JOHNNY SEXTON’S autobiography ‘Obsessed’ has won the sports prize at the Irish Book Awards this evening.
Written with journalist Peter O’Reilly, the book focuses on the career of the Irish rugby great.
Sexton’s book overcame strong competition from William Hill Sports Book of the Year winner ‘The Racket,’ written by former tennis player Conor Niland in collaboration with The42‘s Gavin Cooney.
Also shortlisted for the Eason Sports Book of the Year were ‘Unladylike: A History of Ladies Gaelic Football’ by Hayley Kilgallon, ‘Blood and Thunder: Rugby and Irish Life: A History’ by Liam O’Callaghan, ‘Joe Canning: My Story’ with Vincent Hogan, and ‘My Autobiography’ by Davy Russell and Donn McClean.
You can view the full list of winners here.
Really surprised at that because I found it an insanely boring read, nowhere near the standard of alan quinlans or dan carters
@Cian Halley: likewise cos it’s about egg chasers and posh schools
@Joe Beirne: were you expecting Harry Potter?
@Cian Halley: Quinlans book was like himself….a dose of scutter
@Cian Halley: yet you bought it and read it. Mission accomplished
@James: quinlans book is brilliant, hones and plenty of funny stories from times of old about munster rugby
@Joe Beirne: i am surprised you even went to school
@Cian Halley: The first half was interesting, the second half alright was disappointing. Pretty much gave no insight into Leinster champions cup failures or Ireland under Farrell, just told us everything that was publicly known
He won but he lost
3 miserable comments above me enjoyed the book
@Shanie: The man is a year retired and the knives are still out. ROG, POC and BOD never had to put up with it!
@Paul Ennis: Very true
Well deserved
Some of the comments on here are embarrassing. A far superior book was overlooked. If you see the past winners of the William Hill sports book of the year, you would realise what an achievement it was for Conor Niland and Gavin Cooney of this parish.
The irony is that it is Leinster rugby fans on here that are creating the narrative of Leinster bias and dislike of Sexton.
It is no slight on Sexton or his book to be questioning why a far superior book didn’t win it.
My initial reaction was that the Irish book awards don’t mean much if the racket didn’t win it and I’d say that if Joe Canning’s book or any other book beat it.
The Leinster boys need to take of the blue tinted shades for a minute.
@Joe O’Regan: Most of the comments here are either congratulating him or defending him from weird and bitter attacks from people who don’t like him. None of them are stating the merits or otherwise of the book compared to others. We know nothing about book awards and most of us probably have not read all of the contenders. I have been hinting for Johnny’s book as a Christmas present so I haven’t even read that. The fact that you can read those comments (many are Munster supporters by the way) and say they are wearing blue tinted glasses says more about you than the comments to be honest.
@Joe O’Regan: im.a munster fan and the negitive comments are toxic i dont understand the hate for ireland s greatest player sad really but to be expected on here
And of course all the Munster fans are critical. I’m surprised so many of you actually read it. What did you all think of Mein Kampf?
@Fagin Strauss: articulate comment..well done.
@Fagin Strauss: well Adolf never played for leinster so obviously he wasn’t as bad as Johnny or sam pendergast
@Fagin Strauss: Im a munster fan loved it but also i support all irish sides and cant stand the munster leinster hate
And when Sexton kicked that iconic drop goal against France all his critics here were most likely hugging and kissing each other.
Must be more Leinster bias
@James Dempsey Junior: How is your Dad?
@Paul Ennis: I’d have said, “who’s your daddy!!”
@Stuart: ugggh!!
Conor Nilands book The Racket was deemed good enough to win the William Hill Award but Sextons borefest wins this.
@conor carroll: Conor Niland couldn’t kick a penalty on a wet windy Friday night in Galway though :)
Surprised at that ,was nt great
Stick that on your xmas reading list Reiko
Awful book. Probably the worst I’ve ever read sold it on Amazon
@Kew Kew: I’d say you did yeah
@Kew Kew: Can u read?