New book names thirteen Offaly players among all-time GAA greats

Seven Offaly hurlers and six footballers are included among the all-time greats in a new book – Pulse of the Nation - marking the 140^th anniversary of the GAA’s founding in 1884.

Hurlers, Damien Martin, Eugene Coughlan, Martin Hanamy, Pat Fleury, Brian Whelahan, Johnny Dooley and Paddy Molloy and footballers, Martin Furlong, Paddy McCormack, Eugene Coughlan, Willie Bryan, Matt Connor and Tony McTague have all been named among the top ten in their various positions.

Pulse of the Nation, co-written by award-winning and vastly-experienced GAA journalists, Martin Breheny and Donal Keenan, takes readers on a fascinating journey down through the decades. The first stop-off is to consider who were the top ten players in each position in the GAA’s 140-year history.

Drawing on their long experience of covering Gaelic Games - which stretches back half a century - and merging it with assessments gleaned from the work of journalists, commentators and others prior to that – they have assembled a one-to-ten ranking in all fifteen positions in football and hurling. All 150 players in football and hurling are individually profiled.

Obviously, opinions will vary sharply on their conclusions, but as an exercise in acknowledging past glories it offers an opportunity for lively debate among the GAA fraternity as they reflect on the big stars who shone so brightly over the years.

The highest-ranked Offaly men are Matt Connor (No.2 behind Pat Spillane at left half-forward and Martin Furlong (No.3 goalkeeper behind Stephen Cluxton and Dan O’Keeffe) in football and hurlers Brian Whelahan (No.2 behind Tommy Walsh at right half-back) and Johnny Dooley (No.5 at right half-forward).

Pulse of the Nation also chooses – and re-visits - the greatest day in every county’s history in hurling and football. In Offaly hurling’s case, it settles unsurprisingly on their 1981 All-Ireland final win over Galway. In football, Offaly’s historic win over Galway in the 1971 All-Ireland final tops the achievement list.

In addition to the player and county highlights, Pulse of the Nation focuses on the role, impact and demise of the dual player and deals with many of the big issues from GAA history, including controversies, how it coped with major threats and challenges, the evolution of competitions, the emergence of a new management culture and the changing sporting and social trends as revealed through debates at annual congress.

Camogie and Ladies football are also catered for in the 400-page, described by GAA President, Jarlath Burns as ‘an invaluable reference point for followers of our games. He also writes in the foreword that Pulse of the Nation is a ‘catch-all, whistle-stop tour down through the decades, connecting young and old alike through the prism of our games.’