Joe Canning: My Story

by Joe Canning, Vincent Hogan (primary_contributor)

The youngest of seven children from a hurling-obsessed Portumna family, Joe Canning was steeped in the game from birth. Regarded as a prodigy from the moment he stepped onto the pitch as a boy, he burst onto the national radar aged just 19, scoring 2–12 for Galway in a narrow defeat to Cork. But it would be another nine summers before he would lift the Liam MacCarthy Cup. Over the next decade, the whole country became fixated on Galway's quest for glory and the many struggles along the would Joe Canning be the greatest hurler never to win an All-Ireland medal?
Pulsating with a unique sense of family and community in a place where hurling is a way of life, Joe Canning's memoir reflects on the standards of excellence he sometimes felt chained to, the suffocation of trying to meet other people's expectations and the personal battles that brought perspective to a singular focus on winning. Thoughtful and revealing, this is the remarkable story of one of Ireland's greatest hurlers.

Genres: Autobiography

304 pages, Hardcover

Published March 6, 2025

Reviews

[Ali · Rating 3 out of 5]

[Audiobook]

When I saw this available on BorrowBox I had to listen to it … As a Galway supporter it was interesting to listen to Joe’s perspective on things.
I was disappointed that he was not the narrator of the book. There were a few mispronunciations of names and places but apart from that it was a good listen.

I don’t think I’ll be reading any other sport autobiographies, but I was curious to see what this book was going to include.

[Mary Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading the highs and lows of a remarkable career from the man himself was a lesson in never assuming you know what they are really like and the personality it takes to keep a high standard of excellence year after year in the often suffocating glare of the media just waiting in the wings for you to fall off that pedestal that you never asked to be put on. Remarkable when you consider these athletes are amateur sportsmen but in reality, work just as hard as the pros who get paid tonnes more. interesting to read about what other people’s expectations feels like, his parents’ significant hand in the way his career progressed and the inside view on some of our best (hello Liam 2017) and sometimes worst memories following Galway Hurling. Excellent read.

[Cian Dalton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wouldn’t say this is an unputdownable book despite the fact I read it in two days and gave it four stars. I just love a good sports biography and especially a GAA one.

A fantastic insight into Canning and what it takes to reach the mountaintop of senior intercounty hurling. It’s funny that I play junior b football and hurling in cork for a club that hasn’t won anything in years and was taking little bits of inspiration from this book for some of our upcoming matches 😂

[Emily O'Callaghan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really glad that Joe wrote this book and that I received it for Christmas. Such a great insight into the mental and physical state of inter-county players especially those especially present in the public eye. Highly recommend even if you're not a big hurling fan.

[Aimee Quaide · Rating 4 out of 5]

No show like a Joe show

[Michael Roche · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good insight into the life of a county and committed club hurler. Really shows the extent of the injuries and commitment Joe made for the people of the Galway

[Anthony Feighery · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good bio, he pulled no punches, a good insight into the career of a top class hurler.