hand at the launch and spoke of the agency's support for the project by way of Leader funding.

The hardcover book is priced at €25.

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