The history of Irish sport can be held in your hands – if you know where to look. Driven by curiosity, Siobhán Doyle has travelled the length and breadth of Ireland in search of the objects that carry extraordinary sporting stories. Ronnie Delany’s running shoes. A turnstile from Lansdowne Road. Rachael Blackmore’s saddle. A homemade surfboard. These relics, ordinary at first glance, form a mosaic of memory that stretches from quiet parish playing fields to the grandest international stages.
In this stunning photographic journey, we discover 100 eclectic fragments of Ireland’s sporting soul unearthed from the most unassuming places. Through these mementos, Doyle reveals a deeper truth: that sport in Ireland is not just played or watched, but held, kept, and proudly passed on.
This is a vibrant and fascinating whistle-stop tour of Irish sporting heritage through the tangible, fragile and fiercely meaningful objects that endure.
About the Author
Siobhán Doyle is a cultural historian and curator who works in the National Museum of Ireland. A regular contributor to RTÉ Television, she has appeared on The Late Late Show, The Tommy Tiernan Show, Ireland’s Hidden Treasures, Museum of Me and Today. She also works with RTÉ’s Brainstorm platform and regularly appears on Today FM, RTÉ Radio and Newstalk. Her 2022 book A History of the GAA in 100 Objects was shortlisted for the An Post Irish Book Awards.
