Rebels to Reels Launch Night a Huge Success

What a fantastic event we had for the launch of "Rebels to Reels – A biography of Combat Cameraman Daniel A. McGovern USAF" in Carrickmacross Workhouse here in County Monaghan, Ireland on Friday night last 22nd July. We had a huge crowd on the night and we were joined by over 40 members of the McGovern family who had travelled from the United States to Dan's hometown of Carrickmacross for the launch and exhibition which, for the very first time, celebrated the amazing life and career of combat cameraman Lt. Colonel Dan McGovern of the United States Air Force. The event was live streamed and continues to be viewed all over the world. I want pay a particular thanks to my 'wing man' during the preparation and launch of "Rebels to Reels", local historian Larry McDermott. Larry did a fantastic job as Master of Ceremonies and in making sure the whole event unfolded as planned in so many other ways. Thank you so much, Larry.

Thanks also to RTE TV’s North-East correspondent Sinead Hussey for what was a fantastic report on the RTE 1 6.01 News on the day and to presenter Mary Wilson for kicking off coverage of the day with an interview with me on Morning Ireland on RTE Radio 1 earlier that morning. You couldn’t ask for better coverage than that except for our own Veronica Corr who did a fantastic two page feature spread on the plaque unveiling and book launch on the Thursday 29th July issue of the Northern Standard with pictures by Pat Byrne. Thanks so much.

I wish to again acknowledge Monaghan County Library Service for its fantastic sponsorship of the launch of Rebels to Reels and particularly Deirdriu McQuaid. Sincere thanks also to Monaghan County Council and Carrickmacross and Castleblayney Municipal District Council and their respective chairpersons, Séan Conlon and Aidan Campbell and all elected members of those local authority bodies for their fantastic words of support for both the biography and myself during and following the book launch. I can’t leave out either Yvonne Marron and Kevin Gartlan and their team at the Workhouse for their efforts which ensured the overall success of the launch.

In addition to the launch itself we also earlier unveiled a fantastic bronze plaque to Dan very close to Carrickmacross Garda Station where he lived as a boy. We hope to place it at our preferred location on the wall by the gate in the side railing of the actual Garda barracks itself at some point in the very near future as it is a beautiful addition to our town centre. Sincere thanks to Inspector Ken Coughlan and Sergeant John Daly for arranging the visit of the McGovern party to Carrickmacross Garda Station and also to the basement area which was the McGovern family home before they moved to their cottage in Distillery Lane in late 1920. Grateful thanks are extended also to the principal of St. Louis Secondary School, Carrickmacross, Karen Patton for arranging access for our party to the Saint Louis convent grounds where were restaged the Passport Photograph taken of the McGovern family on the sports field there in 1922 with some current McGovern family members. That was quite poignant for everybody present. The whole story behind that is told in Rebels to Reels.

Sincere thanks to Carrickmacross Chamber of Commerce, Carrickmacross Walking Tours, Carrickmacross Tidy Towns, to Carrickmacross Gardai and to the people of Carrickmacross for providing such a warm welcome to the visiting McGoverns in so many forms and also such a fitting tribute to Dan McGovern as the new commemorative plaque is. Here's the link to view the entire launch event on Your Tube. Please share it as far and as wide as you can. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMOUCuk4EH4