Alan Hannify

Heart and Spirit Alan Hannify

The Republic of Ireland football team has often been characterised by opposition managers, players and media outlets as displaying the admirable but somewhat intangible attributes of 'heart' and 'fighting spirit'. Such platitudes can sometimes feel like back-handed compliments and representative of an international perspective of Irish football as lacking in technical quality. This book seeks to present a more nuanced history of the Irish team through twelve era-defining fixtures dating back to the nation's first involvement in a World Cup qualifier in 1934. The matches examined in the book are not necessarily the best performances by Irish teams, nor indeed are they all positive results. However, an individual fixture can frame the public perception of a qualifying campaign, a managerial tenure, or a particular generation of players. The story behind a single result or performance can carry a significance that transcends time, and it is through this prism that the book explores the evolution of the Irish football team.