Community comes together for Woodstock book
Artist Mary Jo Gilligan with Carol Hutchinson and Colette McCarthy, at the launch of ‘Woodstock - The Book’ at Athy Library Photos: Tony Keane
It is unsurprising that the creation of a community publishing initiative in Athy should be done under such a socially evocative name as Woodstock, but that is exactly what happened last week in Athy Library with the launch of the Woodstock Castle Press.
The initiative was established earlier this year by artists Mark Durkan and Mary Jo Gilligan, and Rose Doyle, the chair of Athy West Urban Community Group, in collaboration with the communities of the Woodstock area.
Woodstock Castle Press was set up to serve as a platform to celebrate and give voice to the community in a series of self-titled mini-publications that highlight different aspects of heritage in Woodstock, such as architecture, flowers, the River Barrow, and sport MC for the night was Rose Doyle, with music from Carmel Day, with Robert Chanders accompanying on guitar.
Mark Durkan explained that the three books available to see during the evening were artisan editions that had been hand bound by new local craft business Squushed.
Regular hardback copies can be ordered at cost price online through the Woodstock Castle Press website, and copies will be donated to Athy library for everyone to enjoy.
Funders of the artist residency that brought Mark and Mary Jo to Woodstock in 2023, Eilish Langton of Creative Places Athy, Maria Healy of SláinteCare Heathy Communities Athy and Jason Leigh of Empowering Communities also said a few words in praise of the Woodstock community and the work of making Woodstock.
Young writer and Woodstock resident Nathan Cunningham attended with his parents Jamie and Greg. Nathan was invited up to take a bow on the evening in recognition of him writing his own book, his life story so far, inspired by the Woodstock book.
