I’m from Mallow, living in Cork city.
I’m a writer.
I am the author of five books, Before He Kills Again (Mercier Press, 2023), The First Sunday in September (Mercier, 2018); Whatever It Takes (Mercier, 2020), the 2020 Cork One City, One Book choice; and the autobiography of Denis Coughlan, called Everything (Hero Books, 2020) which I co-wrote. My fourth book The Game: A Journey into the Heart of Sport (2023) was shortlisted as Sports Book of The Year.
My short stories, articles, and essays have been published in The Stinging Fly, The Winter Papers, The Irish Examiner, The Irish Times, The42.ie, Aethlon, The Holly Bough, The Honest Ulsterman, Quarryman, Silver Apples and elsewhere.
As the sun sets on the bustling streets of Cork city, a young woman lies brutally murdered in her own home. Former inter-county hurler turned detective Garda Tim Collins, and his new partner Deirdre Donnelly are tasked with solving the case. As they dig deeper, they uncover a sinister plot to attack more women.
Against the clock and with a fierce commitment to stop the violence, Collins and Donnelly race to find the perpetrator before he kills again. But when one of Ireland’s most dangerous criminals shows up in Collins’ home patch of West Cork, that case becomes personal and pushes him to the brink. As the investigation explodes in a brutal showdown, we see a different side of Collins as he questions how far he will go to seek justice.
The Game is a multifaceted meditation on sport. It is part memoir, outlining my time as a player and fan of sport and how it has shaped my life.
It is also a book of essays critiquing several aspects of sport, both good and bad, and showing its influence in the wider world.
It is also a work of auto-fiction, wherein I try to use my novelistic abilities to chart narratives, personal and public.
It is, finally, a work of scholarship, interweaving my view of a life spent inside and outside the white lines with the cultural discourse of previous writers and thinkers on the many themes explored.
Whatever It Takes, my second novel, is published by Mercier Press. It is the One City, One Book 2020 choice for Cork.
It tells the story of Detective Garda Tim Collins, who is based in Cork city. Collins is at war with the leading local criminal, Dominic Molloy (‘The Dom’).
Whatever It Takes depicts a dark realism and shows the battles of will and intelligence that go on in the world of crime and policing. Running out of time before the murder of two teenagers becomes inevitable, and with a traitor in the garda station feeding information back to Molloy, Collins takes his battle to new heights. He is determined to win, whatever the cost, whatever it takes.
My novel in stories, The First Sunday in September, was published by Mercier Press in 2018.
The book tells the story of a fictional All-Ireland Hurling Final Sunday, from the points of view of several recurring characters, exploring recurring themes.
Donal Ryan described it as ‘vibrant and authentic, brimming with intensity and desire.’
The Irish Independent said: ‘Just like his county’s hurlers play, Coakley’s book is fast-moving, highly skilled and a pleasure to behold.’
Everything, the Autobiography of Denis Coughlan tells the life story of one of the greatest Irish dual stars, winning All-Ireland medals in both Gaelic football and hurling in the 1970s as well as a host of other championships and awards.
But Denis’s life story is much more than about sport. It spans a remarkable eight decades, covering many aspects of his life, his insights on sport and how games and life have changed dramatically over the years.
Selected as one of the Sports Books of the year in 2020 in the Irish Examiner, Irish Times and Sunday Times.
I really enjoyed my chat with Dara Ó Cinnéide for his new series Na Goirt Órga (The Fields of Gold) is being broadcast on TG4. It is about sports stadiums all around the world and
A column in the Irish Examiner about the possible takeover of Manchester United by Qatar. Also a magical night in Anfield and a history book by Siobhán Doyle. You can read it here.
I wrote a column for the Irish Examiner about the joy of sport. From the Irish rugby team to Cork v Galway hurling in Pearce Stadium. The Sigerson Final, the children on the pitch in
I’m delighted with the response to Before He Kills Again. Here is some praise and reviews: Michelle Dunne, in the Irish Examiner: Before He Kills Again feels to me like a glimpse into the realities of
I’m delighted to be featuring in Cork World Book Fest on April 22nd 2023. The event will take place in Triskel Arts Centre and I will be on stage with Sam Blake, in conversation with
Thanks to everyone who came to my signing event in Waterstone’s Cork on March 25th. Special thanks to John Breen and Waterstone’s for their support. The book is truly out now! Some photos courtesy of
Is everybody enjoying the World Cup so far? Are you not entertained? How about the 6,750 people who died so you could watch some football? How do you feel about them?
Hope you’re all doing well. It’s a tough time. Again. On the Zoom the other day Adrian said: ‘First we had to deal with Trump. Then we had to deal with Covid. And now this.’
I’m in West Kerry, on holidays. I’m standing outside Paudie Ó Sé’s pub catching my breath after a fervid two hours of championship hurling magic conjured out the air by Tipperary and Wexford. Sandmartins weave
