Episode 3232: A Brilliant New GAA Novel: Fun And Games By John Patrick McHugh

Despite its centrality to Irish culture as a whole, the GAA has for some reason never featured as prominently as you might expect in Irish fiction. Today we’re joined by one of our best young writers, John Patrick McHugh to speak about his first novel, Fun and Games, which puts Gaelic football right at the heart of its story.

‘Fun and Games’ is published today by @4thEstateBooks . Very proud of this novel: love these characters, this world, and I hope you will too if you read it.

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— John Patrick McHugh (@johnpamchugh) April 24, 2025

He describes how Gaelic football was a way of exploring Irish masculinity and the lives of Irish teenagers, why he thinks the GAA is very much a net benefit in the lives of young men, and how the sport can sometimes feel like something far more intimate than that.

https://t.co/xSbIHZOprD

always a thrill to have something up with @GrantaMag . A little piece on GAA, Francis Bacon, and being a defender. With thanks to Aea Varfis-van Warmelo for the edits and prompt ?

— John Patrick McHugh (@johnpamchugh) April 23, 2025

Plus there’s memories of Normal People, Joe Duffy and the scandalising of the Irish public.

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