Former Miami Showband member to launch book in Kildare

Renowned musician and author Stephen Travers will launch his new book, The Bass Player, at Athy Library in Co Kildare on Tuesday at 6.30p.m.

Travers, whose family roots lie in Moone, County Kildare, returns to the region with what organisers describe as “one of the most important and unforgettable true stories in modern Irish cultural history.”

The Bass Player recounts Travers’ life and the events surrounding the Miami Showband Massacre, one of the darkest chapters of the Troubles. On 31 July 1975, members of the Miami Showband, then Ireland’s most popular touring group, were ambushed at a fake military checkpoint in County Down. Three band members were killed, and Travers was critically injured.

The attack sent shockwaves across Ireland, marking a moment when Irish popular music collided with political violence. The book is presented as both a personal account of survival and a cultural record of how the arts were affected by conflict.

Next week’s launch will give attendees the chance to hear Travers speak about the book, his experiences, and what organisers describe as his “ongoing quest for truth and reconciliation.” Copies of The Bass Player will be available for purchase and signing on the night.

Adding to the occasion, there will be live music from Mikayla Farrell of MOA (Made of Athy), described as one of the area’s most talented emerging artists.

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