James Cramer, the young singer songwriter with the folk roots band Tupelo, really grabbed the attention of his audience with his performance at the local launch of his album "The Lights Of Lisnaskay".

The launch took place recently in Aughakillymaude. Despite being from a totally different demographic to the majority of his audience they warmed to his explanation of how the poetry of the late Matt Duggan had enthralled him when he accidentally came across his collection called "From Mountain To Lough" on a visit to his local library. He explained that he had already written and put down several tracks in the studio, around the poems, when he first made contact with Matt's son Gerry through the book's publishers, originalwriting.ie.

Armed with the go-ahead from Gerry he completed a very beautifully finished and mastered collection of songs called "The Lights Of Lisnaskay." The night was a good humoured one with James demonstrating his wit as well as his sincerity and passion to bring the poetry to a wider audience.

Local man and Fermanagh Tourism officer, Eddie McGovern related how he had known Matt as a young boy going to primary school.

The first single from the album, which will be officially released on Friday October 19, is called "The Road to Kinawley" and is a beautiful adaptation of Matt's poem "The Wee Road" with well chosen words by James, some of which he took from other poems in the collection. The album will be in music shops and can also be bought online from www.irishmusicshop.ie and putting Lisnaskay in the search box.