It all seems very long ago now that my new book was published in February 2020 and I began to make tentative plans for a book-launch in the late spring. It is clear now that hoping to organise a book-launch for any time in the for-see-able future is not realistic. So I am hoping now that all going well The Kings of Aileach and the Vikings will be launched, hopefully somewhere in Inishowen in April 2021. This will be exactly 1 year later than envisaged, but considering all that is going on all around the world, a very small price to pay. Thankfully family and friends are safe so far from Covid 19 and all medical front-line staff have my greatest appreciation for their bravery and self-sacrifice. So too do the staff in my local supermarkets, the postmen still delivery our mail and the many other service providers who are still working and who we probably don’t even know about. Compared to this a delayed book-launch is no inconvenience at all.
Speaking activities postponed
Earlier this year local heritage and genealogical groups and societies very kindly had me penciled in to speak and promote my new book at events in Dún Laoghaire and Inishowen. With the global spread of the Corona virus these events must now be on the verge of cancellation or postponement. In any event I will not be giving any new talks until the virus crisis has passed which hopefully will be during the summer. So stay safe everyone and again hopefully we can pick up where we left off later in the year. That is the great thing about studying or writing about history – it will still be there when the crisis has passed and people can return to it! All the best, Darren