WE’VE GOT SOME news.
We’re delighted to announce that Behind the Lines, our anthology of some of the year’s best sportswriting published on The42, is returning for a third year in 2019.
The book, which features 17 great stories from across the world of Irish sport, is currently being boxed up for shipping by our Swedish printers and will be on the way to our Dublin offices very shortly.
As in previous years, the book is priced at €10 and is available to pre-order now in our online store, The42.shop.
(A reminder as well that all of The42 Members are entitled to a 20% discount on their purchases in The42 Shop, bringing the cover price down to just €8.)
Behind The Lines, No. 3 will also be on the shelves and available to buy in bookshops later this month.
In this year’s collection, Eoin O’Callaghan pieces together the career of Ireland’s greatest female footballer with the help of her brother and some Italian newspaper clippings.
Gavin Cooney spends a morning in Eamon Dunphy’s sitting room recalling the rows and relationships which have defined a career in the spotlight and Ryan Bailey relives the crowning moment of Shane Lowry’s career with those closest to him.
Emma Duffy traces the journey from a Cavan pig farm to East London for the rising female star of Irish football. A former Premier League star opens up his house for David Sneyd over a revealing weekend, Murray Kinsella tries to crack the Joe Schmidt enigma and Gavan Casey writes the definitive account of Katie Taylor’s historic, but controversial, Madison Square Garden victory.
Read about Jim Gavin’s time in the army and its impact on the Dublin GAA boss, horse racing legend Ted Walsh’s life philosophy… and much more.
This is, once again, long-form writing for the sports fan in your life.
Here’s what some of our early readers had to say about this year’s anthology:
‘Behind the Lines 3 bears witness to the endless capacity of sport to shape people’s lives, to push the emotions one way and then another. Individually, the pieces in this book are invariably fascinating. Collectively, they bring a deep, unique and compelling insight into the modern world of sport – the joy and the heartbreak, the pleasure and the pain.’ Paul Rouse
‘Intelligent, incisive and entertaining writing about sport and sportspeople.’ Rachael English
‘A fine collection of work, bringing fresh life and insight to the big-time stories while also celebrating those stories half-forgotten and almost lost. A valuable addition to Irish sports literature.’ Michael Foley
Behind The Lines, No. 3, a collection of some of the year’s best sports stories is available now. Order it here (€10):
You actually answered your own question there. The answer is support..through think and thin. Through ups and downs. That is what a real supporter does
Well done connacht.
Brilliant performance. Particularly second half into a gale. Pure passion. Would’ve been be very sad to see them not win a game in the pool.
Well done Connacht- a victory of heart over wallet! A determined and committed team that deserve a lot more success! Also great that 3 provinces are through- and as an Ulster man thanks for that ;D Eiré abú!
YEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D :D :D
Three times as many Irish teams as other home nations i believe in Q F’s
Home nations? What home is that horse? Home of what exactly? Feck off to the BBC with your “home nations” boyo.
Thumbs down all you want, but anyone using the term “home nations” can only be a west brit.
From Wikipedia: Home Nations is a collective term with one of two meanings depending on the context. Politically, it means the nations of the constituent countries
of the United Kingdom
(England
, Northern Ireland
,Scotland
and Wales
). In sport, if a sport is governed by a council representing the island of Ireland
, such as the Irish Rugby Football Union
, the term can refer to the nations of the constituent countries on the island of Great Britain
(England, Scotland and Wales) and the collective Irish nation. This dual meaning has persisted in existence despite the partition of Ireland in 1922 as historically the term included all ofIreland
, which between 1800 and 1922 was wholly a part of the United Kingdom. The term home countries (not to be confused with the “home counties
“) is also sometimes used, and is synonymous.[1]
What a load of horse manure. That’s like saying “I don’t like black people but I’m not a racist”
they are on the verge here!
What do you care?
fair ple diobh. Dylan rodgers told me last week in trevor Brennans pub to put my house on a connacht victory… shoulda listened to him…
Hell or Connacht? Poor Quins got both.
Mike Mc Carthy and Muldoon would want to be getting a look in with performances like that
With the Ireland squad that is
in any other sport and with any other team, massive questions would be asked of a team going for a 15th loss in a row. A run only matched by Galway United in recent memory.It is truly bizarre that the fans continue to blindly support this team. It is not admirable, it is not brave and will only contribute to their continued role as whipping boys. Best of luck to them tonight as I really do think they deserve a win. They have performed well against way bigger budgest but at what stage do you, as a supporter, say enough is enough. Something has to change. Again, best of luck to them tonight.
What a silly comment
Mayo GAA anyone?!! Supporters suffering many disappointments on big days, yet still some of the best supporters in the country. Emmo you obviously don’t understand the concept of being a true supporter, you don’t just turn your back when the things get tough.
Wimmin
Absolute rubbish comment, fails to understand meaning of “Supporter”
The West’s awake – the West’s awake!
If Muldoon & Mc Carthy producing displays like that week in and week out, they would get a look. Consistency is the key.
I feel sorry for Connor O Shea. He deserved a quarter final place after the win in Toulouse.
I think losing to Toulouse at the Stoop coupled with a loss in Galway has handed Quins exactly what they deserve really. One Swallow does not a summer make.,.
Fair enough. But still would like to see oshea do well.
Great win, my nerves are shot after that finish, great to see a full house in Galway as well. Might not be the best team in the country but our supporters will rival anyone. Best of luck to Ulster, Leinster and Munster for the rest of the competition
Oppps! ( famous refrain of US presidential hopefuls) that one’s been done!
The West awake!