House of Pain by Keith Duggan

House of Pain by Keith Duggan

No Gaelic Athletic Association football county has endured more anguish and disappointment in the quest for the Sam Maguire Cup than Mayo. More than half a century has passed since Mayo were the All-Ireland football champions in 1951. That year has become a bright and poignant touchstone, and while the county has produced glittering football players and achieved many days of glory since, the grand prize has eluded them. From the bleak 1970s, when Mayo failed to win even a provincial championship, to the soul-wrenching defeat against Meath in 1996, not to mention the numbing September losses to Kerry in recent years, Mayo supporters might be forgiven for thinking that the gods enjoy toying with them. Five All-Ireland-final losses sum up a modern period of near-glory and ultimate despair. But for all that, there is an abiding magnificence to Mayo football. They keep pressing and have never compromised the open, often flamboyant, style of play for which the county has been celebrated, while the passionate Mayo public has stayed loyal and loud through the setbacks. In the wake of a season when cult hero John O'Mahony finally returned to manage his native county, award-winning sportswriter Keith Duggan presents an unforgettable account of Mayo's grand obsession. House of Pain is an entertaining, moving book about the people who have put their souls into the fight for All-Ireland glory. Packed with memorable anecdotes and behind-the-scenes stories about the quest for success, it is a tribute to those who refuse to be daunted by the fact that fifty years of trying have brought no redemption.

Keith Duggan has been a sportswriter with the Irish TImes for eight years. He won the McNamee Prize for Best Feature in a National Newspaper in 2003 and was named Irish Sports Journalist of the Year at the 2004 National Media Awards. He is also the author of The Lifelong Season.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9781845962975
ISBN 10	1845962974
Title	House of Pain
Author	Keith Duggan
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	Transworld Publishers Ltd
Year published	2007-10-25
Number of pages	272
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
Note	Unavailable