Books:Christy O'Connor's book, The Club, detailing the triumphs and tragedies of club side St. Joseph's Doora-Barefield won this year's William Hill Irish Sports Book of the Year award.
O'Connor's work on the Clare hurling club, based around the 2009 season, won the prestigious award ahead of John Giles' A Football Manin second and Declan Lynch's Days of Heavenin third.
The winning author has a close affinity with the St. Joseph’s Doora-Barefield as he was their goalkeeper and well-placed to relay efforts of a club to “revive past glories spurred on through personal losses and tragedy”.
“I am absolutely thrilled and honoured to have won this award, particularly when you look at all the excellent sports books written this year,” said O’Connor upon receiving the award. “It is also a privilege when you consider some of the outstanding books to have won the William Hill award in the past and I would like to take this opportunity to thank the judges and public for their votes.
“When I decided to write this book, I wanted to pay tribute to my daughter Róisín and former team-mate Ger Hoey, both of whom passed away in the space of a week. I also wanted to portray the essence of what defines us in the St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield club, which required me to be as honest as I possibly could be.
“I would like to thank my family, the Hoey family and everyone in the Doora-Barefield club, especially my team-mates."
Other books shortlisted this year included; My Story, where former world champion boxer Bernard Dunne looks at his own life, written in conjunction with Irish Timesjournalist Gavin Cummiskey.
Ruby Walsh's autobiography, Ruby, tells the tale of one of the Ireland's finest ever jockeys, while Screaming at the Skydescribes a four year period in the life of Clare inter-county hurler Tony Griffin.
William Hill Irish Sports Book of the Year 2010 – Winner/Shortlist
1 The Club – Christy O'Connor (Penguin Ireland)
2 A Football Man – John Giles (Hachette Ireland)
3 Days of Heaven – Declan Lynch (Gill and MacMillan)
My Story – Bernard Dunne (Penguin Ireland)
Ruby – Ruby Walsh (Orion Publishing)
Screaming at the Sky – Tony Griffin (Transworld Publishing)
(For further information on the award go to: www.irishportsbookoftheyear.com)