Tommy to launch new book next Friday

Ballina author and playwright Tommy Cooke is launching his book The Ramblings of a Barman with a musical evening of songs and stories in the Ballina Arts Centre on Friday next, November 20th, at 8pm. 

The musical evening is open to all and is a free event. 

Tommy's book tells the barman's stories of a time, a culture and the characters who graced The Moy Hotel, now the Library in Pearse Street, and the pub Cooke's On the Hill, now Lillie's Bar in Hill Street in Ballina before the turn of the 21st century.

The stories are mixture of his own life experience and the trials and tribulations of the characters who frequented these august establishments, from the barman's prospective in a era that has now passed into history. The stories are told in verse and include some poetry and thoughts of the world we live in today. 

The book is available also at the Pangur Ban bookstore, which is directly across the road from the Western People offices in Garden Street in Ballina. The book, which will make a lovely local Christmas gift, retails at €20.