22 September, 2002 is a date engrained in the mind of every Armagh fan, as the Sam Maguire was lifted in front of a sea of orange and white for the first time. Twenty years on, Orchard stars, fans and opponents all contribute to paint a vivid picture of the day that Armagh were Kings for a Day.
Category: Northern Ireland, Sport
22 September, 2002 is a date engrained in the mind of every Armagh fan. At Croke Park for the first time ever, the Sam Maguire was lifted in front of a sea of orange and white and the celebrations continued for months. Twenty years on, the story of that famous day is revisited and examined and the reasons for their ascent are detailed by those at the heart of the journey. Orchard stars, fans and opponents all contribute to paint a vivid picture of the day that Armagh were Kings for a Day.
Kings for a Day is a book to celebrate that success but also to give readers a new and exciting insight on what exactly happened inside the tight-knit dressing room that took Armagh from also-rans to All-Ireland champions.
Hailing from Dromintee at the foot of Slieve Gullion in County Armagh, Niall McCoy is a writer, journalist and sports enthusiast. He has worked for RTÉ, the Irish News and Gaelic Life, and is a regular contributor to other media outlets.
A life-long Armagh fan thanks to the influence of his father Desy and uncles, Niall has followed the highs and lows of his beloved Orchard County, and is looking forward to their second All-Ireland win.
A fine record of a really important All-Ireland
an important book ... do yourself a favour and trip down memory lane
the perfect way to relive it all
Armagh’s 2002 success has been well-documented, but McCoy’s book delves deeper into the backstory and shines a light on some characters whose stories aren’t as well-known
Every now and then, something catches your attention, maybe just for a flickering moment, and transports you somewhere else entirely. I had the good fortune to experience this recently when reading a magnificent new book, which charts the rise and fall of one of Gaelic football’s most iconic teams, who came along at a remarkable moment in time for the sport … what a time it was. If the early ’90s belonged to Ulster, the early noughties were every man’s. Kildare, Westmeath and Laois were winning Leinster titles, Fermanagh were in an All-Ireland semi-final, Sam was crossing the Shannon. And, in the middle of it all, Armagh and Tyrone were winning their first All-Irelands at senior level. It was an era when, truly, any Gaelic footballer could aspire to being king for a day – and it is fitting, as stated, that this is the title chosen for this new book … The author has done historians and Gaelic football followers in general a great service. Twenty years on seems like the optimum time to write a book like this –the protagonists are still around and their memories are still fresh yet enough distance has passed between then and now to provide perspective. Kings For A Day is a most welcome addition to the Gaelic games canon and should be read by every person with an interest in high performance sport, in building something from nothing and, especially, in Gaelic football in Ulster and beyond. As for that team and what they did it seems unlikely it will be replicated now. And that makes this story all the more striking’
hugely informative yet entertaining book, Niall McCoy speaks to the main protagonists about their success including Oisin McConville, Joe Kernan, Jarlath Burns and the always amusing Benny Tierney. Yes, the games itself (including those blockbuster clashes against Tyrone and Kerry), are covered in great depth, but McCoy looks under the bonnet in what is the perfect stocking filler for anyone - not just the Armagh fan in your life - with an interest in Gaelic Football
terrific
