Gaelic Spirit
Field of Dreams ... Home of History
Gerard Siggins
With no rugby over the summer, sports-mad Eoin Madden and his friends head to Ormondstown GAA club to get involved in hurling and football. Some local bullies spoil things a bit -- but when the ghosts of Brian Hanrahan and Michael Hogan appear, it's clear there is something more sinister brewing.
Category Accelerated Reader - Middle Years, Children's fiction, Sport (Children's)
Series Rugby Spirit
Sports-mad Eoin Madden is home in Tipperary for the holidays. There's no rugby over the summer, so he and his Castlerock boarding school friends, Dylan and Alan, head down to Ormondstown GAA club and get involved with the hurling and football teams.
The summer is full of fun as the boys all get into playing GAA – well, apart from Alan, who's more into studying the opposition, and checking out the GAA stats. Eoin and Dylan take part in a hurling and football blitz against other clubs in the county and find some of the skills they've developed in rugby translate well to their native sports.
The lads also have a bit of fun setting up a gardening business with their new teammates Vladis and Isaac to make some money. Everything is going well, so Eoin isn't sure why he bumps into his old ghostly friend, Brian Hanrahan – along with the ghost of Michael Hogan, who died in Croke Park on Bloody Sunday. Usually when ghosts appear to Eoin it is because there's something brewing. Some mystery or danger!
The only thing going wrong in Ormondstown seems to be a bit of trouble with a gang of bullies. But Eoin and Dylan have handled the bullies – or have they?
The ghostly action really hots up when the friends go to Dublin for the All-Ireland Hurling final. Eoin gains a deeper understanding of the tragedy of Bloody Sunday 100 years ago. But will he be in time to stop a modern tragedy unfolding?
Book 7 in the acclaimed Rugby Spirit series.
Gerard Siggins was born in Dublin in 1962. Initially a sports journalist, he worked for many years in the Sunday Tribune, where he became assistant editor. He has written several books about cricket and rugby. His Rugby Spirit series has sold over 65,000 copies and is hugely popular with sports-loving children around the world. Gerard regularly visits schools to talk about his books.
a brilliant story for the sports-mad young ones in our lives as we set off on another Eoin Madden Adventure … Sports and history are woven together in what is, simply a great adventure
Fallen Star Stories
It's wonderful to see another Eoin Madden Adventure bringing its' unique combination of sports and history to the page. The addition of more ghostly mystery hooks the reader immediately, as does the friendship and inclusiveness imbedded in the story. With an easy, flowing plotline that builds steady excitement and tension, the reader feels as if these are people they know; people they want to hang out with; people they will cheer for, on and off the pitch. The history woven into the tale encourages a hands-on understanding and desire to know more. And it is simply great adventure. Stories about sport are always highly sought after and you can't do better than this. Full of family, friends and fun...and you'll learn a little something along the way. You'll want to catch up with Eoin's sporting life (if you haven't read them yet). So please read the entire Rugby Spirit collection. You'll be glad you did
the whole story was very exciting and a great read overall … I would highly recommend this book for age group: 9-14 … My Dad loved the historical reference to Bloody Sunday and it also taught me about Bloody Sunday. I would give this book a 9/10. Overall I loved the book. Keep up the good work - By Aisling (age 10), 4th Class, Holy Rosary Primary School, Firhouse, Dublin 24
Seomra Ranga
lively sports adventure
a story of friendship, superb ending
spirited read … sports fans of all hues will doubtless devour
Eoin Madden loves rugby, but home in Tipperary from boarding school for the summer, he's been playing hurling and football instead in the local GAA club. He and his buddies have great fun in coach Paddy's team, but there's also a gardening business to run, Eoin's grandad needs help and local bullies need to be taught a lesson. Eoin's also been seeing ghosts again, which usually means something. This becomes clear in the action-packed conclusion at the All-Ireland final, a hundred years after Croke Park's Bloody Sunday tragedy.
This book is a perfect read for sports enthusiasts who will appreciate the detailed, knowledgeable match descriptions. And for readers who are not familiar with the events of Bloody Sunday in 1920, Siggins has provided an account at the end of exactly what happened on that tragic day in Croke Park
The story of Bloody Sunday is told along the way
Brilliant books which combine Irish sport and Irish history and the whole thing is interwoven brilliantly
Damien O'Meara, RTE Sport
Riveting GAA-centred narrative … the most recent in the series of books on young Eoin Madden, better known for his exploits in rugby prior to this particular summer holidays in Tipperary in which the ghost of Michael Hogan, well, ghosts into his life
Teaching Resources: free to view and download
Download Teaching Guides: Teaching guide to the book by Peter Heaney