It may seem strange to us now, but for a long time, with Ireland ruled by Britain, it was against the law to play sports like hurling and Gaelic football. That has all changed, and football, hurling and camogie are Ireland's most popular sports.

Gaelic sports icon Micheal O Muircheartaigh shares his lifelong passion for the GAA with young readers, as he guides them through its history, and its most iconic stadium, Croke Park. The stadium changed as Ireland changed, and it has been the venue for some of the most memorable matches in our history, as well as major historic events like Bloody Sunday.

Micheal picks his favourite players, matches and incidents from history and talks about the thrilling experience of commentating on games, and seeing the fabled cups - Sam Maguire, Liam McCarthy, O'Duffy and Brendan Martin - being held high by the All Ireland winners.

A must for all young GAA fans.

About the Author
Micheal O Muircheartaigh, the 'voice of Gaelic games', has the record for the longest career as a live match commentator, from 1949 to 2010. His unique style and endless passion for the GAA have kept us enthralled all these years, transmitting the electricity of live matches through the airwaves.

Reviews

This is a brilliant book for any sports fan and an excellent introduction to a beloved Irish landmark and the GAA, charting the history of this hallowed ground from its early days as Butterly's Field, to Jones Road and finally to Croke Park as we know it today. The fate and fortune of this plot of land and the games played upon it are heavily tied up in Ireland's history. Detailing the stands, the county colours, the cups and his own picks of memorable games and fun facts, O Muircheartaigh's distinctive voice can be heard throughout

* Children's Books Ireland *

Stunning new book illustrated by @GrahamArtwork ... Written by Micheal O Muircheartaigh, it's beautifully illustrated, written and produced, the perfect gift for a young GAA fan

* Sarah Webb *

What a cool book ... Looking forward to going through it with the young fella. Written by the great Micheal O'Muircheartaigh and lovely illustration by Graham Corcoran

* Luke Liddy, Sports, Limerick's Live 95FM *

In the year we have had, children will not have seen much of the inside of Croke Park on the day of a big game. All the more reason then to present them with a copy of Micheal O Muircheartaigh's handsome history of the great stadium. Steeped in the author's love for the venue, the games and indeed Ireland itself, you can almost hear the clash of the ash, the thump of a ball and the roar of the crowd rising from the pages. Hats off to Graham Corcoran too for some stirring and evocative illustrations

* Irish Examiner *

Super stocking filler

* RTE Guide *

For ages 7-10, sports fans will love Micheal O Muircheartaigh's The Story of Croke Park with vibrant and active illustrations by Graham Corcoran. Jam-packed with fascinating facts, this information book will captive GAA fans young and old

* RTEjr's best books for Christmas *

Who better than the "voice of Gaelic games" himself, Micheal O'Muircheartaigh, to tell The Story of Croke Park? Illustrated by Graham Corcoran, this is a fascinating look at the past and present of the association's HQ and many of those who starred there, beginning with O Muircheartaigh's own first visit to Croker. The 1948 all-Ireland football final between Cavan and Mayo was where it all started for O Muircheartaigh, whose career as a live match commentator spanned roughly half of the history of Croke Park itself. He guides young readers through the history of the grounds first developed in 1864 as Butterly 's Field and bought by the GAA in 1913. His story of the stadium, spanning the finest hours of many Irish sportspeople, its darkest hour on Bloody Sunday a century ago, and even its use in 2020 as a Covid19 testing centre, is essential reading this Christmas, and not only for GAA fans

* Evening Echo *

A beautifully illustrated and produced hardback that tells the story of one of Ireland's greatest sporting venues. The perfect gift for young sports fans

* Irish Independent *

Who better to tell the story of this iconic stadium? Superb

* Irish Examiner *

This book is perfect for young GAA players and fans: it follows the history of Croke Park from its early days as Butterly's Field, to Jones' Road and finally to Croke Park as we know it today. Telling the story of Gaelic games and how the GAA was formed against the backdrop of the State's history, we are brought through the cups and county colours to memorable matches and other events at the grounds. O Muircheartaigh's own voice and memories are scattered throughout, giving warmth to the story, with Graham Corcoran's illustrations animating the story for younger readers

* Children's Books Ireland *

Beautifully illustrated by Graham Corcoran ... a nice way of lightly introducing a child to some chapters in the history of the GAA

* Irish Examiner *


Awards
Winner of Children's Book Award: Age 10-13 2021 (Ireland). Short-listed for Specsavers Children's Book of the Year (Senior) 2020 (Ireland).



Book Information
ISBN 9781788494502
Author Micheal O Muircheartaigh
Format Paperback
Page Count 48
Imprint O'Brien Press Ltd
Publisher O'Brien Press Ltd
Weight(grams) 251g
Dimensions(mm) 260mm * 204mm * 6mm