General catalogue - The O'Brien Press

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Lansdowne Road
The Stadium; the Matches; the
Greatest Days
Gerard Siggins & Malachy Clerkin
In this history of Ireland’s oldest stadium,
the authors bring to life the memorable
characters, rugby and soccer matches,
triple crowns, stirring victories, famous
goals and tries, as well as fascinating
stories about the various sporting events
held there down through the years.
352 pages/photographs
ISBN 978-0-86278-910-7
€17.99 pb/Rights available W
The Dirty Dozen
Ireland’s Motorsport Legends
John Kenny
Twelve of Ireland’s motor-sports stars
reveal the highs and lows of their sport,
whether scorching up the stages in
rallying, the perilous thrills of motorbikes
or the glamour and high stakes of circuit
racing.
272 pages/photographs
ISBN 978-1-84717-050-7
€9.99 pb/Rights available W
A Haunted Land
Ireland’s Ghosts
Bob Curran
A chilling collection of stories of supernatural
occurrences gathered from all
around Ireland. Curran has written a
haunting portrayal of a land and a people
steeped in the lore of death and the
afterlife.
208 pages
ISBN 978-0-86278-859-9
€9.95 pb
Rights available W
Rights sold US/CAN
STORYTELLING/FOLKLORE
Joey Dunlop
King of the Roads
Stephen Davison
10th Anniversary Edition, updated throughout
and with 16 new pages. Captures Joey in action,
his triumphant racing moments, with his
family and on his relief missions to Romania.
A fitting record of one of the greatest motorcyclists
the sport has ever seen.
144 pages/full colour
ISBN 978-1-84717-201-3
€19.99 hb
Rights available W
Raiders of the Caribbean
Ireland’s Cricket World Cup
Trent Johnston and Gerard Siggins
Alongside some spectacular and intimate
photographs, this book reveals the triumphs
and heartbreaks of the Irish cricket team’s
meteoric rise, their amazing wins in the Caribbean
and the tragic events which unfolded
afterwards.
208 pages/photographs
ISBN 978-1-84717-064-4
€14.95 pb/Rights available W
A Bewitched Land
Ireland’s Witches
Bob Curran
A unique insight into the fascinating overlap
between witch belief and the vast range of
fairy lore that once held sway throughout
the land.
192 pages
ISBN 978-0-86278-899-5
€9.95 pb
Rights available W
Rights sold US/CAN
TRAVEL/GUIDES
NEW
A28
Around Ireland on a Bike
Paul Benjaminse
Escape at your own pace on a bicycle tour
of Ireland. With its breathtaking landscapes
– rolling hills, ever-changing skies, sandy
beaches, ghostlike ruins of ancient monasteries
– and peaceful country roads, Ireland is
perfect for cyclists looking for an accessible
yet memorable experience. Cyclist Paul Benjaminse
has mapped a route around Ireland
from Belfast to Dublin via the most spectacular
and scenic routes in the country and offers his expert
advice on the best way to see the most beautiful parts
of Ireland.
128 pages/full colour/maps
ISBN 978-1-84717-309-6
€14.99 spiral pb
Rights available W x mainland Europe (EL)
A taste of
Connemara
Legend has it that Christianity was introduced in Ireland by St Patrick.
According to the myth, he was born in Dumbarton, Scotland around 390,
to Roman parents. At the age of sixteen he was captured by Irish marauders
and taken to Ireland, where he was enslaved and used as a shepherd. At the
age of twenty-two he managed to escape and returned to Scotland. Once he
arrived there, he had a vision of returning to Ireland as a missionary in order
to preach the faith. He first set out for Tours in France and then to Auxerre
to enrol in the seminary there and prepare for the priesthood, before being
ordained as a priest in Rome.
When he returned to Ireland as a monk, he found shelter with one of
the first Christians to have been converted after engaging in trade with
people on the land.
He managed to get through to the tribal leaders, and legend has it that
he convinced two princesses of the concept of the holy trinity by showing
them the shamrock and using it to highlight the Christian belief of ‘three
divine persons in the one God’. For this reason, the shamrock is the symbol
of Ireland, along with the harp.
Apart from preaching, St Patrick’s life revolved around frequent periods
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of atonement, fasting and retreats in the most forbidding places. One of the
places where he retreated for an extended period to pray and fast was the
mountain near Westport, the present-day Croagh Patrick. Today, this mountain
is one of the most important pilgrim destinations in Ireland. On the last
Sunday in July, Westport is flooded by pilgrims who climb the mountain in
large numbers. Many do this as a form of repentance, preferably barefoot,
while others hope to be healed. The truly devout complete the last
kilometre of the journey on their knees.
I have never been and never will be a pilgrim, but it is amazing to
observe how a people bears its suffering. Would these deprivations make
people stronger in coping with their daily lives? What kind of mentality
does it take to get through
the winters here?
After leaving Westport,
on the way to Louisburgh,
you wi l see the pilgrims
approaching from the hamlet
of Murrisk and climbing
up the mountain from the
broad path down below.
I have explored a new route
from Westport to Leenane,
which is less crowded than the route through Louisburgh and at least as
beautiful. Although there is a lovely bicycle path from Westport to Westport
Quay, and from there, along the main road to Murrisk (the start of
the pilgrim’s path to Croagh Patrick), is another cycle track along the road
complete with picnic spots and bike racks, traffic there is extremely busy,
especially during the summer months. Another lovely route in the area is the