IT’S HERE!
We’re delighted to announce that Behind the Lines, No. 3, our brand-new anthology of some of the year’s best sportswriting published on The42, is out now.
The book, which features 17 great stories from across the world of Irish sport, is priced at €10 and is available to buy 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.)
As before, Behind the Lines is also available in Dubray Books, Eason and other good bookshops.
The cover was designed once again by Graham Thew with some valuable input from The42 Members who gave us feedback on some of our early concepts.
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):
– First published 21 October; a version of this post originally appeared here on 10 October 2019.
It’s always the caddies fault.
@Hank: at least he got his FedEx bonus at the end of last year. JPs got loads of dough now, so up to him if he wants another golfer, I don’t think he’ll struggle to find one. He’s had a great run.
@Hank: Losers keep on losing.
Let’s see:
Two managers
Fiancée
Two close family members
Caddie
On the road handler
have all either been fired or given the silent treatment at one point or another.
Rory, shall I show you the mirror.
@The IMF are here: no, you keep the mirror for yourself to remind you of all that you have achieved.
@Brian Carroll: ha, smug laugh, good one Mr. Carroll.
@Brian Carroll: Bitter much ?
Wondering will Rory get the wife on the bag now… Sure she’ll have to pay her way somehow, this way she can control everything!
@Brown Boots: she gets 50% of his money for sitting at home, why carry his bag and get only 10% if he wins, anyway, there’s only one bag she should be going near.
@The don: your right , the grocery bag. Your spot on.
Anthony nash is looking for someone to mind his bag of sliothars, jp would be the man for the job.
The brit McIlroy is on the slide. Great to see.
@John Weldon: oh John you’re so witty and up to date with things! Speaking of brits, how’s that celtic time you follow! FFS
@Brown Boots: *team
@John Weldon: poor taste
@John Weldon: Small minded & bitter little post from a small minded & bitter little man.
Mcllory is having a poor season by his high standards, hasn’t really challenged in any of the big tournaments.
The caddie plays a part in team Rory and having dispensed with JP as caddie perhaps Rory needs to have a look at himself as well.
Have off course activities distracted from his game, has he prepared and practiced enough, has his build up to majors championships been right.
All this needs to be looked at
@Diarmuid: maybe you could be his caddie you seem to know it all
@Jamie: ha
@Jamie: read it again Jamie. I just posed the questions. Didn’t answer them.
@Jamie: Is there not a Man.Utd.,thread that you should be waffling on?
@Diarmuid: he’s been injured for half of it. He’s only played six tournaments so hardly ideal for good preperation. He’s had to change clubs aswel because nike have stopped making them. Don’t really like mcilroy but all that in the space of half a year would make any golfer struggle
@Jamie: Its Mcilroy that swings the clubs…not the caddie, Very easy to blame somebody else, Look at westwood.. he has one of the best caddies in the game but cant win a tournament, Too many good young golfers on the scene.. example Jordan Speith who is a pleasure to watch ,,,,, great entertainment, Mcilroy dosent have what it takes…in my books he’s a has been
It’s rare for a caddie to last as long as JP has. C’est la vie.
@ted hagan: yeah he got a good run
It doesn’t matter how much money JP made because he was out there with Rory plotting the way around for Rory it’s a team relationship between caddie and player.
Rory drank the coolaid and believed the hype about himself so much that his ego can’t accept that his glory days are over! He had a few brilliant years and fair play to him. His time has gone, he is not nor will he ever be a force to be reckoned with. Getting rid of JP is just another way for him to avoid the truth.
@Kyserkelly: yes and no caddie ever known can help a player hit a wedge shot close to the hole. All this Trump sacking behaviour is just a cover for not being able to do the job.
@Kyserkelly: His glory days are over at 28yrs of age?! You’re having a laugh or just completely irrational.
In other news – Conor McGregor has fired his bag carrier too.
