Mayor of Limerick Cllr Kevin Kiely has opened a Book of Condolence in memory of the late Frank McCourt, the Pulitzer prize winning author who died in New York on Sunday.
Mr McCourt's most famous book, Angela's Ashes, which depicted his impoverished childhood in Limerick has sold 10m copies and has been translated into almost 30 languages.
The Mayor was the first to sign the book and said it was appropriate that the citizens of Limerick could come and express their sympathies and thoughts about the author, whose literary work had put Limerick on the world map.
He said the books would be open at Limerick City Hall for the next two weeks, after which he would be passing them onto Mr McCourt's wife, Ellen, and family.
Mayor Kiely said it deeply saddened him that two of the city's most famous sons, actor Richard Harris and author Frank McCourt, had never been honoured with the Freedom of the City during their lifetimes.
He is convening a meeting of the Protocol committee of Limerick City Council, at which these matters are discussed, in early September where he said he will be actively promoting that both Mr Harris and Mr McCourt posthumously receive the Freedom of the City.
