Sport Books of the Year

1. Devotion

by Mickey Harte

€20.99 €30.80

A moving and lyrical memoir about life, love and loss, from a true giant of Gaelic games. In a frenetic seven-year spell at the outset of his senior managerial career, Mickey Harte led Tyrone to four Ulster Championships and three All-Irelands. It was a run that shifted football’s balance of power, changed the way the game would be played for over a generation, and cemented his reputation as one of the most transformative figures in GAA history. Then, in January 2011, the visitation of a shocking tragedy changed everything: Mickey’s daughter Michaela was murdered while on honeymoon in Mauritius, and the Harte family, grief-stricken, awoke to find themselves at the centre of an international news story. Devotion, the product of a collaboration between Mickey and author Brendan Coffey, is many things. The story of a family’s decade-long struggle to come to terms with an almost unimaginable loss. A meditation on the ways in which faith, community, and sport can sustain us in our most difficult moments. And, finally, a portrait of one of Irish sport’s true icons, as he brings one legendary era to a close and steels himself for a final assault on the history books.

2. One

by Peter Schmeichel

€14.99 €21.00

Peter Schmeichel is an undisputed giant of the global game -- and One: My Autobiography is his story. As a serial winner and larger-than-life character with Manchester United and Denmark, he rivalled Gordon Banks and Lev Yashin as the world's greatest goalkeeper. Sir Alex Ferguson, having paid just £505,000 to sign him in 1991, hailed him as 'the bargain of the century'. Schmeichel would become a key figure in United's successes during the ensuing decade, starting with a first domestic league title in more than a quarter of a century. His silverware spree culminated when he captained Ferguson's side in the incredible, last-gasp Treble-clinching win over Bayern Munich in the 1999 Champions League final. In One: My Autobiography he delivers the inside track on that crazy, breathless night in Barcelona and on Old Trafford's galaxy of stars, including Eric Cantona and David Beckham, not to mention United's volatile, visionary manager. However, Schmeichel's story is no mere litany of triumphs and household names. He tells how he nearly died aged 15, and recalls a turbulent relationship with his father, an alcoholic Polish musician. His life after football, seldom straightforward, is explored with astonishing candour. Peter's own son Kasper emulated him by winning the Premier League with Leicester and taking over in Denmark's goal. It is a proud legacy, ensuring that One: My Autobiography is actually the story of two great goalkeeping Schmeichels.

3. Manchester United: Unscripted

by Manchester United

€20.99 €28.00

It's hard to imagine a football club with a better catalogue of stories than Manchester United. The club's rich history has been punctuated by success, tragedy and drama, with an all-star cast wrapped up in a twisting, turning tale. In Manchester United and Me, protagonists tell their own accounts of their unique places in Reds folklore.

4. Haunted by Waters

by Daire Whelan

€16.99 €23.80

Award-winning producer and journalist Daire Whelan had reached the end of another busy week and couldn't shake the feeling that life was passing him by too quickly. Vowing to make a change, he decided to commit to a year of fly fishing and set about planning his route through the wild and rugged landscape of Ireland. Here, in Haunted by Waters: A Journey into the Irish Countryside we travel with Daire throughout a season of fly fishing. But as he searches for a sense of meaning, meeting kindred spirits as he explores the rivers and lakes, Daire finds himself rediscovering the majestic beauty of his native country. From fishing on our most secluded bays and wildest loughs in Connemara and Kerry, to casting a line on the rippling waters of the Suir in Tipperary, catching salmon on the Blackwater in Waterford, and the serenity of the Dodder in Dublin on a workday afternoon, Haunted by Waters is an evocative and stunning love letter to Ireland through a sport rich in tradition and storytelling.

5. The nation holds its breath

by George Hamilton

€18.99 €22.95

'.David O'Leary is entrusted with the responsibility of taking the penalty that could send Ireland to the quarter finals of the World Cup. This kick can decide it all. The nation holds its breath . It's there!' While the nation held its breath, George Hamilton delivered a line that will forever be etched in Irish sporting lore! A fixture in the commentary box since the late 1970s, Hamilton has enthralled and captivated his RTÉ audience for decades. Particularly through the many highs of the Charlton years, from Stuttgart in '88 to Italia '90 and the USA in '94, he has engagingly articulated the joy and despair felt by the fans who listen with anticipation for his sporting gems. Written in his inimitable style, The Nation Holds Its Breath is a lyrical journey through the key moments of his life and career. The voice that is so familiar to millions is present on every page of this book, from his formative days in Belfast and early career in London to his eventual arrival in Dublin and RTÉ, where, alongside his sporting work, he has carved out an entirely separate career with his hugely popular Lyric FM show, The Hamilton Scores.

6. Rise

by Siya Kolisi

€21.00

'Siya's rise from humble beginnings to lifting that World Cup trophy is the stuff of fairytales.' MARCUS RASHFORD'Siya's story is well documented, and I am so impressed by the way he conducts himself. As the captain of his team and as a statesman he is measured and thoughtful. He is a leader in every way. An inspiration to a dynamic South African nation.' EDDIE JONESHis truth. His story. In his words.There have been many comments made and books written about Siya Kolisi, captain of the Springboks, and the first black man to lead his country in over 128 years of South African rugby. But now, for the very first time, Siya Kolisi shares his story in an extraordinarily intimate memoir, charting his journey from being born into the impoverished Zwide township, to leading his proud nation to an astonishing victory at the Rugby World Cup in 2019. However, Rise is not simply a chronology of matches played and games won; it is an exploration of a man's race and his faith, a masterclass in attaining a positive mindset, and an inspirational reminder that it is possible to defy the odds, no matter how they are stacked against you. In 2020, partly in response to the pandemic, Siya and his wife, Rachel, launched The Kolisi Foundation, providing personal protective equipment to healthcare workers and delivering food parcels throughout South Africa. The title Rise is inspired by Siya's mother - Phakama - which translates to the book's name, as well as a celebration of his Xhosa heritage.