New Island Books announce the upcoming publication of Unladylike: A History of Ladies Gaelic Football by Hayley Kilgallon to mark 50 years of the LGFA
New Island Books (Dublin, Ireland) is thrilled to announce UNLADYLIKE: A History of Ladies Gaelic Football by Hayley Kilgallon, will be the published this September 12th, 2024. This highly anticipated work chronicles the journey of a sport that began in the 1920s, faced significant opposition, and evolved into one of the nation’s most beloved sporting associations.
ABOUT:
UNLADYLIKE delves into the early days of Ladies Gaelic Football, a time when the sight of women playing the sport was deemed inappropriate by societal standards. Despite these challenges, the sport found a niche as a carnival novelty and gradually gained traction. The founding of the Ladies Gaelic Football Association (LGFA) in Tipperary in July 1974 marked a pivotal moment, leading to fifty years of remarkable growth and development.
The book is lavishly illustrated and meticulously researched, drawing from national, club, and personal archives. It captures the essence of the sport's evolution, from the creation of its rule book to the establishment of a robust membership nearing 200,000. Unladylike is a tribute to all who have contributed to the sport—players, fans, kit-washers, sandwich-makers, and supporters. It not only celebrates the past but also looks forward to the promising future of Ladies Gaelic Football.
COMMENTS:
Aoife K. Walsh, Commissioning Editor at New Island Books said: "It has been a gift and a privilege to work with Hayley Kilgallon on her first book, the first definitive history of Ladies Gaelic Football. We were amazed the story had not already been told, but the 50th anniversary of the LGFA is the perfect moment to finally tell it. As one of the fastest-growing sports in Ireland, Ladies Gaelic Football is far from the sidelines these days, and we hope readers will treasure this beautiful tribute to their beloved game and the players, founders, organisers, and game-changers who have gone before."
Mícheál Naughton, President of the Ladies Gaelic Football Association, commented: "Hayley Kilgallon has spent many years researching the history of the Ladies Gaelic Football Association, and the fruits of her labour are to be seen in this wonderful piece of work. In what is a very special year for the LGFA, as we celebrate our 50th anniversary, 'Unladylike' is the definitive story of the Ladies Gaelic Football Association, tracking our history from humble beginnings on July 18, 1974, right through to the present day."
HAYLEY KILGALLON is a PhD student at the School of History in University College Dublin. Her research area is the history of women’s sport in Ireland with a particular focus on ladies’ Gaelic football and she has contributed on this subject to RTÉ, BBC Gaeilge and numerous journals. She has been a judge for the Young Social Innovators Ireland Awards and has played Gaelic football at club level in Sligo, Boston and Dublin.
For further information contact Des Doyle, Marketing and Publicity Manager, des.doyle@newisland.ie