Description

This is the story in verse of Mayo’s Quest for Sam. From losing the semi-final of 1985 right up to the celebrations of winning the final in 2026. This book will take you back to the days before, during and after all the big matches. The scores and venues, the winning and losing, the excitement of the build-up, the pain of defeat, and the absolute elation of the final victory. All verses were written at the time the games were played.

Peter Costello is a Mayo poet and a life-long supporter of Mayo GAA. He was at the replay of the semi-final against Dublin in 1985 and decided afterwards to write a verse about the game. He felt it was a great way to keep the memories alive and he continued to write a verse of all of Mayo’s big championship matches after that. He witnessed 11 lost finals and 2 draws in that period of time. He wrote a poem on the build-up to those matches, and another on the aftermath. The poems capture the mood and excitement of the week before the matches and afterwards on the sadness and pain of losing. To get to 12 finals, you had to win 12 semi-finals, so there were a lot good days too. There are also poems here about the years when Mayo did not make it to the last 4. This is a book that is 41 years in the making and it was always the intention to get it published, but only after Mayo won the Sam Maguire Cup. That time has finally come. This book will bring back fantastic memories as it takes you on the long journey of Mayo’s Quest for Sam.

ISBN: 9780993234897