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Published
by Red Rock Press
Ryder
Cup 2006 By Dermot Gilleece
How
Ireland landed golf's biggest showpiece
Foreward
by Arnold Palmer
Gilleece's
name is synonymous with golf journalism in Ireland as golf correspondent
for the Irish Times for over twenty years and currently the Sunday
Independent correspondent and writes for all major Irish golf
publications.
The
book represented an unusual prequel (published October 2005) to
an event which is just less than one year away. The only comparable
publication is Valderrama : The First Ten Years by Jaime Ortiz-Patino
which was then followed up by the Valderrama The Ryder Cup Years
1992-1997.
The
book was originally due for publication in January but the deadline
were brought forward to cater for the Xmas market and as a result
it could expect to get a jump on any of its competitors. When
it is as sumptously produced, well researched, written and structured
and providing some tidbits which suggests the author has more
than just a passing acquaintance with the main characters. It
can rightfully expect to K.O. any other publications in the pipeline
with the next one due to hit the booksellers in April 2006. The
first edition print run was 7,500 copies with another edition
quickly afterwards.
| Other
titles by Author |
Year |
| Touching Greatness:
Memorable Encounters With Golfing Legends |
2008 |
| Milltown Golf Club
- An Illustrated Centenary History* |
2007 |
| Breaking
80 The Life and times of Joe Carr |
2002 |
| Malahide
Golf Club - Centenary 1892-1992* |
1992 |
| Killiney
Golf Club an illustrated centenary history 1903-2003* |
2003 |
| County
Sligo Golf Club The First Hundred Years 1894-1994 |
1994 |
| "The
Brad" - The Life and Times of Harry Bradshaw* |
- |
| Irish
Ladies Golf Union An Illustrated Centenary History 1893-1993* |
1993 |
| Victory!
Story of the 1995 Ryder Cup* |
1995 |
| Golfers'
Guide to Ireland |
2000 |
| Georgina
Campbell's Ireland for Gourmet Golfers* |
2005 |
| Clontarf
Golf Club 1912-1987* |
1987 |
| * co-author |
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The
book starts off by taking you around the Palmer course, hole by
hole, at the K Club, the venue for the Ryder Cup before Arnold
Palmer adds his tuppence with a whistle stop tour of his experiences
of the Ryder Cup and of Ireland. Gilleece then begins his story
of how Ireland landed golf's biggest showpiece. The story moves
through the myriad of events that make up the staging of the Ryder
Cup at the K-Club and the appeal of the event itself from it first
staging in 1927.
The
chase for the captainancy, the fallout from the terrorist attacks
on the World Trade Centre, the strenghtening of the European contingent
in the 90s and the svengali type plays and political maneouvrings
that were taking place behind the scenes to secure the event and
the venue.
The
book is laced throughout with some of the classic photographs
that have come to depict the Ryder Cup throughout the years. It
takes a close look at the Irish involvement throughout the life
of the Ryder Cup and provides a detailed chronicle of players
records in its Archive section. All in all the book has left few
gaps in dealing with its subject, The Ryder Cup 2006.
Dermot Gilleece currently
writes a golf blog on the Imagine Golf website. Click
here.
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