Description
NO IRISH SPORTSPERSON IS MORE TALKED ABOUT THAN ROY KEANE.
None has had more of substance to say for himself. Across nearly four tumultuous decades, from callow teen prospect to grey bearded influencer, Roy Keane has transcended sport, redefined the parameters of fame and captivated the nation. Our hopes, dreams and sometimes our despair have been wrapped up in him, his exploits and outbursts. Oscillating between national treasure and national argument, he put the manic in talismanic, bestriding Lansdowne Road one minute, getting booed there the next.
If the sporting heroes of every era offer a window into a society, We Need to Talk About Roy is a fascinating portrait of who and what we were in the age of Keane, showcasing our vices and virtues, our fortunes and foibles. The best of us, the worst of us. Drink. Religion. United. Begrudgery. The Celtic Tiger. Tabloidization. Saipan. Touching on all the major themes and teams, this remarkable book is a refreshing and entertaining look at how the life and times of our greatest footballer is the story of modern Ireland itself. His progress and pitfalls, revolutions and evolution uniquely intertwined with those of the country that made him.
He is of Ireland. Ireland is of him.
Contents
Prologue
1. Darkness on the Edge of Town
2. Hard Knock Life
3. Exile on Main Street
4. Read the News Today, Oh Boy
5. United Irishmen
6. Message in a Bottle
7. Island of Lost Souls
8. Celtic Twilight
9. Sundireland
10. Codebreaker
11. The Royvolution will be Televised
About the Author
Dave Hannigan is a professor of history at Suffolk County Community College in New York, a weekly columnist with The Irish Times, and author of several non-fiction books, including The Big Fight: When Ali Conquered Ireland, and Muhammad Ali: Fifteen Rounds in the Wilderness. A native of Cork, Dave currently lives in East Setauket, Long Island, with his sons Abe, Charlie and Finn.
