Hundreds attend launch of Margot Davis memoir

Margot Davis was 'a star' before Noel V Ginnity was ever heard of, the Kells native comedian said at the launch of her memoir 'All in a Lifetime' on Friday night. The top Irish funnyman said that while he was selling programmes for pantomimes at the back of the hall in Kells, Margot Kiernan was shining on stage in one role or another with the local pantomime group. "But then Jack Davis came down from Navan and took her out from under our noses," he said. He was launching the memoir of the former 'Modern Woman' editor, also well-known for her involvement in local charities and organisations, particularly Navan Mental Health Association, of which she was a founder. An emotional Noel V paid tribute to her work in this area, and recalled entertaining the association on many occasions. Mrs Davis thanked him for travelling from Dun Laoghaire to Navan to launch the volume on Friday night. Mrs Davis, who today has serious eyesight difficulties, said she sat about depressed for a year after her eyesight failed, before deciding to do something and write the memoir, with the help of husband, Jack. The function room of the Newgrange Hotel was packed to capacity for the launch last Friday night, and three hours after it began, Mrs Davis was still signing copies of the 190-page hardback book, produced by Costello Print, Navan. She paid tribute to Costello Print, to her husband Jack for designing it and to the bookbinders, Dundalk Bookbinding. Jack Davis highlighted the fact that it was published locally. Mrs Davis, who grew up in Suffolk Street in Kells, recalls family life in the north Meath town before she travelled to work with Odhams Press in London, and life in the UK capital. She returned and worked in Tara Shoes, and writes of her time there, as well as the local panto group, meeting her husband and marriage, managing the Meath Chronicle stationary shop as well as all the promotion work she was involved with at the Meath Chronicle, as well as publishing Modern Woman, family and travels, and the foundation of the Navan Mental Health Association, as well as tales of family and friends. 'All in a Lifetime' is retailing at €20.