Author: Henry Shefflin
Brand: Penguin Ireland
Edition: UK ed.
Number Of Pages: 288
Release Date: 24-09-2015
Details: Product Description The long-awaited autobiography of the legendary hurler Henry Shefflin In an era when Kilkenny established itself as the dominant force in hurling, one man stood out from a remarkable group of players: Henry Shefflin. Now widely regarded as the greatest player of all time, Shefflin has more All-Stars, Hurler of the Year awards and All-Ireland medals than any other hurler. But beneath the surface image of calm efficiency and effortless genius, his hurling life has included its share of bitter disappointments, agonizing injuries and intense rivalries. Now, in what will be an essential read, Shefflin tells his own story. 'The greatest player of this, or perhaps any, generation' Sean Moran, Irish Times 'There is a compelling story in a young man's rise from the rural middle class of south Kilkenny to being one of our finest sportsmen. He became much more than a hurler ... This memoir is cast in its author's likeness, honest but tactful, direct without being brusque' Irish Examiner Review There is a compelling story in a young man's rise from the rural middle class of south Kilkenny to being one of our finest sportsmen. He became much more than a hurler ... This memoir is cast in its author's likeness, honest but tactful, direct without being brusque ( Irish Examiner) From the Inside Flap Since the turn of the millennium, when Kilkenny established itself as the dominant force in hurling, one man has stood out: Henry Shefflin. Now widely regarded as the greatest hurler of all time, Shefflin has won more All-Stars and more All-Ireland medals than any other player in history. Now, Shefflin tells his own story: an intensely personal, honest and self-questioning account of the fiercely driven man at the heart of a remarkable sequence of Kilkenny sides. Beneath the surface image of calm efficiency and effortless genius, his hurling life has included its share of bitter disappointments, agonizing injuries and self-doubt. As a young player, he did not seem to be marked out for greatness: as late as the summer of 1998, he was sixteenth man - out of sixteen - for Kilkenny intermediates, and he came very close to taking a job in the States. By the end of that summer, he was racking up huge scores for the under-21s; by November, he was in the senior panel; and by the following summer he was a fixture in the senior team. What happened thereafter has become the stuff of legend - but Shefflin never bought into the 'King Henry' myth. What this book reveals is how a fairly ordinary young man achieved extraordinary things through a remarkable combination of hard work, intense focus and utter determination. He writes with warmth and candour of the great rivalries with Cork and Tipperary, the controversies, the injuries, the regrets, and the greatest days. He paints a nuanced portrait of his relationship with Brian Cody, of the dynamics within a team full of great players and personalities, and of the relationships that sustained him through his darkest times. What emerges is the testament of a man utterly committed to his craft, to his community and to his county, and one of the truly great Irishmen of recent times. From the Back Cover 'The greatest player of this, or perhaps any, generation' Sean Moran, Irish Times About the Author Henry Shefflin was born in 1979 and started playing senior inter-county hurling for Kilkenny in 1999. He won a record eleven All-Irelands, and been selected as an All-Star eleven times and as Hurler of the Year a record three times. He is the all-time leading scorer in championship hurling.
EAN: 9781844882885
Languages: English
Binding: Hardcover
Item Note: Dedicated as a gift to the previous recipient.
Item Condition: UsedVeryGood