Book of stories, poems and songs honours memory of late Willie Grady

A book of stories, poems and songs by the late Willie Grady of Cloonbunny, Loughglynn will be launched by Joe Byrne from Midwest Radio in Creaton’s Bar, Loughglynn tonight Saturday, July 27th at 8 p.m.

Willie had a great interest in local history, traditional music, storytelling, poetry and songs.

Young and old called to visit Willie and his wife Celia for information about local history, and to ask Willie to write a poem or song about an upcoming event.

The Grady home was known as a great rambling house far and wide. Willie along with Joe Byrne published a book called ‘Verses from the woodlands’ in 1996.

Fellow Cloonbunny native Christine McDonagh, has now collated the book to mark what would have been Willie’s 100th birthday. Willie would have had particular influence on her brothers Pat and the late Michael. She started working on the book in November 2022.

Following Willie’s death on July 21st, 2010, Christine and Michael looked after Celia for a year and a half up until her death.

“When Willie died I decided I’d take all his writing and put it in a box, and it was all mixed up. It was only last November twelve months that I said I’d sit down and put all Willie’s writing in a book, it would be a shame to lose it all,” said Christine who recently ran for Sinn Fein in the local elections.