Tag: The Game

The Game Joint Sports Book of the Year on Second Captains!

12 December 2022

The Game has been picked as joint book of the year on the iconic Second Captains. The brilliant Rodfather by Roddy Collins and Paul Howard was the other choice. What blew me away more was the discussion about the book by Eoin McDevitt, Ciarán Murphy, Malachy Clerkin (of the Irish Times) and Sinéad O’Carroll of theJournal.ie. You can listen to the show here. It’s all excellent, but the discussion of The Game begins at minute 45.

The Game in 2022 ‘Best of the Year’ Books Lists

5 December 2022

The Game has been recommended in newspapers and on radio as one of the books of the year for 2022. The Southern Star, Ger McCarthy The Irish Times, Malachy Clerkin The Irish Examiner, Cork Books of the Year, Marjorie Brennan. Irish Times, Sinéad Gleeson. Malachy Clerkin on 2fm radio with Dave Fanning. Michael Foley and Kieran Cunningham on Today FM with Matt Cooper. Second Captains. Off The Ball on Newstalk. The Irish Examiner, Sports Books of the Year, Richard Fitzpatrick. The Irish Sun, Paul Dollery. The Irish Independent, Cathal Dennehy. *Image by The Southern Star.

Dingle Literary Festival

22 November 2022

I really enjoyed the Dingle Literary Festival in November 2022. I had two events. In interviewed the author and historian Bryan MacMahon about his brilliant book Faith and Fury: The Evangelical Campaign in Dingle and West Kerry 1825-45. You can watch a video of that here. And I was interviewed by Diarmuid Lyng about my book The Game: A Journey Into the Heart of Sport. You can watch a video of that here. The festival was so exciting and interesting and took place in some amazing locations in lovely Dingle. Well done to all the volunteers who made it happen. Some photos here.

The Game Shortlisted for Irish Sports Book of the Year!

21 October 2022

I’m thrilled that The Game has been shortlisted for Irish Sports Book of the Year in the An Post Irish Book Awards. Thanks so much to the An Post selection committee. The Game is listed beside five other outstanding books, it’s such an honour to be included. Everyone is now being asked to cast their votes for their favourite books of the year on the An Post Irish Book Awards website www.anpostirishbookawards.ie. All voters will be entered into a prize draw to win one of five €100 National Book Token vouchers. Voting closes on November 10th. The winners will be announced on Wednesday, 23rd November at a ceremony in the Convention Centre in Dublin. Some photos from an event in Dublin’s GPO, announcing the shortlists.

Upcoming Events

22 September 2022

I have three events on the calendar right now. On Culture Night, Friday September 23rd, I will feature at the event Words in Motion with six other Cork writers and poets. Details here. As part of Words by Water: The Kinsale Literary Festival on Friday September 30th I will feature with Catherine Kirwan and Gráinne McGuinness at a crime writer event in the Lord Kingsale Pub in Kinsale. Details here. I’m delighted to be part of the Dingle Literary Festival this year. My event takes place on Sunday November 20th at 1pm. Details here

Review of The Game in Tuairisc

26 August 2022

A lovely review of The Game as Gaeilge in Tuairisc, a news service in Irish for the Irish speaking community in Ireland and abroad. Bridget Bhreathnach wrote: ‘Saol rúndiamhair é saol an spóirt domsa ar go leor bealaí. Tuigim an áilleacht, tuigim an díograis, tuigim an chomrádaíocht, tuigim fiú tarraingt na hiomaíochta. Ina dhiaidh sin féin, tá go leor gnéithe de shaol an spóirt a chuireann as dom. Ní thuigim cén fáth go bhfuil níos mó meas ar spórt na bhfear ná spórt na mban, ná cén fáth go mbíonn daoine in aighneas lena chéile mar gheall ar chluiche amháin nó eile. Déanann Coakley machnamh ar chuid de na ceisteanna seo sna haistí chomh maith le machnamh ar ghnéithe áille spreagúla an spóirt. Tá cur chuige tuisceanach, pearsanta, umhal aige sna haistí, cuid acu ar nós ‘Kisses’ agus ‘Miracles’ a tharraingeodh deoir as cloch eibhir.’ As Béarla: ‘The world of sport is a world of

Review in An Cosantóir

15 August 2022

I was delighted with the review of The Game in An Cosantóir, the magazine of the Defence Forces of Ireland by Ruairí de Barra. He wrote: ‘[Sport] can be passionate and tribal; joyous and devastating; the essential trivial pursued with all-consuming intensity. This unmissable work explores it all. It truly isn’t often these days you read a work which is so thoughtfully written, it can move one to tears. Entertaining, honest, and thoughtful writing which lingers with you in the days after and makes it one you will always remember. The Game is such a book.’

Team-Talk, a Heritage Week Event

15 August 2022

I was delighted to be part of Heritage Week 2022 thanks to Cork City Libraries. The event Team-Talk featured myself and Eimear Ryan, the author of Holding her Breath among many achievements. It was moderated brilliantly by Jordan McCarthy of Cork City Libraries and was really well attended. Some photos.

Mallow Arts Festival Event

24 July 2022

I was delighted to feature in the Mallow Arts Festival 2022. I did a reading from The Game and signed books in Phillip’s Bookshop, Mallow. Some photos here:

Irish Independent, WriteSide Feature