Triumphs, Trophies and Troubles

From the founding of Ireland's first national team in 1875 to the Grand Slam winners of today.

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From the founding of Ireland's first national team in 1875, to the Grand Slam winners of today, 150 years later, acclaimed rugby writer Peter Bills journeys around Ireland to discover what makes Irish rugby the force that it is. Along the way he meets the men and women within whom the great spirit of Irish rugby resides, from the 50-year servant of a small local club out in the wilds of Connemara, to the coach who discovered one of Ireland's greatest ever rugby men down in Munster and the official who has filled just about every role imaginable in his local club, from player to coach, club President to groundsman.

Whether it be at the Armagh or Coalisland clubs in the north, or Skibbereen and Sunday's Well in the south, Bills explores how rugby union in Ireland has overridden sectarianism and division to become the only sport played as a single nation and how Ireland's rugby system, in which many great rugby-playing schools feature prominently, has always produced many outstanding, individual world class players.

Featuring exclusive interviews with many greats of the Irish game, such as Willie John McBride, Brian O'Driscoll, Paul O'Connell, Keith Wood, Ronnie Dawson, Mike Gibson, Tony Ward, Ronan O'Gara, Peter O'Mahony, current national coach Andy Farrell and many more, Triumphs, Trophies and Troubles is a journey and a celebration, of a game and the people who have embraced it down the years. How they have lived their lives and how the game of rugby has been so integral a part of their souls.