William Hill Irish Sports Book of the Year
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{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox award
| name = William Hill Irish Sports Book of the Year
| image =
| imagesize =
| alt =
| caption =
| awarded_for =
| host = Williamhill.com
| location =
| presenter =
| sponsor = William Hill plc
| reward =
| date =
| country = Ireland
| year = 2006
| year2 = 2011
| website = [https://web.archive.org/web/20130908100431/http://www.irishsportsbookoftheyear.com/ Website]
}}
The William Hill Irish Sports Book of the Year was an annual Irish literary award sponsored by bookmakers William Hill. Established in 2006, it was related to the International William Hill Sports Book of the Year (est. 1989). The award sought to honour sports books produced in Ireland.{{Cite web | url = http://www.irishsportsbookoftheyear.com/About_Us/111 | title = About Us | accessdate = 25 December 2012 | publisher = Irish Sports Book of the Year}} The award lost its sponsorship after 2011 and has been discontinued.{{cite web |url=http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/columnists/kieran-shannon/awards-miss-point-when-book-is-only-judged-by-its-cover-217335.html |title=Awards miss point when book is only judged by its cover |work=Irish Examiner |author=Kieran Shannon |date=18 December 2012 |accessdate=29 May 2014}}
History
The inaugural winner of the William Hill Irish Sports Book of the Year in 2006 was Irish footballer Paul McGrath whose autobiography Back from the Brink described his football career and his battle with alcoholism.{{Cite web | url = https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/paul-mcgrath-i-dont-know-if-ive-had-my-last-drink-432720.html | work = The Independent | accessdate = 25 December 2012 | date = 19 January 2007 | first = Brian |last = Viner | title = Paul McGrath: 'I don't know if I've had my last drink'}} The following year, Irish rugby union player Trevor Brennan won the award with Heart and Soul, in which Brennan is described as an "anti-hero".{{Cite web | url = http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/opinion/columnists/ed-curran/the-travesty-of-toulouse-14000455.html | work = The Belfast Telegraph | publisher=Independent News & Media| accessdate =25 December 2012 | date = 13 October 2008 | title = The travesty of Toulouse }} The 2008 award was presented to Formula One driver Tommy Byrne for Crashed and Byrned, a biography including his brief five-race career with the now-defunct Hong Kong Theodore team.{{Cite web | url = https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/crashed-and-byrned-by-tommy-byrne-with-mark-hughes-929753.html | title = Crashed and Byrned, by Tommy Byrne with Mark Hughes | accessdate = 25 December 2012 | date = 14 September 2008 | first = Simon | last = Redfern | work = The Independent}}
Hurler Donal Óg Cusack, the first openly gay elite Irish sportsman,{{cite web|url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/gaa-star-donal-og-cusack-teammates-helped-me-through-ordeal-of-revealing-i-am-gay-14536491.html|title=GAA star Donal Og Cusack: Teammates helped me through ordeal of revealing I am gay|work=The Belfast Telegraph|publisher=Independent News & Media|date=20 October 2009|accessdate=25 December 2012}} was the 2009 recipient of the William Hill Irish Sports Book of the Year with his autobiography Come What May.{{Cite web | url = https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2009/nov/15/cusack-gay-sport-interview | work = The Guardian | title = Donal Óg Cusack: 'There was no torment or agonising' | first = Tom | last = Humphries | date = 15 November 2009 | accessdate = 25 December 2012}} Writing about the 2009 season of hurling club side St. Joseph's Doora-Barefield, Christy O'Connor won the 2010 award for The Club.{{Cite web | url = http://www.irishtimes.com/sports/other/2010/1202/1224284639082.html | work = The Irish Times | accessdate = 25 December 2012 | date = 2 December 2010 | first = Paul | last = Gallagher | title = 'The Club' wins Irish sports book of year}}
Winning the 2011 Irish Sports Book of the Year award with his biography of tetraplegic former rugby union player Matt Hampson,{{Cite web | url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/8691444/Matt-Hampson-I-will-be-a-better-person-for-this.html | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110811032931/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/8691444/Matt-Hampson-I-will-be-a-better-person-for-this.html | url-status = dead | archive-date = 11 August 2011 | work = Daily Telegraph | accessdate = 25 December 2012 | title = Matt Hampson: 'I will be a better person for this’ | first = Elizabeth | last = Grice| date = 10 August 2011}} Paul Kimmage was the first author to win both the Irish and International awards (1990).
List of winners
- 2006 Back from the Brink, Paul McGrath with Vincent Hogan{{cite web |url=http://www.thebookseller.com/news/sports-stars-longlisted-irish-award.html?quicktabs_1=0 |title=Sports stars longlisted for Irish award |work=The Bookseller |author=Staff writer |author-link=Staff writer |date=6 November 2008 |accessdate=27 November 2012}}
- 2007 Heart and Soul, Trevor Brennan with Gerry Thornley
- 2008 Crashed And Byrned: The Greatest Racing Driver You Never Saw, Tommy Byrne with Mark Hughes{{cite web |url=http://www.pr.com/press-release/121851 |title=Crashed and Byrned is the William Hill Irish Sports Book of the Year for 2008 |author=Staff writer |author-link=Staff writer |publisher=PR.com |date=14 December 2008 |accessdate=5 March 2009}}
- 2009 Come What May: The Autobiography, Donal Óg Cusack{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/championship/2009/1203/ogcusack.html |title=Cusack wins Book of the Year accolade |author=Staff writer |author-link=Staff writer |work=RTÉ News |publisher=Raidió Teilifís Éireann |date=3 December 2009 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091206100608/http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/championship/2009/1203/ogcusack.html |archivedate= 6 December 2009 }}
- 2010 The Club by Christy O'Connor{{cite web |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/sports/other/2010/1202/1224284639082.html |title='The Club' wins Irish sports book of year |work=Irish Times |author=Paul Gallagher |date=2 December 2010 |accessdate=27 November 2012}}
- 2011 Engage: The Fall and Rise of Matt Hampson, Paul Kimmage{{cite web|url=http://www.thescore.ie/engage-takes-top-irish-sports-book-award-for-hampson-and-kimmage-300069-Dec2011/ |title='Engage' takes top Irish sports book award for Hampson and Kimmage |work=The Score |author=Staff writer |author-link=Staff writer |date=12 August 2011 |accessdate=26 November 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131019052228/http://www.thescore.ie/engage-takes-top-irish-sports-book-award-for-hampson-and-kimmage-300069-Dec2011/ |archivedate=19 October 2013 }}
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{cite web |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130908100431/http://www.irishsportsbookoftheyear.com/ |archivedate=8 September 2013|url=http://www.irishsportsbookoftheyear.com |title=William Hill Irish Sports Book of the Year |work= |author= |date= |accessdate=29 May 2014}}
Category:2006 establishments in Ireland
Category:2011 disestablishments in Ireland
Category:Awards established in 2006
Category:Irish literary awards
Category:Sports writing awards
Category:William Hill (bookmaker)