PRE-READING
Hurling is Ireland’s national sport, and O’Brien have returned to this celebration of the game several times over the years. This updated edition brings together the players, captains, managers, photographers and pundits who have helped make it such an extraordinary part of Irish life.
I'm familiar with hurling, although I wouldn't call myself a huge fan. But you don't have to follow every match to appreciate the skill, passion and sheer drama of a sport that can turn a few minutes on a pitch into a moment people remember for decades.
POST-READING
Even as a casual watcher, I found it fascinating to flick through these photographs and revisit some of the highs and lows of hurling. The action on the pitch is only part of the story: the elation, the despair, the blood, sweat and tears, and all those moments when everything seems to hang on a single decision or a single strike.
Ray McManus and the Sportsfile photographers have been close to the action for decades, capturing hurling from the 1950s to the present day. The photographs bring the history of the game to life, while the personal stories from photographers, players and managers offer a glimpse of the people behind the iconic moments.
A hurling fan's perspective
I am a casual hurling fan, but I know someone who's a huge fan, and I asked for his opinion. Here's what he had to say:
As I began to browse through this attractive book, I thought it looked familiar. I went to my bookshelves, where I found the original 2017 edition. This volume reprints that edition, with additional material covering the years 2017 to 2026. So, if you have the first edition (or the 2023 update), you won’t get much extra here. A few textual anomalies have surfaced. The introduction is still dated 2017, and might have benefitted from a bit of updating. Anyone with even a passing acquaintance with championship hurling will be surprised by the statements that Galway have not won an All-Ireland Final since 1988, and that Limerick have not won one since 1973. A judicious editing of the text would have fixed these errors.
That said, and taking this book for what it is, it provides a very pleasurable ramble through seventy years or so of hurling memories, backed up by photographs from the Sportsfile archive. Unsurprisingly, action photos abound, some for me evoking ‘I was there’ memories, while others bring an ‘I wish I had been there’ reaction. The many emotions evoked by hurling are on display throughout the book, ranging from the joy of victory, as displayed by Joe Connolly in 1980, Ger Loughnane in 1995 and Nicky English in 2000, the desolation of defeat, exemplified by Darren Hannify in 1998, Diarmaid O’Sullivan in 2006 and Martin Óg Coulter and his daughter Rachel in 2009, through the conflicting emotions visible on the face of Éamon Cregan after the Offaly side he managed had defeated his native Limerick in the All-Ireland Final of 1994, to the inimitable expression of frustration on the face of Davy Fitzgerald as he reacted to an unfavourable decision for his Clare team against Wexford in 2014. Tension and conflict are there too, exemplified by the photos of referee Jimmy Cooney being escorted off the field following his controversial too-early signalling of full time in the Clare-Wexford All-Ireland Semi-Final in 1998, and the apparent snubbing of Justin McCarthy by Dan Shanahan, following Dan’s substitution in a Munster Championship game in 2008.
I could have selected many other pictures, and no doubt readers will find their own memory-inducing favourites, and will enjoy this selection of great moments from the great game.
Even if, like me, you're more of a casual observer, there's plenty to enjoy in this collection. It's a chance to see the moments that made history, celebrate the people who made them happen, and perhaps understand a little more about why this sport means so much to so many people.
RECOMMENDATIONS
This is an easy recommendation for hurling fans, particularly anyone looking for a Christmas present. It's also a lovely choice for someone who enjoys Irish sporting history, iconic photography or a book that can be picked up and enjoyed a few pages at a time.
TV pairing: The Sunday Game — for more memorable matches, sporting debates and those moments that get replayed for years.
MUSIC PAIRING
“The Fields of Athenry” — a song that carries the weight of Irish sporting emotion, from hope to heartbreak.
VIBE CHECK
Colour palette: Vivid green grass, county colours, muddy browns and the bright flash of jerseys against the pitch.
Soundtrack: The crack of leather on ash, the roar of the crowd, and the sudden, extraordinary silence of forty thousand people holding their breath at once.
Season: High summer, when the championship is in full swing.
Mood: Passionate, dramatic, nostalgic and fiercely proud.
Scent: Fresh-cut grass, damp earth and the unmistakable atmosphere of a match day.
Texture: Worn leather, polished ash and grass trampled under thousands of feet.
Great Moments in Hurling is available now. I received a free copy and am giving an honest review.
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