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Post by Ballyfireside on Aug 16, 2014 21:19:01 GMT
I have just been gifted the above book and along with another entitled "Gaelic Football & Hurling" by Martin Breheny and Donal Keenan. As we have a wealth of GAA expertise on here I am wondering if those of us who have read either of these can offer me any foreword on them. The forum is ideal for this as it will throw up more genuine rather than promotional insight at the outset and which enables the reader to challenge their take on the various aspects of GAA that arise.
Having said that I'll be very surprised if MOMs book isn't pure electricity, maybe electrocution? It's only when I think of him that I realise he is such a maestro and as a man on the wrong side of 50 I have seen my share. We all take such stalwarts for granted and I often wonder why he isn't better utilised in the parts of society that need him most, and that is not to take from the great work her does for voluntary causes, and probably none more so that our very own GAA. Can you blame me for getting carried away?
Anyway I look forward to your feedback a chairde ó An Contae Chiarraí and it is very urgent as I have already buried myself in it. How could I not?
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Post by Ard Mhacha on Aug 16, 2014 21:57:54 GMT
MO'M's book is a very enjoyable read. I reckon Kerry fans in particular will enjoy it, considering he helped to train the Dublin-based players during Kerry's golden years. Interesting reading about his early life in rural Kerry. Some great stories. Sometimes I could take a month or two to finish a book. I had this read in a few days.
Think I have that other book here somewhere too. Not read it yet though.
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Post by Annascaultilidie on Aug 17, 2014 0:39:43 GMT
MO'M's book is a very enjoyable read. I reckon Kerry fans in particular will enjoy it, considering he helped to train the Dublin-based players during Kerry's golden years. Interesting reading about his early life in rural Kerry. Some great stories. Sometimes I could take a month or two to finish a book. I had this read in a few days. Think I have that other book here somewhere too. Not read it yet though. You should be able to finish a book in four days. The lad is more interested in dogs. |
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Post by Ballyfireside on Aug 17, 2014 1:27:34 GMT
MO'M's book is a very enjoyable read. I reckon Kerry fans in particular will enjoy it, considering he helped to train the Dublin-based players during Kerry's golden years. Interesting reading about his early life in rural Kerry. Some great stories. Sometimes I could take a month or two to finish a book. I had this read in a few days. Think I have that other book here somewhere too. Not read it yet though. You should be able to finish a book in four days. The lad is more interested in dogs. Hey Tomaisin, we're not all as endowed of such prowess as fellas like you, if it took an Annascual laddo four days then it would probably take a normally gifted human being 4 years. Forgive us lesser if normal, average, Joe soaps. By th eway, I have a good mut out in Harold Cross on Sun night, he's Christened 'Take me Home to Mayo', trained by one James Horan. |
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Post by sidelined on Aug 19, 2014 13:21:56 GMT
k man could you check out his comments on height of crossbar and post it on big goals thread about them. i think its about semple stadium v croke park. thanks
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Post by Mickmack on Aug 19, 2014 19:29:22 GMT
Micheal's book is awful.
I wouldn't read Breheny...
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Post by Ballyfireside on Aug 19, 2014 20:04:39 GMT
Micheal's book is awful. I wouldn't read Breheny... I'm half ways there and granted, it's descriptive so as it is as much a look back at the times he lived in rather than his views and perspective on things, although it is not without the latter. Maybe Micheál's choice in Breheny is the issue. Doing him justice would be some challenge and they'd be a number of options, Anyway ta for your view mick. |
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Post by Ballyfireside on Aug 19, 2014 20:05:21 GMT
k man could you check out his comments on height of crossbar and post it on big goals thread about them. i think its about semple stadium v croke park. thanks I sure will. |
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Post by Annascaultilidie on Aug 19, 2014 20:18:28 GMT
Micheal's book is awful. I wouldn't read Breheny... Maybe Micheál's choice in Breheny is the... MOM didn't take a ghost writer... |
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Post by himself on Aug 20, 2014 9:19:11 GMT
I really enjoyed 'From Dun Sion to Croke Park', to be honest. Granted, it's a social and anecdotal memoir from the perspective of one man, but jaysus what a man. The words 'national treasure' are bandied about far too cheaply but I've have the pleasure of meeting Micheal on a few occasions and the phrase fits. I can't recommend the follow-up 'From Borroloola to Mangerton mountain', though, I didn't enjoy it. A bit more eclectic - a string of memories connected by the name Moriarty, essentially. It felt very rushed to me.
Martin Breheny and Donal Keenan's book is....kind of alright. There are some very interesting bits along the way and they clearly did a lot of research. Calling it an 'Ultimate Encyclopedia' though? By those standards, I am 'The World's Greatest Lover'.
I'd consider 'The Complete Handbook of Gaelic Games', originally compiled by Michael 'Raymond' Smith and currently edited by Des Donegan, to be the closest thing to an encyclopedia. All it is is a book of lists. Every team that won every All Ireland at every grade from minor, junior, U21, senior, provincial title, college - it's incredibly comprehensive in both codes. God help the bit of madeness in me, I love sitting down, reading back through the Kerry teams, and remembering the players and the games. It's like a Disney movie playing in my head.
My own favourites for readable general histories would be 'Catch and Kick' by Eoghan Corry or 'A History of Gaelic Football' by Jack Mahon. Seamus King's 'History of Hulrling' is the best I have come across, but I would not be the best for hurling books.
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Post by Ballyfireside on Aug 20, 2014 13:54:10 GMT
I'll report back more but one interesting line is where Micehál speaks of his conversion to Hurling, although I think he intended to more mean how he grew to love it as opposed to abandoning football.
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Post by Seoirse Ui Duic on Aug 20, 2014 15:13:55 GMT
Like MoM's other books I find it an excellent read. It gives a good insight in where he came from and how he became such an icon.
He is a lover of all sports and has an interest in all cultures. It is no coincidence that his sons and daughters live abroad and marry foreigners but also are fiercely proud of their identity and their Irishness. To me MoM epitomises the Irish gentleman. You will never hear him say a bad word about anyone and though he does criticise people as he is supposed to when asked he does based on facts and constructively.
The one book I keep reading again and again is Paidi.
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Post by Ballyfireside on Aug 20, 2014 15:38:31 GMT
Like MoM's other books I find it an excellent read. It gives a good insight in where he came from and how he became such an icon. He is a lover of all sports and has an interest in all cultures. It is no coincidence that his sons and daughters live abroad and marry foreigners but also are fiercely proud of their identity and their Irishness. To me MoM epitomises the Irish gentleman. You will never hear him say a bad word about anyone and though he does criticise people as he is supposed to when asked he does based on facts and constructively. The one book I keep reading again and again is Paidi. BTW You don't mind that your signature prefixes mine? |
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Post by Seoirse Ui Duic on Aug 20, 2014 16:06:57 GMT
Like MoM's other books I find it an excellent read. It gives a good insight in where he came from and how he became such an icon. He is a lover of all sports and has an interest in all cultures. It is no coincidence that his sons and daughters live abroad and marry foreigners but also are fiercely proud of their identity and their Irishness. To me MoM epitomises the Irish gentleman. You will never hear him say a bad word about anyone and though he does criticise people as he is supposed to when asked he does based on facts and constructively. The one book I keep reading again and again is Paidi. BTW You don't mind that your signature prefixes mine? I do not mind at all. |
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