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The story of a village, a doctor and her patients. Arriving in the small village of Killenaule, Co. Tipperary – husband and children in tow – Dr Lucia Gannon was a blow-in determined to build a practice that would provide solace for the sick, worried and confused. Journey with her as she builds a life in this tight-knit community. Meet the wily pensioner trying to pass an eye exam to continue her career as a dangerous driver; the lonely widower who needs someone to take the time to listen; the stressed teenager coping with an eating disorder and the frightened elderly woman who doesn't want to leave her home. Discover what it means to be the one people bring their problems to – problems that are not always medical, but still require discretion, kindness and a willingness to provide a listening ear to those on the tricky journey of life.
A provocative look at how grassroots GAA interacts with life in Ireland, from the wittiest Gaelic games pundit at work today The GAA is Ireland's largest civil society organisation, woven into the fabric of families and communities - and yet most books about Gaelic games focus on the greatest players and inter-county teams. This is the Life is a book about the 99%: a witty and provocative look at grassroots GAA from the most intelligent and interesting Gaelic games pundit at work today. Ciarán Murphy - of Second Captains and the Irish Times - has an unmatched feel for the timeless elements of this world and a finger on the pulse of change. He looks at the plight of rural clubs that are losi...
Did you know that in 1924, Mick Gill created history by winning two All-Ireland Senior Hurling medals in the same year and for different counties? Jack Lynch is the only player in GAA history to have won six successive All-Ireland medals (five in hurling). The 2013 All-Ireland Hurling Final was the first to be played under flood-lights, exactly 100 years after Croke Park was first purchased. Do you know the name of every inter-county ground in Ireland? Who was full forward on the team of the Millenium? Who was the 1,000th All Star Award winner? In 'The Little Book of GAA Facts', Eddie Ryan has gathered together a treasure trove of knowledge about a nation's passion. The book charts the history of Gaelic games, blending amazing stories and unique facts, records and outstanding achievements.
Since 1991 Gerard Hartmann has worked as a physical therapist with many of the world's greatest athletes, including Sonia O'Sullivan, Kelly Holmes and Paula Radcliffe, as well as with a number of Irish rugby, athletic and GAA stars. Before a serious injury halted his career as an athlete, Hartmann was among Ireland s first triathlon champions, winning seven national championships from 1984 to 1991. In Born to Perform, Hartmann takes a look at his experiences in sport, both as a competitor and a physical therapist, and how it has helped and healed his life.
The long-awaited autobiography of the legendary hurler Henry Shefflin In an era when Kilkenny established itself as the dominant force in hurling, one man stood out from a remarkable group of players: Henry Shefflin. Now widely regarded as the greatest player of all time, Shefflin has more All-Stars, Hurler of the Year awards and All-Ireland medals than any other hurler. But beneath the surface image of calm efficiency and effortless genius, his hurling life has included its share of bitter disappointments, agonizing injuries and intense rivalries. Now, in what will be an essential read, Shefflin tells his own story. 'The greatest player of this, or perhaps any, generation' Sean Moran, Irish Times 'There is a compelling story in a young man's rise from the rural middle class of south Kilkenny to being one of our finest sportsmen. He became much more than a hurler ... This memoir is cast in its author's likeness, honest but tactful, direct without being brusque' Irish Examiner
Sean Og O hAilpin, the iconic hurler of his generation, tells his own story. Sean Og O hAilpin became synonymous with Cork hurling during a period when the Rebel County reached the highest of highs and was regularly gripped by controversy. Making his trademark barnstorming solo runs from left wing-back, Sean Og emerged as the lynchpin of the great group of Cork hurlers that won five Munster titles and three All-Irelands; in 1999 he contested All-Ireland finals in both codes. He was also central in standing up for players' rights against the Cork county board - a source of great controversy and two painful strikes. Now, Sean Og tells his own story in his own words - a story every GAA fan has ...
Dónal Óg Cusack has been one of Ireland's leading hurlers for the past decade, winning five Munster titles and three All-Ireland medals with Cork, and establishing himself as one of the game's most compelling and articulate figures. In this book, he tells the story of his life and extraordinary career. 'This is not simply one of the best and most readable sports books to be published anywhere this year, it is one of the best and most important books to be published in Ireland this year' Sunday Tribune 'Certain to become a sports classic' The Times 'Certainly the book of the year' Irish Times 'The engine of the book is truthfulness: raw, compelling and uncomfortable' Sunday Times
These are exceptional times for the game of hurling. The skill, speed and summer long edge of the seat drama of recent All Ireland championships has led many to conclude that something very special is happening in the ancient game. The Kilkenny team of the last decade has undoubtedly been the greatest in the history of hurling. Their extraordinary record speaks for itself. But has a chink finally begun to appear in Kilkenny’s armour? Or is it that the challengers have begun to catch up, at last recognising the immense effort required to compete at the highest level? Fields Of Fire tells the story of Kilkenny’s phenomenal success and explores how the Cats became an almost indomitable forc...
Hurling's appeal has never been stronger. Redefined in the past decade by a great Kilkenny team, rejuvenated by Clare's 2013 All-Ireland coup and re-energised by Dublin's grassroots' revolution, the game exerts an obsessive grip on players and followers alike. The achievements of modern teams and players are constantly weighed against those of old, and Hell for Leather chronicles hurling's evolution from the fragile beginnings of the 1880s through to the current era. It takes a new look at the epic teams that saw Tipperary, Cork and Kilkenny become 'the big three', and also traces the emergence of Wexford, Limerick, Laois, Clare, Dublin, Galway, Waterford and Offaly as contenders. It highlights the matches that made legends of the great players and analyses how the swashbuckling hurling of old has given way into a tactically nuanced game that commands global respect for its showpiece occasions. Hell for Leather is an unforgettable journey to the heart of a sport that, at its finest, can truly claim to be the greatest game on the planet.
Each year on St Patrick's Day eighty million people around the world celebrate their Irish ancestry. Millions more don leprechaun hats and down pints of Guinness in the annual high-fiving of Ireland and the Irish. Charlie Connelly was one of them. He thought he had a good idea of what Ireland was all about. He was, after all, practically Irish. He had a bodhran and everything. Then, when he was least expecting it, he went to live there. Our Man in Hibernia follows Charlie's adventures among the Irish. Immersing himself in Ireland's language, music and literature, he learns how closely the rose-tinted image he'd grown up with matches the reality, and explores the land, from the small patch of Connemara bog that changed the world to the Holy Tree Stump of Rathkeale. From defining moments of the country's history - the Great Famine and the Easter Rising - to its quirkier phenomena, such as the National Ploughing Championships and the Rose of Tralee, in Our Man in Hibernia Charlie Connelly paints an evocative, entertaining and witty portrait of Ireland today.