It is almost one hundred years since the Sam Maguire Cup was first awarded to the winner of the All-Ireland Football Championship, the pinnacle of sporting ambition for generations of Gaelic footballers. Here, we celebrate all the heartbreak and glory of the first fifty years of its history.

Since it was first presented in 1928, to Kildare, who beat Cavan by a single point, the Sam Maguire has become one of the most treasured pieces of silverware in Irish sport. Dermot Reilly and Colm Keys have created an absorbing record of the first fifty years of Sam. Thrilling accounts of the run-up to each final and the finals themselves are included, along with the names and home clubs for every player to have graced the field in those All-Ireland finals.

A 'must' for every GAA enthusiast, Chasing Sam Maguire is an enthralling account of the agony and the ecstasy of the pursuit of Ireland's biggest sporting prize.

About the Author
Kildare native Dermot Reilly has had a lifelong affiliation with the GAA as a player, supporter and administrator. In a true labour of love, he has dedicated years of painstaking research to the history of the All-Ireland Football Championship since 1928, the season Dermot's beloved Kildare became the first team to win the Sam Maguire Cup. Now retired, Dermot was formerly a Partner with PwC. A sports journalist his entire career, Meath-born Colm Keys has accumulated a formidable knowledge of the players, personalities and politics that have shaped the modern GAA. He started at the Meath Chronicle and was the Irish Mirror's GAA correspondent and chief sportswriter, before joining the Irish Independent where he has been the GAA correspondent since 2003. Larry Mc Carthy took charge as Uachtaran Chumann Luthchleas Gael in 2021. The 40th GAA President since Maurice Davin in 1884, the New York GAA representative is the first-ever overseas official elected to the high office.

Reviews

chronicles so much of what could be unearthed about the early pursuit of the silverware donated by the Dunmanway-born Maguire. What was initially an attempt to discover the club provenance of those who participated in the finals developed into something much more as they provide details of the championships and events that led to some finals being delayed to the following years. The tome shines a light on the context around the games as well as chartering the game's evolution and the great detail to which both winners and losers have been treated shows the pair's deep affection for Gaelic football. Their Trojan efforts, which are set to be repeated in 2027 when the Sam Maguire Cup is contested for the 100th time, will be greatly received in a sport that is only beginning to appreciate its historic worth

-- Irish Examiner

It's a brilliant read and is an ideal gift coming up to Christmas

-- Shane Stapleton of OurGame

A must buy for any GAA supporter

-- Killian Whelan of KFM

The book is a monumental exercise - putting significant amounts of work into the uncovering of information that by rights should have already been established. All GAA and football enthusiasts are in the debt of Keys and Reilly for producing a ground-breaking account of the early evolution of the competition for Ireland's most famous sporting trophy

-- Sean Moran, Irish Times

brilliant piece of work

-- The Irish Sun

A unique and valuable addition on the history of the Sam Maguire Cup

-- Leinster Leader

a brilliant history of the All Irelands of each of those years

-- Kildare Nationalist

a fabulous read

-- RTE Radio 1, Marty Morrisey

Definitely a book for the Christmas shortlist ... draws you into a rich world of nostalgia ... a fantastic book

-- Radio Kerry's Terrace Talk

a heavyweight chronicle .. The book is the brainchild of Dermot Reilly and he, along with Colm Keys have put in an incredible amount of time and effort in their research to ensure that what it contains is accurate, precise and informative

-- Leinster Leader

a deep dive into the All-Ireland football championship from 1928 to 1977

-- John Greene, Sunday Independent

a really brilliant book which goes far beyond simply reeling off teams and scorelines. It contains many fascinating storylines around All-Ireland finals that I was oblivious to until now. Kudos to @KeysColm. Wonderfully produced by @OBrienPress as always

-- Pat Nolan, Irish Mirror

a lavish production. Chasing Sam Maguire covers 50 seasons (1928-1977), unearthing many fascinating nuggets along the way

-- Irish Independent

Keys and Reilly have produced a stunning book, full of titbits and photos and characters that would in most cases have been lost to the ages

-- Irish Times - Malachy Clerkin's Best Sports Books of the Year

Facts, figures and a whole load more relating to the hunt for All-Ireland glory are contained in Chasing Sam Maguire by Dermot Reilly and Colm Keys (The O'Brien Press). The period covered by the book is 1928 - when the Sam Maguire Cup was first contested - to 1977 so it encompasses the first fifty years in which Sam was the reward for All-Ireland glory. (Part 2 to come, perhaps, once the 2027 final is decided?) ... impressive detail ... This book is also set to be an important reference point for many, myself included, in the years ahead

-- MayoGAABlog

thrilling

-- Woman's Way

tremendous work. The authors have painstakingly charted 50 All-Ireland championships, describing the action and context of the early rounds and focusing heavily on the finals. Listing the correct details for All-Ireland finals - including what clubs the players were registered with - was no easy feat. Gaelic games records are notoriously patchy and Keys and Reilly have addressed this authoritatively, based on detailed research, trawling of the newspaper archives and contacting some esteemed 'keepers of the records' in various counties. The result is a superb addition to the GAA canon which has been very warmly received ... brilliant ... The authors have skilfully weaved the evolving story of sport and society together with the first truly complete list of All-Ireland final statistics from this period, starting with 1928, the year in which Reilly's own Kildare landed the All-Ireland SFC crown ... This is a book which can be read in a couple of sittings or dipped in and out of and will be an invaluable reference for generations to come

-- The Anglo Celt

a great overview ... a brilliant book, packed with facts but fun with it. The depth of research involved is astounding

-- Irish News

wonderful book

-- Donegal Democrat

two authors deserve immense credit for their painstaking research and ability to mine some gems of stories from each of the first 50 years that the Sam Maguire was contested ... a monumental work ... will be used as reference for years to come

-- Irish Daily Mail



Book Information
ISBN 9781788493802
Author Dermot Reilly
Format Hardback
Page Count 464
Imprint O'Brien Press Ltd
Publisher O'Brien Press Ltd
Weight(grams) 1154g
Dimensions(mm) 240mm * 170mm * 36mm