The First Sunday in September

by Tadhg Coakley

With its unique subject matter and structure akin to Donal Ryan’s The Spinning Heart, The First Sunday in September is a must-read. Tadhg Coakley wonderfully captures the excitement of All-Ireland day. Having re-mortgaged his home a hungover Clareman gambles the last of his money on his county to win. Sarah Taylor attends the final with her partner, Conor Dunlea, wondering when to tell him that she’s pregnant. Tim Collins watches the match from the stands, his gaze repeatedly falling on the Cork captain, Sean Culloty, whom he and his wife, Evelyn, gave up for adoption years earlier. Clare star forward Cillian McMahon struggles under the weight of expectation. Cork’s talisman Darren O’Sullivan waits for the sliotar to fall from the sky, aware that his destiny is already set. These are just a few of the characters whose lives we join for a day. A mix of Elizabeth Strout’s Olive Kitteridge and Chad Harbach’s The Art of Fielding

Genres: Fiction

240 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 3, 2018

About the author

Tadhg Coakley is the award winning author of four books.

His debut novel The First Sunday in September was shortlisted for the Mercier Fiction Prize and published in 2018 to much acclaim.

His crime novel Whatever It Takes (Part 1 of the Tim Collins Series) was chosen as the 2020 Cork, One City One Book.

Everything (a sports autobiography, which he co-wrote with its subject, Denis Coughlan) was one of the 2020 sports books of the year in The Sunday Times, The Irish Examiner and The Irish Times.

Coakley's bestselling memoir The Game: A Journey into the Heart of Sport (2022) was described in The Irish Examiner as ‘one of the most distinctive, original, beautiful and best books on sport this country has known’. Donal Ryan referred to it as 'a towering work'.

Tadhg’s short stories, articles and essays have been widely published. www.tadhgcoakley.ie

Reviews

[the great gretsby]

3.5 stars

wasn‘t sure whether i was going to enjoy this because i have little knowledge of hurling and no interest in sports but this turned out not be much of an issue as this is as much a book about human relationships as it is about sports. i absolutely loved the form of it and that each chapter is focalised through a different character. it was so great to slowly be able to make connections between the different characters‘ lives. they all felt very authentic and i loved getting glimpses into their very different minds. would’ve given this a higher rating if it wasn‘t for the sexist undertones throughout the novel. not just one, but the majority of male characters seem to view women as mere objects which did taint the book a little bit for me

[Margaret Madden]

Review to follow...

[KmC]

I really enjoyed this book. Having spent many Sundays in September travelling to and from Croke Park, and having a huge interest in Gaelic games, this resonated so much. The characters are very relatable as are their back stories.
A very well written book and thoroughly enjoyed.

[Mary]

This is a mix of interconnected stories that revolve around an all-Ireland hurling final between Cork and Clare. Each story or chapter is from the perspective of a player, family member, coach or spectator and captures the passion for the sport and the inner turmoil of each one on the day. The variety in the writing is a little overwhelming at first but in the end, like looking through a kaleidoscope, the tumbling parts produce a pattern that I enjoyed immensely. The picture painted is one of lives that play out through a combination of luck and character, much like the central match itself. I found the male characters, of which there are much more, were better done than the female ones. Even if all of them are not the most likable people, it was fascinating to me to get inside their heads. Highly recommended, even if you know nothing about hurling.

[Maeve]

Following a format made popular by Irish writer Donal Ryan, Tadhg interweaves the lives of his characters by having each chapter feature a different narrator. The novel centers around the All-Ireland final, and those who attend the match and play.

It is not hard to follow, plot-wise, even though it switches from a close-third person narration, to first and to second, as a reader you know what the character wants, needs, or expects to happen during the Sunday. The moments of connection between characters and you the reader are compelling and expressed with compassion.

I was drawn to this book because I wanted to read about hurling—but this novel brings more to it than just a sports game. I enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it to anyone who knows the Irish sport or not.

[Ger]

This book reads more as a collection of short stories than a novel. While the writing is good there are too many characters which makes it difficult to follow sometimes. I felt that one or two of the stories, for example Sean and his adoptive and natural parents had the potential to be developed further and made the focus of the novel. I really wanted to know more about their back story and about how they all got on afterwards. This could also have been a way to make the GAA and it's role in Irish society more integral to the story as the title seemed to promise. It was mostly an enjoyable read though and I will read more by this author.

[Jane Riordan]

I found this in Poundland! So had to rescue it. My other half has connections to Ireland, specifically Cork, so it seemed fate that I should read this.

Of course the whole story centres around Hurling, of which I know very little but, more than this, the book has the feel that it was essentially written for a male reader - the language, descriptions, dialogue, it's all a bit laddish and really not for me.

Teamed with the intended audience, I'm sure it would be well received.

[Kieran Neylon]

At its essence, this is a collection of short stories with a sporting event to connect them. "Angels" was the standout chapter, so powerful and moving, but I was disappointed that I never got to find out what happens next ... I suppose the reader is free to fill in their own blanks in every book, but I'd love Tadgh to tell us how he thinks some of those stories play out.

[Jennifer deBie]

Fascinating read, as an American living in Ireland the cult and culture surrounding traditional sports like hurling can be a bit daunting. Coakley breaks the biggest day of the year for hurling fans down into a stunning series of human vignettes, woven together loosely, but inescapably. Delightful read!

[Patricia Power]

Claire Vs Cork -,it is all Ireland final day but this book isn’t just about the game itself it is about the people who play it, follow it and love it and their lives. The book follows players and supporter and explore what is going on in their lives and how the game makes them to momentarily forget their problems. This book turns the ordinary in to a great story.

[Mary McGowan]

A book that will stick with me for a while. The chapter Angels will haunt me for a while as I can't imagine what would make a parent do that...

[David Livingston]

Having family from Cork who have a storied hurling tradition I could relate to the descriptions about the playing of the actual game and their supporters.

[Sharon Hodnett]

I know nothing about hurling but this book had me hooked from first chapter. Each chapter tells a different story but all linked to All Ireland final between Cork and Clare

[Jordan]

This is one of the best books I've read. It mixes sport with fiction and is beautifully written by TC. It's something of a hidden gem in my opinion. The emotion which sport evokes is brilliantly captured. Whether you like sport or not , it is a must read.