IT’S THAT TIME of the week – the sixth episode of Behind the Lines is available now, exclusively to The42 members.
If you happen to be unaware of the show - each episode features a lengthy interview with one of the best sports writers working in the English language. Each guest brings along a few of their favourite pieces as a way to discuss sport, writing and, you guessed it, sportswriting.
To get access to our back catalogue along with this week’s episode, become a member of The42 for €5 per month – or just €42 for a full year – by following this link.
If you listened to Episode Four, you’ll know we recently hit the road and took the show on tour to Limerick.We stopped off at Alan English‘s house, and then paid the necessary visit to Barack Obama Plaza, one of the few monuments to African-American emancipation to include a Papa John’s Pizza and a diesel forecourt.
The third leg of the tour has been under wraps until now – Tommy Conlon also invited us into his home for a chat.
You’ll likely know Tommy best from his long-running column in the Sunday Independent, where he has built a reputation as one of the most lyrical and evocative sportswriters around, while maintaining a healthy intolerance for bullshit.
His picks were really interesting, all by writers we haven’t heard of yet. We drilled down into what makes great writing, heard of Tommy’s writing process and also talked about sport generally. As exhilarating as watching the likes of Leo Messi and Roger Federer is – how much excellence do we actually need?
Or is sport better for its flawed heroes?
Enjoy it, and if you want to get in touch with the show, email behindthelines@the42.ie.
It only seems like yesterday what a night to be remembered Stevo Stevo Stevo they were great days
They should replay this on Sky Sports or RTE please. This is the sort of iconic sports history they should be using to fill the void.
Well Eubank’s wasn’t the only camp spooked by Tony Quinn’s witchcraft! The Limerick hurlers certainly were in the buildup to the 1995 Munster Final, when Loughnane’s Clare team also utilised Quinn’s services. Clare hurled like demons possessed.
@Colm O’Sullivan: Are you actually trying to liken a provincial hurling match to a world championship fight…..?
@Con Al: Ridiclous,a munster final is no place for the likes of those boxers,way too dangerous.
@Con Al: No I’m not.
@Colm O’Sullivan: Clare hurling supporters are worse than England football supporters for living in the past…..1995 was their 1966. Sad.
@Sharp Elsi Mate: not sure where you’re going with that one mate, Clare repeated All Ireland wins in ’97 and 2013!!! Just saying.
@Sharp Elsi Mate: I’m not from Clare though.
I was working in the small grill bar kitchen of the Berkeley court hotel that night, and will always remember flooding the kitchen with water from the Bain marie and calling the union rep down under health and safety in order to get the kitchen closed so we could watch the fight in the canteen
God. 25 years… it was incredible. Stayed in Jurys in Cork city and got but to flight with 2 English friends. When Eubank appeared on the motor bike about 10 feet from us. It was definitely the best atmosphere I ever felt. The 2 lads forgot themselves and started Stevo along with everyone else.
@DeWitt: I was about 10ft away from where he appeared on the motorbike too! And when Eubank lost and was leaving the ring, the chants of “On your bike, on your bike, on your bike.” rang out.
Really like the idea of a Katie Taylor fight some time outside of Dublin.
@Sharp Elsi Mate: has she fought in dublin?
@Darren World: I’m sure in her earlier days! In her current form if she ever fights at here at home you can be sure it will be in Dublin or the general area.
I was in school in St. Brigids Castleknock at the time and Collins son was a year or two below us… In he landed on the Honda Gold wing with the belt and all…. It was absolutely brilliant. We all went mental. I think from that moment I loved boxing.