Billy Keane will be guest speaker at this evening's launch of the Tullamore Annual.

Tullamore Annual launch today

Published: Thu 28 Nov 2013, 1:00 PM

After the success of last year’s Tullamore Annual the local Lions Club is set to launch the 2013-14 edition today (Thursday).

This year’s annual includes a very impressive cross section of people who make the town the fine place it is and also contributions from Tullamore people who have made their mark throughout the world.

Among those featured include the Irish Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates Pat Hennessy, London-based Michelin star chef Colin Kelly, actor Sam Keeley, local priests Fr Rory O’Brien and Professor Fr Michael Kelly, who have both served with distinction on the missions in Africa, and nearer to home Sr Veronica who has served the Tullamore community for an incredible 75 years.

There are also tributes to Gladys Adams, Lily Roberts, Dr Tony Keane, John Kelly and Dinny White who all passed away in the last year.

The Tullamore Annual will be launched by Offaly County Manager Dr Pat Gallagher at the Tullamore Court Hotel at 8.30pm and the Lions Club is extending an open invitation to people from the town to attend the launch.

Billy Keane, son of the legendary John B Keane and a well-known writer and raconteur in his own right, is travelling from Listowel to be the guest speaker at the launch.

The entire proceeds of the sale of the annual will be used to support local Lions Club charities.

Lions Club president Mark Gallagher believes this year’s annual will be well received by Tullamore people at home and abroad.

“If you enjoyed the first issue of the annual last year, you have an even bigger treat in store this year,” he said.

“We have 160 pages in full colour and many of the photos in it are stunning. This year’s publication is full of fantastic stories about people from our town and from our town. It really is an enjoyable read and the ideal Christmas present.

'We can guarantee that friends and family who are away from home will enjoy this book and what’s really important is that all the proceeds from the sale of the Tullamore Annual go to charities and worthy causes in our area.”