I Can See It Still climbs to No. 4 in Irish Times chart
Well, here’s a sticker I’m very pleased to be putting on a book of mine. I Can See It Still is No. 4 in The Irish Times Paperback Non-Fiction Bestseller List this week.
And in fairly exalted company too, alongside the likes of Mark Little, Patrick Radden Keefe, Doireann Ní Ghríofa, Nikita Hand and Louise O’Neill. Not bad company for a book published under the grandly titled Townland Press, a publishing ‘house’ with precisely one book to its name.
My lifelong friend Martin Murphy, who runs the bookshop on Main Street here in Ballinrobe, and his colleague Orna Donnelly did the honours with the ceremonial first bestseller sticker. You can see the historic proceedings in the video. No ribbon-cutting or brass band, but a grand little moment all the same.
A lot of people made this happen. People helped with editing, checked facts, offered advice, dug out information, spread the word, encouraged me when the whole undertaking seemed slightly mad, came to the launch and other events, told friends and family about the book and, most importantly of all, bought it.
Today, I want to particularly acknowledge Rachel Drury and Des Flanagan at BuyTheBook.ie. They showed me how a writer like myself, operating under my own newly inaugurated publishing ‘house’, Townland Press, could produce, publish and sell a book independently, and find his way onto a national bestseller list.
Their guidance has been invaluable. Coincidentally, they’ve just launched into the UK market at www.BuyTheBook.co.uk. If you’re a writer with a book you want to get out into the world, give them a shout.
I intend to write more about my experience of independent publishing in due course. The opportunities available to writers have changed enormously. There may be another little milestone tomorrow, too, as I understand I Can See It Still is due to appear among the top five sellers in the Sunday Independent. We’ll see what the morning brings.
But the real stars of this whole show are, of course, the Mayo football team and management of 2026. They elevated spirits in this county to levels we never thought possible. They gave us the All-Ireland, certainly, but they also gave us a store of memories that will stay with us for the rest of our lives. Their maturity and generosity since 26 July 2026 has been extraordinary. What they have done for Mayo goes far beyond football.
And finally, my wonderful wife, Noreen Gilligan. I wrote more than 78,000 words in approximately seven weeks after the All-Ireland final, while also holding down a full-time job with the Western Development Commission.
In other words, a mad undertaking. Noreen carried the can around the house during those crazy weeks. And on top of all that, she still found time to offer her ever-astute observations on the manuscript. She has a very good eye for what works and, perhaps even more importantly, what doesn’t. I couldn’t have done it without her.
Now, if Storm Boelo would just clear off, I could get into the car and make a tour of the bookshops within striking distance, putting bestseller stickers on copies already sitting on their shelves.
There are worse problems to have. Thank you, everyone.
I Can See It Still is available in bookshops and online. Details of where to buy it are here:
https://liamhoran.info/bookshops/
And the next reading and public interview takes place in Dailys, Main Street, Claremorris, on Friday night next at 8pm.
Might see you there.
#MayoGAA #gaa #books
