'It won't always be like this': 'Bitter-sweet' occasion as Lyra McKee celebrated at book launch

Eamon Baker pictured with members of Lyra’s family, John and Nicola Corner and their daughter Ava (7) at Saturday’s event in Holywell Trust. (Photos: Jim McCafferty Photography)

The event was a follow-on to the prizegiving finale to the Lyra McKee creative writing competition.

A capacity attendance included special guests Nichola McKee Corner (the late Lyra’s sister), her husband John and their granddaughter, Ava.

Poet, playwright and film-maker, Damian Gorman travelled all the way from west Wales to read at the launch and the city and district’s Mayor Sandra Duffy launched the new publication.

The attendance at Saturday’s event in the Holywell Trust, Bishop Street, Derry. (Photos: Jim McCafferty Photography)

Given the context for this publication, editor Eamonn Baker described the event as a ‘bitter-sweet’ occasion - a commemoration and honouring of Lyra McKee, who was shot dead by dissident Republicans while observing rioting in Creggan on April 18th 2019, as well as a celebration of both her and all the writers involved, young and old, from Derry and Strabane.

This new publication lists all of the dead from Creggan or who have died in the estate over the past 50 years as a result of the Troubles, including Lyra.

Event organiser Eamonn Baker commented: “It was and is important to us to acknowledge all these tragic deaths, all 57 of them. Brendan McKeever and his book ‘If Streets Could Speak’ was very helpful in finalising this list.”

Local councillor, former Mayor and the late Lyra’s journalism tutor at Headliners John Boyle, speaking at the launch, in remembering his former student said: “Lyra was born to be a writer- so sad we didn’t ever get that coffee we had planned when Lyra moved to live in Derry. Somebody else had a different plan.”

Eamonn Baker, Ann Tracey and Danny Toland at Saturday’s event.

Nichola McKee-Corner said she was ‘amazed’ by the richness and diversity of writing within the publication. Nichola’s own reading of her harrowing account of that Holy Thursday night drive from Belfast to Derry, knowing her wee sister had been shot dead brought tears to the eyes of many attending the launch.

Holy Cross teenagers, Cadhla Moore and Leda Hasson, read and impressed with the scope and depth of their writing.

Cora McMillan read her ‘Mandolin’ family story with feeling and assurance, and Strabane woman Gemma Hill added humour to the proceedings with her tale of ‘the goings on’ in the fictional Royale Hotel.

Damian Gorman exhorted all of the writers present to celebrate their writing featured in this new publication and to keep on writing: ‘Why stop here?’ said Mr. Gorman.

Some of those in attendance at Saturday’s launch in the Holywell Trust, Bishop Street, Derry.

The poet also graced the audience with a poem he wrote especially for Nichola and the wider McKee family. Some lines from this poem, ‘Suaimhneas’ (heart-rest) are quoted on the back cover of ‘It’s going to get better’:

‘I wish it hadn’t happened;

That the gun

Had never opened its mouth

Councillor John Boyle in conversation with Fr. Joe Gormley on Saturday.

To shout her down.’

The moving Saturday afternoon launch was brought to a close by Anne Tracey’s rendition of Mary Gauthier’s song ‘Mercy Now’ accompanied by the gifted Tom Byrne on harmonica with the song’s concluding line noting ‘Every single one of us could use some mercy now’.

Eamonn Baker acknowledged the financial support of both Towards Understanding and Healing and the Inner City Trust, and he added that funding from both these sources made the book possible.

‘It won’t always be like this. It’s going to get better’ is available from Towards Understanding and Healing by contacting Eamonn at 028 71261941.