Home ⋅ Published Books ⋅ The Last Ditch: GAA, the Fear, and One Man’s Long Road to Croker

The Last Ditch: GAA, the Fear, and One Man’s Long Road to Croker
Share by Email Share on Messenger Share on Whatsapp Share on Whatsapp

By: Eamonn Sweeney
Publisher: Hachette Books Ireland
Published: May 2026
Pages: 336
Categories: Non-Fiction, Sports
Language: English
Available as: Ebook
On sale at:
ISBN-13: 9781399734714

"Sweeney's prose is on fire. A blistering book that readers will relish enormously." MICHAEL HARDING "A cracking read ... a championship season as redemption song." MICHAEL CLIFFORD "All the tension of a tight knockout encounter ... one of the books of the year." MIKE McCORMACK In the summer of 2024, sports columnist Eamonn Sweeney set out to follow the All-Ireland championships around the country, retracing footsteps he'd first laid down in his 2004 bestseller The Road to Croker. But there was one big problem. For many years, he had struggled with a crippling travel phobia that left him largely confined to his hometown in West Cork. To fulfil his publishing contract, he had to face his deepest fears. The Last Ditch is a story about mental health, hidden shame and a life-changing moment in a remote train station. It's about a hurling championship which may have been the greatest ever played and a football championship which definitely was not. It's about unlikely triumphs, remarkable renaissances, shocks, cliff-hangers and heartbreaks on the pitch. Off the field, it is the story of one man's embrace of a changing Ireland as he takes back his life. Both an unforgettable sports odyssey and a revelatory personal account, The Last Ditch is a celebration of resilience, the healing power of connection and the unifying spirit of the GAA.

Other Books From this Category

  • 31 Dec 2026 - Four Courts Press Ltd

    Directory of Historic Dublin Guilds: Second Edition

  • 31 Dec 2026 - Irish Manuscripts Commission

    The Red Book of Ossory

  • 27 Nov 2026 - Four Courts Press Ltd

    Brigid’s Worlds: Proceedings from the Brigid 1500 Maynooth University and Kildare County Council Conference

  • 27 Nov 2026 - Four Courts Press Ltd

    The Irish Soldier: In Peacetime and at War, at Home and Abroad, from Earliest Times to the Present

    By Thomas Bartlett (historian)

    This edited volume presents some thirty chapters by a team of international scholars reviewing the Irish military experience throughout the world over the past 1000 years with each chapter seeking to ...

  • 12 Nov 2026 - Lonely Planet Global Limited

    Lonely Planet South America Planning Map

    Chart your dream trip to South America with Lonely Planet's South America Planning Map, the ultimate travel tool to help you navigate your way around this amazing part of the world. Witness the mig...

  • 12 Nov 2026 - Lonely Planet Global Limited

    Lonely Planet Central America Planning Map

    Chart your dream trip to Central America with Lonely Planet's Central America Planning Map, the ultimate travel tool to help you navigate your way around this amazing part of the world. Dive headfi...

  • 12 Nov 2026 - Lonely Planet Global Limited

    Lonely Planet Quechua Travel Phrasebook & Dictionary

    Learn essential phrases and vocabulary – from directions to eating out and travelling safely – and get to the heart of the local culture with this on-the-go language guide. Never get stuck for ...

  • 12 Nov 2026 - Lonely Planet Global Limited

    Lonely Planet Ecuador & the Galapagos Islands

    Lonely Planet's local travel experts reveal all you need to know to plan the trip of a lifetime in this latest edition of our guide to Ecuador & the Galápagos Islands. Discover Ecuador & the Galá...

  • 12 Nov 2026 - Lonely Planet Global Limited

    Lonely Planet Maui

    Lonely Planet's local travel experts reveal all you need to know to plan the trip of a lifetime in this latest edition of our guide to Maui.   Discover Maui's most popular experiences and best kept...

  • 12 Nov 2026 - Lonely Planet Global Limited

    Lonely Planet Where to Cheat on Your Cat: The Cat Lover’s Travel guide

    The definitive guide to the top spots around the world where you can see, pet and photograph one of the planet's most beloved animals: cats! Meet warm-bellied felines snoozing in bookstores, gape at ...

