A tale of less complicated times, but with a lot of reality and history thrown in, Where We Sported and Played is a classic account of a young man finding his way, mixing hard work with an awful lot of sport.
Memories of rasa and queen cakes, holidays in Youghal, hanging around the quays in the hope of getting some chocolate crumb from a docker uploading Cadbury’s merchandise, verses of street rhymes and loftier verse, including Goldsmith, all are recounted here.
This updated re-issue extends the adventure from the Cork days, through his teenage years to 1969, when he left for Maynooth. We accompany him on his liberating journey, by way of Donagh O’Malley’s programme of free education, his sporting achievements, the nurturing of his creative talents, his road to Damascus experience in the West Kerry Gaeltacht and the realization of his vocation against the backdrop of Rock n’ Roll, the civil rights moment, Vatican II, and so much else in a changing world.