Rory is some man to stay in the newspaper headlines, its just one drama after another these days. Praises the caddy last week…. fires him this
@Sean Lawlor:
Where did it say Rory fired him
@Jack Dermody: I very much doubt that JP left his million dollar job by himself jack……
Rory was disappointed with JP’s wedding present – a tea set !
@seagul1: tee set?
About time
@Aidan O: why?
Hilarious to read all the comments second guessing one of the greatest golfers in the world.
@Meekus: correct. It’s his career his decision. Typical rubbish on this site. . Join the band wagon when a man is up, kick him when he’s down.
I’m surprised that his coach is still with him..
Wouldn’t blame Rory or jp. I believe Rory now needs a stronger personality on the bag
Have to blame someone Rory, blame yourself
He should get Bones on the bag !!
@Alan Wiley: no he won’t, Bones wouldn’t take it anyway, he’s on TV money now, easier money to be had there. Plus, Bones is not they caddy for Rory.
@Alan Wiley:
Bones doesn’t have cussin’ in his box of psychological tools for getting his man to stay focused during heat of battle, so no good to Rors.
JP is a top man, like Fluff, Bones and all the rest, so he’ll be back, probably with Rors.
Sounds like JP had enough.
Maybe good for JP.He’ll surely not miss the whining.
I sat in a pub during the Open and I asked every man looking at the golf and asked them who they wanted to win and the answer wad the same. “Anybody but that shit”.
@Brendan Keegan: talking to yourself in a pub. And then posting about it doesn’t not make it any better. Also, remind me never to go to the same pub you go to if that’s what you do, go about asking childish questions!
Why doesn’t he just carry the clubs himself, is he unable or something?
Comment on sky golf at open wks when McElroy was struggling that Bones was available by Dougherty
JP is better off away from that Grumpy auld Bolli….
caddies & managers get sacked never the players in golf and football
Mcllroy is a clown. Gym monkey started believing his own hype. Quit posting videos of weight lifting and try hit a few golf balls. Very unpopular quasi Irishman. Give me Harrington, Lowry any day.” If you can’t hit a 60 yard fairway…..”. Hilarious.
@Rusty Nuts: ‘try and hit a few golf balls!!’ Hilarious!! Have you ever seen Rory hit a golf ball? He’s pretty handy! 4 Majors @ 28yrs of age. Not bad for a ‘clown’.
Never liked the Man
He is worse than the Donald if he doesn’t get his way
Love the Rory bashing here … The man is from Northern Ireland .. dont ever remember him saying he was from anywhere else or carry another flag on his shoulder only the flag of his country.. historically unfortunate as it is we are different countries so why should he declare his undying love for us when a lot of people abused the s#$t out of him for not immediately declaring for ireland for the olympics … We down here are fairly fast to slate the English for claiming Irish people as British are we not doing the same here. The man has 4 majors won the fed ex and european order of merit in the same year and has god knows how many other titles before 28 every golfer has a lull in their careers and anyone that thinks hes finished is talkin through their arses.
@Michael McGrath: Talkin through their arses like yourself, You obviously know absolutely nothng about golf. Too many good players on the scene, Mcilroy a has been
Be interesting to see how this pans out.
@Emmet Dillane: my guess is he’ll get a new cady. 100% sure.
@Rehabmeerkat:
Cutting edge Rehab.
He’s making more changes than Trump…
Steve Williams waiting for a phone call.How Rory stuck with that buffoon for so long is beyond me .
There’s only one fella he should get rid of and it’s his sports manager. It all points to poor management but O’Flaherty obviously has his ear.
The caddie and the golfer always know when the time is up .JP knocked a great 9 years out of it and made a lot of money and he is thankful and hopefully he will pick up another good bag he is a very experienced caddie so should have no problem . As for Rory he has a new caddie picked already I bet .
Who cares
The most unpopular Irish (allegedly) golfer ever. Why? Because he is a little sh#t.