Stephen Travers' memoir lauded as 'monumental' and 'moving' at its Carrick-on-Suir launch

Stephen Travers received a huge welcome when he visited his hometown of Carrick-on-Suir last week for the local launch of his memoir, The Bass Player-Surviving the Miami Showband Massacre.

Over 70 people gathered in the Carraig Hotel on Tuesday, November 25 to get copies of the Irish Book Awards shortlisted book signed by the author and listen to his in-depth and fascinating interview style talk with Carrick-on-Suir writer Margaret O’Brien posing the questions.

Stephen is a survivor of the Miami Showband massacre, one of The Troubles’ worst atrocities carried out by Loyalist paramilitaries in Co. Down on July 31, 1975. He was shot and left for dead but thankfully survived along with saxophone player Des McAlea.

The Bass Player-Surviving the Miami Showband Massacre, details his tireless work to keep the memories of his murdered bandmates Fran O’Toole, Tony Geraghty and Brian McCoy alive and seek justice for them over the past 18 years since the publication of his first book, The Miami Showband Massacre.

The book recounts Stephen's efforts to uncover the truth of British military and RUC collusion in the attack on the Miami Showband.

And it details his and the other Miami Showband families’ exhausting 10 year High Court legal battle against the British Ministry of Defence and PSNI that concluded in December 2021 with the defendants settling the case.

The book also details Stephen’s work with fellow survivors of The Troubles and their families promoting peace and reconciliation and countering radicalisation in the North through the Truth and Reconciliation Platform (TaRP). He co-founded TaRP with Eugene Reavey, whose three brothers were murdered at their family home in Whitecross, Armagh in 1976.

Honora Grace and Margaret Tobin get their copies of The Bass Player - Surviving The Miami Showband Massacre signed by the author Stephen Travers at the Carrick-on-Suir launch of book. Picture Anne Marie Magorrian

As the book’s title suggests, Stephen also writes about his passion for music and particularly the bass guitar. Local readers will be interested in his account of his early years growing up in Carrick-on-Suir where he developed his love for music and reputation as a guitarist in local showbands including the Mick Delahunty Jr. Big Band.

Among the guests at the launch were Stephen’s close Carrick friends and fellow musicians Gay Brazel and Billy Byrne, who is a former leader of the Garda Band. Both paid lovely tributes to Stephen at the start of the event.

The launch was also addressed by Willie O’Dwyer, son of Stephen's dear Carrick friend – the late singer Liam Dwyer, whom he performed with in The Sinners showband, and by Maurice Sherlock, brother of the late Liam Sherlock a talented keyboard player from Piltown.  Stephen played with Liam in a band called The Crystals in his teens. Both Willie and Maurice thanked Stephen for the beautiful tributes he paid to their loved ones in his book.

Carrick-on-Suir writer Margaret O’Brien interviews Stephen Travers at the local launch of his memoir, The Bass Player - Surviving the Miami Showband Massacre. Picture Anne Marie Magorrian

Margaret O’Brien described Stephen’s memoir as “monumental” and “moving” and considered it to be one of the most important books to be published in Ireland this year. She thanked Stephen on behalf of all who knew him in Carrick-on-Suir.

“We have always been so proud of him and it has been a real privilege to have him here for the Carrick-on-Suir launch of the book.”

Stephen was delighted to host a launch event for the book in his hometown. He said it was the place of his happiest memories such as going up the river bank with his friends and playing in bands with Billy Byrne and Gay Brazel and “thinking they were going to be the next Beatles”.

Whenever he travels home to Cork from Dublin, he said he tries to divert to his hometown and take a walk along the river bank because it was “just the most beautiful place on God’s Earth”.

Check out more photos from the Carrick-on-Suir launch of The Bass Player - Surviving the Miami Showband massacre in this week's edition of The Nationalist on sale in local shops. 

READ ALSO: Tipperary survivor of Miami Showband massacre shortlisted for Irish Book Award

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