I’m from Mallow, living in Cork city.
I’m a writer.
I am the author of three books, The First Sunday in September (Mercier Press, 2018); Whatever It Takes (Mercier Press, 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 will be published in May 2022 by Merrion Press.
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.
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.
It was a privilege to write about the laying to rest of the eminent sportswriter Brendan Mooney for the Irish Examiner. It was a humbling event, lit up with love. You can read it here.
I was delighted that my personal tribute to Canon Michael O’Brien was published in The Irish Examiner. ‘The Canon’ coached me on six teams between 1979 and 1984. The tribute revolves around The Fitzgibbon Cup
I was delighted to have my short essay: ‘Celebrating the Return of Hurling in a Strange Time’ in Cork Words 2: An Anthology of Contemporary Cork Writing among so many great Cork writers. It’s about
I’m thrilled with the cover of my forthcoming book The Game: a Journey into the Heart of Sport from Merrion Press in May. The cover was designed by Fiachra McCarthy of Fiachra McCarthy Design and
Big thank you to the42.ie for including my Irish Examiner Tribute to Canon O’Brien in its Best Sportswriting of the Week. I’m in some amazing company here. You can read the full selection here.
It was lovely to see my next book, The Game: A Lifetime Inside and Outside the White Lines listed in TheJournal.ie and The Irish Times as one of those to look out for in 2022.
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
It’s a summer Sunday morning and you’re on the road in South-East Limerick. From your passenger seat you watch the blossoming hawthorn ribbon the countryside. There’s a cycling charity event on the road and the
