“FROM RAGS TO RICHES”
FEARGAL O’ROURKE has written a book about rugby, documenting the Irish Men’s team in the professional era. And it’s for a good cause – the IRFU Charitable Trust.
“From Rags to Riches” charts the Irish men’s rugby team over the 29 seasons and 316 test matches since the game went professional in 1995. With over 600 pages and more than 700 photographs it is the definitive record of the rise of Irish rugby to the top table of the game. QR codes allow the reader to access YouTube highlights of 250 of those games.
Aviva, Bank of Ireland, Canterbury, IntersportElverys, TritonLake and Vodafone are great supporters of the project and Billy Strickland gave Feargal access to his vast database of photos that brought the book to life. Jimmy Staunton – a good Connacht Rugby man – and his family have been hugely supportive of the project and it is being stocked instore and online in Elverys – including in the Athlone store.
Feargal has long been associated with the IRFU and he is an avid collector of rugby memorabilia.
I happened to be in Golden Island on Saturday and got a hardback copy. It is an excellent production, loads of information and topclass photographs. It will provide hours of worthwhile reading over Christmas and into the New Year. I thoroughly recommend it. Paperback is €35 but the hardback is super value at €50. An ideal gift for rugby and sports enthusiasts over the festive season.
Visit irishrugbybooks.ie for more detail
