QuoteTwo books (Collection of photo's really - so i suppose there an album of sorts) by irish sports photographer Ray Mcmanus - The Road to Europe (1988) and The Road to Italy (1990) are an excellent record of the qualifiers for both.
In High Germany by Dermot Bolger .. its a novel and I think it was turned into a play too.
There is a great line in The Van by Roddy Doyle about the penalty shoot out in Genoa .. I won't spoil it for anyone who hasn't read it .. but it's hilarious.
Two books (Collection of photo's really - so i suppose there an album of sorts) by irish sports photographer Ray Mcmanus - The Road to Europe (1988) and The Road to Italy (1990) are an excellent record of the qualifiers for both.
"The cat is in it, but it's open - and it's a wild cat"
Unfortunately well out of print and the updated version still not available (very long story) but Peter Byrne's 75th anniversary official history of the FAI is the definitive read on Irish International football. It is also very accurate (at least I couldn't find any mistakes).
Unfortunately most others have too many mistakes.
Yeah I bought that one in a book sale in Howth for a pound a few years ago.
In Trap we trust
Other than the superfluous, commas which litter, the whole book.Originally Posted by gspain
Good book but, very very annoying to, read.
Yeah, I remember hearing that there was an update in the works but it seems to have disappeared.
I do have the original along with a couple of similar efforts (Sean Ryan had something on the history of the Republic of Ireland team I think). Brendan Menton's "Behind the Green Door" was a bit too raw - lots of open wounds and bitterness involved.
"The Book of Irish Goalscorers" was probably from the early-80s but told the stories of people like Paddy Moore as well as many LoI legends (Jackie Jameson, Mick Leech etc).
Last edited by EastTerracer; 01/09/2009 at 4:06 PM.
"There's man all over for you, blaming on his boots the fault of his feet" - Samuel Beckett, Waiting for Godot
The edition I read had Packie Bonner diving to his left to save Timofte's penalty though. Call me pedantic but I think that's a pretty crucial error!
ha ha .. it was on left side of the telly! The line I was referring to was the lads running on to the pitch soon after.
Pretty sure I have that complete record book at home. That's going for nearly $200??!!! Mad. Decent record of all our games till then if it's the one I'm thinking of though.
It was originally a play. Was a one man show in theatres and then RTE did a tv version of it which I still have on VHS at home. It's an excellent play which still gets performed from time to time, if anyone ever sees it on anywhere I'd recommend attending. The book was an abridged version released as part of a series to encourage adult literacy, you'd finish it in half an hour so not exactly a holiday read.
Roddy Doyles best writing on Irish football is an essay called 'Republic is a Beautiful Word' that was originally printed in The Irish Times and then in a post Fever Pitch collction edited by Nick Hornby called 'My Favourite Year' where various writers chronicle their favourite season, it's all about clubs bar Doyle's. It's a very good book and Doyle's piece about Italia 90 is the highlight for me. Not sure if the essay is available online anywhere but I'd recommend checking it out.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/My-Favourite.../dp/0753814412
Here's a link to the Roddy Doyle's Italia 90 piece retitled "Jackies Army" but the piece itself is unaltered.
http://dermothardy.com/jackies%20army.html
Quoting years at random since 1975
One of the ironies of Ireland in major finals is all the people in pubs sitting there "I wish I'd gone now" and all those abroad in pubs after the game "Wouldn't it be great to be at home now to join in the celebrations?".
I know what you mean, but no matter what, being there is simply unbeatable. The next best thing is being with your mates down the pub enjoying the whole tournament atmoshpere.
Doubt Ill make SA, if indeed we do make it (very young family now) though I might be tempted/allowed to get out for one of the group games on a fleeting visit.
All ifs buts and maybes at this stage though........
I thought you were off the drink Ronnie?
"No, I drink to help me mind my own business....can I get you one? (c) Ronnie Drew
The only World Cup game I've been in Dublin for was the defeat in 94 against Holland which was obviously a bit of a damp squib Was living in London in 90 so watched the games in McGoverns in Kilburn (which was a bit like being back home to be honest but obvioulsy only for teh games and sessions afterwards), was at the first 3 in 94 and all 4 in 2002 so have never had the experience of seeing the nation come to a halt. I do feel I've missed out a bit!
It didn't really catch on to the same degree in 88. Although the homecoming on O'Connell St was good that year the bandwagon had gathered a lot more momentum in 1990!
I've always been gone before it started and home after it finished.
An American colleague left work in Galway during the Romania game in 1990 (no interest in football and forgot about the game), he drove across the city convinced there had been a nuclear holocaust and arrived home in a mad panic to discover his wife and daughter watching the game. Monday evening rush hour and there were no people, no cars nothing on the street.
Interesting thought process:
*Thinks* It's very quiet.
*Concludes* There's been a nuclear holocaust.
*Paranoia* Typical, nobody even thought to tell me.
*Panics*
Terrible things happen when you skip the *Logic* part of the thought process that might otherwise have raised the question as to why the destructive qualities of nuclear Armageddon had been so curiously oversold.
#NeverStopNotGivingUp
I assume he's on foot.ie somewhere so.
Actual 'lol.' I think it was the "Typical..." part.
Lawrenson and Brady both had autobiographies in the 1980s. The Garrison Game was another based on FAI/Irish Football.
'And Crouch must score'
Hopefully "The Road to South Africa" will be out before Christmas.
Posting Permissions
Bookmarks