‘A River Runs Through It’ limited repress raises funds for The Limerick Civic Trust and The Learning Hub Limerick

2025 A River Runs Through It limited repress raises funds for The Limerick Civic Trust and The Learning Hub Limerick

A River Runs Through It by Keith Kelly is getting a 2025 repress and will support The Limerick Civic Trust and The Learning Hub Limerick

A River Runs Through It, a book on Limerick music by Keith Kelly, is getting a repress and will be in shops at the end of November with all proceeds going to The Limerick Civic Trust and The Learning Hub Limerick.

The book was launched successfully for Christmas 2024 and sold out within four weeks. Due to popular demand, a limited repress will be stocked in O’Mahony’s Booksellers, Steamboat Music, Re-Story Limerick and the People’s Museum.  

Speaking about the first edition, Keith Kelly said, “The book was snapped up in the Best Seller section in O’Mahony’s in the run-up to Christmas last year, and it was a struggle to keep up with the demand. We also had a sold-out launch event at The People’s Museum, which was such a memorable and important night. Between the launch, the radio interviews and press coverage lauding the book a triumph, it was more than we could have asked for.  

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The book was also purchased by the Limerick City Library to be part of the permanent collection. The book is available for loan from all libraries across Limerick. But most importantly, meeting and reconnecting with so many musicians and music lovers through this project and raising funds for two amazing Limerick charities has been unbelievable. This idea seems to have resonated with people and gone far and above what I could have hoped for”.

This book aims to shine a light on the amazing talent that this city has to offer and also delve into the history of Limerick music through the eyes of its own artists. The idea for a book came about following a successful exhibition at the Anna’s Anchor ten-year anniversary gig in The People’s Museum in July 2024.

There are forty photographs of Limerick musicians holding their favourite Limerick album.  The book forms a trail of local albums from the starting point of the Cranberries Everybody Else Is Doing it, So Why Can’t We? Each album picked leads on to the next artist and so on. Artists featured include Mick Hanly, Noel Hogan of the Cranberries, Emma Langford, Barry Murphy of Hermitage Green, and the late Johnny Duhan of Granny’s Intentions amongst many more.

This is an artistic encapsulation of the Limerick Music scene, past and present, with our beautiful cityscape as the omniscient thread that runs through it, with famous Limerick sites and landmarks from King John’s castle, People’s Park and the Sailor’s House captured alongside the artists.

All proceeds from the book will again go to two very worthy causes; The Limerick Civic Trust and The Learning Hub Limerick. The Learning Hub offers a safe, welcoming and inspiring environment where young people can reach their true potential. The Limerick Civic Trust engages with a wide range of projects that celebrate and promote civic pride in Limerick and I’m proud to be able to support their work in some small way. Last year there was €6,500 raised for the charities.

James Blake, manager of the Learning Hub Limerick, said it is “an honour to be part” of the project.

He said, “Personally, I am delighted to be included in the pages alongside so many illustrious artists. Professionally, I am overjoyed to be the recipient of the proceeds. In both instances, as well as being chuffed beyond belief, I am deeply humbled. Any recognition of one’s work is both validating and reassuring, but coming as it does in the form of such a project as this, a legacy piece of work that is already revered by Limerick’s citizens (perhaps the best indicator of its quality and value), is just incredible.

“The financial support is so welcome at this time of year. It was not in any projected “pipelines” or “cashflows” and it helps to mitigate against the ill effects of inflation, rising energy and insurance costs. In real terms, it means that we can keep doing the work we need to do with those who need it most. In capturing a time of Limerick’s musical history, you have given everyone a joyous gift, I feel I have received this gift on so many levels so much more than anyone else!”

This limited-edition book will certainly make the perfect gift for music lovers this Christmas. So, if you missed out last time, be sure to get your copy quick this time around!