Mayo: A Biography in NINE Lives

The pursuit of glory by Mayo has been one of the most intriguing sagas throughout the history of the All-Ireland senior football championship. No other county has been to so many finals, has given so much to the intercounty game, yet, come away with so little glory. 

Mayo native Declan Varley has been a witness to this ongoing pursuit by his native county, and is one of just a handful to have attended every losing Mayo final since 1951 — a front row seat to pain.

In his new book ‘9 Lives’, he charts that journey through conversation with some of those who wore the Green and Red, and those closest to them. He talks curses and snowy pitches and conspiracy theories and crushing disappointment.

From the first Mayo All-Ireland-winning captain Seamus O’Malley, through Sean Flanagan and Padraig Carney of the great team of the early 50s, to the towering giants who were John Morley and Ted Webb, both of whom died too soon; to James Nallen and John Casey who nearly secured silverware, and to Alan Dillon and Tom Parsons, members of the team of the last decade that put it up to the greatest of them all.