PICTURES: Author Michael Hennessy launches new book celebrating Ballingarry and Hibernian FC

A SON of Ballingarry is being celebrated with the release of a new book, linking the Limerick town to the establishment of one of Scotland's biggest football clubs.

READ MORE: New book celebrates Ballingarry's links to Scottish soccer giants Hiberninan FC

Edinburgh native Michael Hennessy has released a book titled ‘Edinburgh’s First Hibernian’, a biography which delves into Scottish club Hibernian and the club's links to the Treaty County.

‘Edinburgh’s First Hibernian: The Mission of Edward Joseph Hannan’ is the long-overdue first biography of Father Edward Hannan, the Limerick priest who co-founded Hibernian Football Club in Scotland and who rose from post-Famine Ireland to become one of the most influential figures in 19th-century Edinburgh.

Against the historical backdrop of 19th century Europe, the book traces the course of Hannan’s life in Ireland, who was born on a farm in Ballygrennan just outside Ballingarry.

Author Michael Hennessy describes how the writing of the book came about, inspired by a trip to Limerick with friends six years ago.

"The project started when myself and four ageing school friends, all Hibs' supporters, came to Ballingarry in 2019 and we found out that not much was known about Edward Hannan in the village. 

We thought that was a bit odd, so I decided to dig a bit more because it can't be right that the founder of Hibs isn't known about in his own town," he said. 

Michael describes the writing process, where it came apparent over time that the word count was beginning to grow and grow, ultimately leading him to meet with a publisher.

"At the time my ambition was to write an essay and give some brief details about the man but suddenly 2,000 words became 50,000 words and I'm thinking 'I could get a PHD out of this' and then 50,000 words became 100,000 words.

A mate of mine said to me 'this is a book Mike' and to cut a long story short, Sean Bradley from Thirsty Books took me on and we spent a year creating the product that we hope people will buy come this weekend. That's how it happened, it has been a real labour of love," he said. 

Photographer Brendan Gleeson was on hand to capture all of the colour and excitement from Saturday's launch.

Click on 'Next' or 'Previous' for more pictures

We want your photos to feature on the website via our Camera Club. Do you have a great photo from life in the locality? Whether it’s a party, wedding, communion, landscape, a quirky shot from your archives, or a simple everyday moment, we want your snapshots.

We are inviting people to share photos that capture the spirit of the county. From special occasions to quieter moments, your pictures help tell the story of everyday life in our community.

To submit:

Go to the Camera Club page and follow the instructions to upload your photo. Include your name, where it was taken, and a short caption if you can. 

Your photo could be featured on our website and newspaper and seen by readers across the county and beyond.