Use > to navigate photos Cousins: Conor, Maria and Shane McManus A large crowd turned out for the launch of Conor McManus' Drumshanbo book at the weekend in Aras Phadraig.This collection of 25 short stories and vignettes is narrated in a young boy's voice. The stories comprise a naturalistic depiction of life in Drumshanbo in the late 1970 and early 1980s.These stories will be enjoyed by anyone who has experienced life in an Irish town, but more so they will be cherished by those who have lived in, visited or know anyone from Drumshanbo. Mc Manus captures a bit of everything, snapshots of a life lived in a lively town full of characters.There is drink and drunks, stories of shooting pike and stuffing turkeys, cures for warts and playing bingo, tales of work, miners, deliveries and haircuts and everything else that Conor could recall!Conor begins his collection by telling us he knew “every nook and cranny, every twist and turn, every dip and hallow” of Drumshanbo. He regails stories from a time when the town had 13 pubs, some that also acted as grocery stores and tailors and drapery shops.The stories are funny, they are reminiscent of another era but they are written in such a way that you feel like you are hearing them first hand at the foot of the bar.Conor recalls visiting friends and family with the Captain and says “Christmas was worse, he had to call into every house that ever had a light on, as my mother would say and there was always tea and cake and a quick one to help him stay between the ditches.” This is a wonderful book full of beautiful descriptions of Drumshanbo, its buildings, its geography and its amusing people.It is a book to have on your shelf and pull put and read aloud to get a good laugh and certainly a talking point amongst several generations. It certainly won't be the last book by Conor McManus who seems to have a treasure trove of stories from the town. The book is available in local book shops.
Use > to navigate photos Cllr Enda McGloin, Bea Cullen, Conor McManus, Orla and Eamon Daly
2.
Use > to navigate photos Lucy and Conor McManus pictured with Conor's nieces and nephew Ciara, Katie and Daire McManus
3.
Use > to navigate photos Back row: Catriona McManus, Rory McPartland, Patrick and Andrea McManus and Fergal McPartland. Front row: Noel McPartland and Conor McManus
4.
Use > to navigate photos McManus family members, Catriona, Lucy, Conor, Andrea and Patrick pictured at the launch of Conor's book 'Drumshanbo' in Aras Phadraig on Saturday evening last, November 6
