Louth stories to feature in new GAA Publication

Three contributions with Louth connections are part of a compelling new GAA book written by those at the heart of the sport.

‘Grassroots: The Second Half’ is a gold mine of GAA tales spanning over 150 years and follows the publication of a successful first volume last year.

Stories span and reflect the Louth GAA kaleidoscope with a contribution by Seamus McRory on how the recently departed former Wee County great, Kevin Beahan, got out of a boarding school to play in a Leinster championship match – under an assumed name.

Well-known Louth postman Ben Dunne is the source of a fascinating account of the ‘Barbed-Wire All Ireland’ in Wales in which his grandfather and granduncle played for Louth against Kerry.

Journalist and Drogheda-based radio producer, Louise Walsh, writes lovingly of her father’s nerve-wracking day as a ref when his watch simply refused to work. 

“The GAA and I were astounded by the response to the first edition,” said book editor PJ Cunningham, who collaborated with Croke Park on both publications.

“This collection is slightly different to the first in that as well as having the usual stories from the deep roots of rural society, there are also numerous stories where people from other sports and walks of life talk of their GAA experiences.”

Former Irish rugby international Ollie Campbell, ex-snooker world champion Ken Doherty, and Vienna-based opera singer Tom Birch are among the famous names away from the world off GAA featured in the publication. They all explain how they became big fans of Gaelic games.

GAA President Larry McCarthy said the book highlighted “the value of the folklore and stories built up around our games. 

“What these two Grassroots books do is ensure they become available to a wider audience as most, if not all, of these stories are being published for the first time,” he said.

Grassroots: The Second Half, priced at €19.99, is available now nationwide and from: www.ballpointpress.ie.