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Always a busy time coming up to Christmas for sports books, always a few GAA ones too. I seen Kevin McStay has one coming out. Who would you love to see do one? Would love to read Diarmuid Connolly or Kieran McDonald. Both would be great reads I'd say. Beano McDonald of Laois maybe, Superstar of his day. fergie (Carlow) - Posts: 1115 - 12/09/2019 10:03:14 2234658 Link
Replying To fergie: "Always a busy time coming up to Christmas for sports books, always a few GAA ones too. I seen Kevin McStay has one coming out. Who would you love to see do one? Would love to read Diarmuid Connolly or Kieran McDonald. Both would be great reads I'd say. Beano McDonald of Laois maybe, Superstar of his day." Seamus Darby has a book on sale at the moment. It covers life on and off the pitch, and of course, that goal. thelongridge (Offaly) - Posts: 1741 - 12/09/2019 10:43:51 2234672 Link
Colm Parkinson. I'd say he'd have a lot to say about himself to anyone who would want to listen/read it. Most of them are average at best and don't tell you a whole pile anyway. catch22 (USA) - Posts: 2148 - 12/09/2019 11:16:33 2234686 Link
there are few things more boring than gaa books,oh i played this match i played that match zzz.... perfect10 (Wexford) - Posts: 3929 - 12/09/2019 11:29:03 2234690 Link
Hopefully it won't be out for years, as his coaching career continues, but would love to read a Ricey McMenanim biography. I've heard him being interviewed and on radio road shows and he's a man who mixes not mincing his words with a sharp sense of humour and liked to play in the edge for a great team. An old but good GAA biography is Liam Hayes Out of our Skins. A great book about football and traged GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7344 - 12/09/2019 12:18:19 2234713 Link
Replying To catch22: "Colm Parkinson. I'd say he'd have a lot to say about himself to anyone who would want to listen/read it. Most of them are average at best and don't tell you a whole pile anyway." Ah jayus no...stop...the man is only there to try and raise his own profile. He is always moaning about something witnof (Dublin) - Posts: 1604 - 12/09/2019 13:04:54 2234726 Link
Fergie beware what you wish for. Just because they are a grat sports star doesnt mean their book will be good. Loads of examples from the 00's Kerry team, their books are awful and a good few soccer players have been dirt poor too. Good ones I have been pleasantly surprised about was Dan Shanahan and Jamie Carragher, alongside the greats of Paul Mcgrath and Tony Adams. I think a good GAA book the player needs to go in depth about their personal lives rather than bore us about having issues not starting a game. The Dublin sub keeper and Phily Mcmahon's are books on my to read list. woops (Kerry) - Posts: 2073 - 12/09/2019 13:38:28 2234739 Link
Replying To perfect10: "there are few things more boring than gaa books,oh i played this match i played that match zzz...." Yeah, they're generally just boring, safe accounts of guys playing careers, with the odd anecdote thrown in. I enjoyed Philly McMahons book as it was so different to the others, though the main story was a tragic one. I've always thought that whichever of this group of Mayo players get a book out first will make a killing on it. Looks like Andy Moran may be the one now given his recent retirement. I'd borrow that for a read, once one of my Mayo buddies was finished with it... streaker (Galway) - Posts: 497 - 12/09/2019 13:55:56 2234745 Link
Replying To woops: "Fergie beware what you wish for. Just because they are a grat sports star doesnt mean their book will be good. Loads of examples from the 00's Kerry team, their books are awful and a good few soccer players have been dirt poor too. Good ones I have been pleasantly surprised about was Dan Shanahan and Jamie Carragher, alongside the greats of Paul Mcgrath and Tony Adams. I think a good GAA book the player needs to go in depth about their personal lives rather than bore us about having issues not starting a game. The Dublin sub keeper and Phily Mcmahon's are books on my to read list." Ye Dub Sub confidential by John Leonard was a fantastic read. Think it won book of the year. fergie (Carlow) - Posts: 1115 - 12/09/2019 15:11:51 2234771 Link
