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9781538142301

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The Irish Whales tells the story of a forgotten group of men. Natives of Ireland, they came to the US and dominated track & field athletics at a time when it was the premier sport in the nation, helping to fight discrimination against the Irish and Catholics when many of them were considered the lowest class of American citizen. A well-told story, I learned a lot from this book and would recommend it to anyone interested in track & field, sports, or Irish history.--Bill Mallon, past-president, International Society of Olympic Historians (ISOH)

This book is a masterpiece of Irish-American social and sporting history. The wonderful and remarkable achievement of the Irish Whales are brought to light in most descriptive and researched manner.--Philip Conway, Olympic Shot-putter and coach Finally a complete study of the athletic achievements of the Irish Whales who represented the USA with incredible success in the Olympic Games in the early 1900s. The careers of John Flanagan, Martin Sheridan, James Michel, Pat McDonald and Paddy Ryan are examined in the sporting, political, social and cultural context of the era in Kevin Martin's fine study. A must read for athletic fans and Olympic enthusiasts.--Tom Hunt, author of The Little Book of Irish Athletics and Olympic historian This is a lively and very readable book, capturing the history and legends surrounding a group of Irish-born athletes who mainly achieved great fame in, and for, the United States prior to the 1920s. It is a story of emigration and opportunity, of men who learned their early athletic skills in Ireland, by and large, but who seized on the training, technical developments and some quite astounding dietary practices in New York. In doing so, they established themselves literally and metaphorically as giants of American athletics. I enjoyed this book very much.--Kevin McCarthy, author of Gold, Silver and Green: Ireland's Olympic Journey 1896-1924 The Irish Whales tells the story of a forgotten group of men. Natives of Ireland, they came to the US and dominated track & field athletics at a time when it was the premier sport in the nation, helping to fight discrimination against the Irish and Catholics when many of them were considered the lowest class of American citizen. A well-told story, I learned a lot from this book and would recommend it to anyone interested in track & field, sports, or Irish history.--Bill Mallon, past-president, International Society of Olympic Historians (ISOH)

Author Information

Kevin Martin holds a master’s degree in communications and cultural studies from Ireland’s Dublin City University, and has taught communications, Irish social and cultural history, and cultural studies at high school and university levels. His three published works in Ireland include Have Ye No Homes To Go To?: The History of the Irish Pub (2016), A Happy Type of Sadness: A Journey Through Irish Country Music (2018), and The Complete Guide to Irish Pubs (2018).

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