From the Liffey to Lausanne to London, from the 9th century to the noughties and beyond, Irish Sport in 100 Objects explores the remarkable history of Irish sport through a fascinating and eclectic collection of items.

The history of Irish sport can be held in your hands – if you know where to look.

Driven by curiosity, cultural commentator and museum curator (and Irish Book Award nominee) Siobhán Doyle has travelled the length and breadth of Ireland in search of the objects that embody extraordinary sporting stories from ancient times until the present day.

Ronnie Delany’s running shoes. A turnstile from Lansdowne Road. Rachael Blackmore’s saddle. A homemade surfboard.

Others are far more unexpected, including a letter that first suggested the penalty kick, a homemade surfboard, and a host of personal and everyday sporting artefacts.

Medals and match tickets, pennants and punchbags - together, these objects offer a fresh perspective on the people, places and moments that have shaped Ireland’s sporting story.

At the heart of Doyle’s new book is the idea that our sporting heritage is not found only in record books, trophy cabinets and famous photographs.

It lives on in the objects that people treasure and pass from one generation to the next.

A pair of shoes, an old programme, a piece of kit or a well-worn keepsake can unlock memories of extraordinary achievement, community, identity and belonging.

These relics, ordinary at first glance, form a mosaic of memory that stretches from quiet parish playing fields to the grandest international stages.

In this stunning photographic journey, 100 eclectic fragments of Ireland’s sporting soul, unearthed from the most unassuming places, reveal a deeper truth: how sport in Ireland is not just played or watched but is held in our memories and proudly passed on.

This is a vibrant, fascinating whistle-stop tour of Irish sporting heritage through the tangible and fiercely meaningful objects that endure.

McDaid’s Football Special

James McDaid & Sons, a Donegal based business, had been developing soft drinks for occasions since the 1940s. With many of the McDaid family involved in the success of local football club Swilly Rovers’, they decided to create a non-alcoholic alternative to ‘fill the cup’ and celebrate. And so, the nostalgic soft drink Football Special was born. The mascot on the front of the bottle has always shared his jersey colour with Swilly Rovers, maintaining a proud tradition with its place of origin.

Barry McGuigan’s robe (Monaghan County Museum)

On Monday 8 June 1985, at Loftus Road football ground in London, Barry McGuigan won the World Boxing Association world featherweight boxing title. His sporting triumph was seen as a unifying force in divided communities in the North during the Troubles. The boxing robe that Barry wore that night was to keep him warm throughout the walk-on and to prevent his muscles straining after the warm-up. It is embroidered on the back with his name and nickname: ‘Young Barry McGuigan The Cyclone’

William Porterfield’s cricket jersey (Australian Sports Museum)

William Porterfield, born in Donemana, Co. Tyrone, wore this jersey during the Cricket World Cup in 2015. William and his teammates used the 2015 tournament to fuel their argument for more competitive national fixtures and for non-Test nations to be given more opportunities. He retired in June 2022, after sixteen years playing cricket at international level and becoming Ireland’s longest-serving captain.

Deirdre Gogarty’s punchbag

In the 1980s, Deirdre Gogarty wanted to be a world champion in a sport that didn’t exist in Ireland – women’s boxing. At her request for a makeshift punchbag, Deirdre’s father had salvaged a sailor’s bag, which she stuffed with rags, foam, old clothes and newspapers. She wrapped bedsheets around her fists and punched at it while picturing fight scenes where she would get knocked down and get back up again to win the fight.

On 2 March 1997, Deirdre became the first Irish woman to win a boxing world title when she became featherweight champion. She was promised a fee of $12,500 for the fight but never saw a penny of it.

Ravenhill ticket (Inpho Photography copyright)

Ravenhill Rugby Grounds in Belfast was the venue for every Ireland v Wales Five Nations match between 1927 and 1952. This is a ticket to the Ireland v Wales match that took place on Saturday, 13 March 1948. It cost £3 for entry and the stadium was packed to its 30,000 capacity, despite Ravenhill being a difficult ground to travel to for supporters who did not live in the six counties. Motorists from the twenty-six counties had to obtain accreditation to bring a car across the border, enduring weeks of paperwork in advance of the match.

FL

Laura Corrigan’s AFL jersey (Australian Sports Museum)

This is the jersey worn by Laura Corrigan during the 2011 AFL international cup – the first women’s edition of the tournament. She played for the Irish Banshees, who beat Canada in the final. In 2017, Laura made sporting history by playing in the first professional women’s league. Playing for AFL giants Melbourne FC, as well as becoming the first Irish woman to be selected at this level, she was also the only international player involved in the league in its inaugural year. Laura was allocated the number 11 jersey, a treasured number locally as it was worn by the club’s Irish legend, Jim Stynes (1966–2012).