Johnny Giles stole Screaming at the Sky’s award

So the scene is set. The Irish Book Awards where Screaming at the Sky has been shortlisted for the Energise Irish Sports Book of the Year (Well the last 18 months since they changed the date of the awards) We are up against some heavy hitters- Ruby Walsh, Donal og Cusack, and the most famous man in Irish soccer, the legend of Elland Road, John Giles.

♣

President of Ireland Mary McAleese enters the room. We stand, we applaud. The President gives an incredibly powerful speech illuminated with wisdom, perspective and real heart. Ireland’s greatest athlete of our generation Brian O Driscoll is holding his wife Amy Huberman’s hand as she anxiously awaits the winner of her category. It is a cesspool of excitement with a dash of anxiety.

We have our meal. Irish Lamb and  the most delicious chocolate mousse ever to pass my mouth. Then the presenters take to the stage. Board Gais Energy sponsor the awards and they have done a brilliant job. Here we go….It comes to the Sports Book of the Year section. I eye up Johnny Giles and give him “The Stare”. I do the cutting my throat gesture. Johnny looks understandably confused and worried. Next is Ruby Walsh. The champion jockey, one of the greatest ever to live is also in the running. Poor guy has his leg in a frame after having broken two bones in a fall from a horse. I give him the eyes. I mouth the words- “It is mine Ruby, go home now”. He turns to his wife and also calls for security.

♣

They play the video of each of the books. Screaming at the Sky comes up on the screen. It strikes me that I am in a dream and that I will wake up any minute. Our little idea has germinated in to this!!! The President looks over and gives me the thumbs up and leans over and offers a fist pump. “Calm it Mary, I tell her”.

Matt Cooper, the Larry King of Irish Radio opens the envelope, come on Matt say Screaming at the Sky. Come on Matt. “And the winner is, my boyhood hero (Voice in my head: Shit that is definitely not me) Johnny Giles and A Football Man”

No, I hear myself scream as I jump on stage and try to wrestle the award, which is very heavy by the way, out of Johnny’s hands. He fights back and I am wrestled to the ground by security and escorted out of the Mansion House to Mountjoy Prison where I now write this. Ok, the truth is we went on to have a great night and Johnny and I had a good chat and next year we are going to team up and write another book called “The Night Johnny Giles stole Screaming at the Sky’s Award”.

♣

Tags: Amy Huberman, Anxiety, Brian O Driscoll, Destiny, Donal og Cusack, Fintan O Toole, Inspirational people, Irish Sports Book of the Year Award, John Giles, Lance Armstrong, Larry King, mansion House, Mary McAleese, Matt Cooper, Motivation, Mountjoy, Ruby Walsh, screaming at the sky, Tony Griffin