Green Glens launch of ‘Steeplejill’

THE Story of Ireland’s only ‘steeplejill’, Angela Collins O’Mahony, is the fascinating record of a woman in a man’s world and gives the reader an insight into an unusual trade and how she was able to juggle this while raising a family and surviving cancer.

Her surperb new book, ‘Steeplejill’, will be officially launched by Noel C Duggan in the Coach Restaurant in the Green Glens Complex on this Saturday night at 7.30pm. A native of Kilkishen, Co. Clare, Angela is married to Millstreet’s John O’Mahony.

When Angela started her working life as a secretary for a steeplejack company she had no idea that she would go on become a steeplejack; establishing her own business to becoming the first woman to build and own a private golf course

Her ingenuity helped her land the inaugural Veuve Clicquot Business Woman of the Year Award, the Bowmaker Award for Irish Industry and an honorary doctorate, bestowed by HETAC. In addition to an appearance on The Late Late Show with Gay Byrne, Angela was featured in the RTÉ series Enterprise in 1971.

Angela’s lifelong passion for climbing was born the day she was sent to a site to deliver materials. When she couldn’t attract the men’s attention, she climbed up to the top of the chimney stack to tell the steeplejacks that their materials were there. Even when she was the Managing Director, Angela scaled 300-foot-high church spires to replace blownoff crosses, and 600-foot-high industrial chimney stacks.

Steeplejill delivers the insight to an unusual trade and mixing it with family duties and overcoming illness.

The programme for the Millstreet Book Launch is a piper from Millstreet Pipe Band will welcome patrons on arrival at 7.30pm. Members of Millstreet Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann will perform traditional musi followed by the launch by Noel C. Duggan followed by an address by Author Angela Collins O’Mahony and programme concludes with a recital by Millstreet CCÉ.