  • 12 Nov 2026 - Lonely Planet Global Limited

    Lonely Planet Experience Antarctica

    Lonely Planet's Experience Antarctica travel guide reveals exciting new ways to explore this iconic region with all the tools you need to create your own unique trip. Discover amazing local experie...

  • 12 Nov 2026 - Lonely Planet Global Limited

    Lonely Planet Journey Inca Trail

    Lonely Planet's Journey Inca Trail is the definitive guide to one of the world's great adventures – bringing you closer to the culture, history and landscapes you'll encounter along the way.   Ge...

  • 12 Nov 2026 - Lonely Planet Global Limited

    Lonely Planet Experience Hawaii

    This latest edition of Lonely Planet's Experience Hawaii travel guide reveals exciting new ways to explore this iconic region with all the tools you need to create your own unique trip.   Discover ...

  • 12 Nov 2026 - Lonely Planet Global Limited

    Lonely Planet Argentina

      Lonely Planet's local travel experts reveal all you need to know to plan the trip of a lifetime in this latest edition of our guide to Argentina.   Discover Argentina's most popular experiences...

  • 12 Nov 2026 - Lonely Planet Global Limited

    Lonely Planet Kids Maptacular!

    By Laura Baker

    Get a whole new look at our planet with this awesome collection of unusual maps packed with fun insights and astounding information about the world. Which countries prefer dogs and which prefer cats?...

  • 12 Nov 2026 - Lonely Planet Global Limited

    Lonely Planet Southeast Asia Planning Map

    Chart your dream trip to Southeast Asia with Lonely Planet's Southeast Asia Planning Map, the ultimate travel tool to help you navigate your way around this amazing part of the world. Roam the stre...

  • 12 Nov 2026 - Lonely Planet Global Limited

    Lonely Planet Honolulu Waikiki & Oahu

    Lonely Planet's local travel experts reveal all you need to know to plan the trip of a lifetime in this latest edition of our guide to Honolulu, Waikiki & Oahu.   Discover Honolulu, Waikiki & Oahu'...

  • 12 Nov 2026 - Lonely Planet Global Limited

    Lonely Planet Kauai

    Lonely Planet's local travel experts reveal all you need to know to plan the trip of a lifetime in this latest edition of our guide to Kauai.   Discover Kaua‘i's most popular experiences and best...

  • 12 Nov 2026 - Lonely Planet Global Limited

    Lonely Planet Hawaii Island (The Big Island)

    Lonely Planet's local travel experts reveal all you need to know to plan the trip of a lifetime in this latest edition of our guide to Hawaii the Big Island.   Discover Hawai'i the Big Island's mos...

  • 5 Nov 2026 - Hachette Books Ireland

    Talk to Joe: Life, Liveline and Me

    By Joe Duffy

    For nearly three decades, Joe Duffy sat behind the mic as host of RTÉ's Liveline, the radio show that became Ireland's national sounding board. In this walk down memory lane, Joe takes readers inside...

View More From This Category

Other Books From this Author

View More From This Author

About Us

Irish Interest in based on one very simple idea: to bring the contents of any Irish bookshop to people everywhere, especially those outside Ireland who do not have the possibility of keeping abreast of new books published in Ireland. The Irish Interest web platform is purely a provider of information about new publications. The aim of the site is to have every publishing house in Ireland adding their latest titles as they become available. Hyperlinks to each title bring users of the site directly to the publisher's web area or to a sales site where books can be purchased.

Privacy Policy

Irishinterest.ie and its owners strive at all times to preserver the privacy of all personal information stored on its website and servers. Information deemed to be private and confidential will not be communicated to any parties or divulged in any way. Cookies and similar technologies Irishinterest.ie and its owners are not responsible for external data collection entities. Third party sites with access to Irishinterest.ie may be able to acquire or assimilate data. Cookies and similar technologies can be utilized by third parties accessing our site without our knowledge.

Terms & Conditions

Irishinterest.ie, Irishinterest.com, and its owners take no responsibility for information issued on its site that is posted by third parties. It is the sole responsibility of the third parties who utilize the site for publication of any information to ensure that such information is correct and does not infringe laws and the rights of others who may be affected by publication of such information. Disputed material will be removed pending clarification.