Mitchelstown Writer’s Club/Book Club extend an open invitation to their meeting at Mitchelstown Library on this Friday morning at 10.30am when the special guest will be Donie Murphy from Newmarket who will speak on his new book ‘The Footprints’ which is being launched this week.

‘The Footprints’ covers the historic footprints of Glenamuckla, Newmarket also the story of John Twiss the famous moonlighter and John Mandeville of Mitchelstown and many more great land war events.

The title ‘Footprints’ refer to an unsolved murder of 1888. “This story is so rare that a lot of people do not believe it until they see the footprints with their own eyes,” the author told The Avondhu this week.

“The footprints appeared thirty-two years after the murder of James Rourke who was shot and died in July 1888. The gunman, who died a hero in New York as a fireman, lost his life when he entered a burning building to rescue people inside. Next morning, his footprints were seen on the ditch in Glenamuckla, Newmarket where the murder had taken place. The Parish Priest blessed them and stated they would last a hundred years. Down through the years the prints were dug up but when the grass grew, the footprints have always reappeared. They are there to this day, so only God could do that,” Donie explains.

All are welcome to come along to Mitchelstown Library this Friday morning to meet with the author.