Is there a Dublin book out called the The chaos years? Anyone read it? The_Fridge (Tyrone) - Posts: 2088 - 12/09/2019 15:56:34 2234781 Link
Replying To woops: "Fergie beware what you wish for. Just because they are a grat sports star doesnt mean their book will be good. Loads of examples from the 00's Kerry team, their books are awful and a good few soccer players have been dirt poor too. Good ones I have been pleasantly surprised about was Dan Shanahan and Jamie Carragher, alongside the greats of Paul Mcgrath and Tony Adams. I think a good GAA book the player needs to go in depth about their personal lives rather than bore us about having issues not starting a game. The Dublin sub keeper and Phily Mcmahon's are books on my to read list." The Galvin book, no?? I thought it was ok. A bit pretentious perhaps. avonali (Dublin) - Posts: 1974 - 12/09/2019 16:53:27 2234815 Link
Replying To fergie: "Ye Dub Sub confidential by John Leonard was a fantastic read. Think it won book of the year." Thanks Fergie, need to get my hands on that one. A year with the waterford footballers is suppose to be very good too woops (Kerry) - Posts: 2073 - 12/09/2019 18:20:12 2234838 Link
The Connolly autobiography...now there would be an interesting read. avonali (Dublin) - Posts: 1974 - 12/09/2019 18:46:25 2234843 Link
Replying To fergie: "Always a busy time coming up to Christmas for sports books, always a few GAA ones too. I seen Kevin McStay has one coming out. Who would you love to see do one? Would love to read Diarmuid Connolly or Kieran McDonald. Both would be great reads I'd say. Beano McDonald of Laois maybe, Superstar of his day." I'd rather torture myself by reading the four testaments than read any of the above, particularly Mc Stay's. Seamus Darby's would be interesting as he has lived the full circle of life in his lifetime. moc.dna (Galway) - Posts: 1212 - 12/09/2019 19:41:32 2234853 Link
Replying To woops: "Thanks Fergie, need to get my hands on that one. A year with the waterford footballers is suppose to be very good too" Coincidence, probably my two favorite GAA books. Read the Waterford one couple of times, Working on a dream. Very real insight to a team operating at the lower levels. fergie (Carlow) - Posts: 1115 - 12/09/2019 20:37:30 2234868 Link
Dub Sub Confidential was an excellent read along with some of the others mentioned. But Jackie Tyrrell's "The Warriors Code" is the daddy of them all. Couldn't recommend it enough. Bon (Kildare) - Posts: 1908 - 12/09/2019 21:04:56 2234874 Link
Raymond Smyth's hurling books back in the 70s were class. realdub (Dublin) - Posts: 8591 - 12/09/2019 21:15:02 2234879 Link
I really enjoyed Last Man Standing. Have the book focus on more that one story is much better for me than a straight biography. Also theres something in the mentality of goalkeepers that sets them apart Breezy (Limerick) - Posts: 1236 - 12/09/2019 23:30:07 2234906 Link
Replying To Breezy: "I really enjoyed Last Man Standing. Have the book focus on more that one story is much better for me than a straight biography. Also theres something in the mentality of goalkeepers that sets them apart" Actually yeah that was a great read and the layout was excellent. The club was also another Christy o Connor jem. Bon (Kildare) - Posts: 1908 - 13/09/2019 09:48:17 2234946 Link
Replying To Bon: "Dub Sub Confidential was an excellent read along with some of the others mentioned. But Jackie Tyrrell's "The Warriors Code" is the daddy of them all. Couldn't recommend it enough." I enjoyed The Warriors Code. You could tell Tyrell wasnt concerned about offending anyone when he sat down to it. But at the same time I thought he came across as very arrogant. Definitely a air of hurling snobbery about it. He didn't give much credit to the teams that were good enough to stand up to and beat that Kilkenny side while almost patronising those sides that they gave a roasting to on a regular basis. But a decent insight into the greatest hurling team I've ever seen play the game. SaffronDon (Antrim) - Posts: 2385 - 13/09/2019 10:01:56 2234951 Link