UCD Library Special Collections holds the Pádraig Puirséal Collection.
The Collection
The Puirséal Sports Collection consists of books and pamphlets formerly owned by Pádraig Puirséal (Patrick Purcell). Puirséal (1914-1979) was a novelist and the GAA correspondent for the Irish Press from 1970-1979. The GAA in Its Time, based on his research, was published posthumously in 1982.
Collection Highlights
There are numerous club histories issued to commemorate club and GAA anniversaries, some of which are also souvenir programmes. There are also a number of books/pamphlets on Gaelic sports including those written by Séamus Ó Ceallaigh in the 1940s. Other ball games, rowing, athletics, horse and greyhound racing as well as sport reference works, are also represented.
G.A.A.
• G.A.A Annuals/Yearbooks
• Club/Parish annuals
• Club Histories
• Souvenir programmes
Other Sports
• American Football
• Athletics & Olympic Games
• Baseball
• Boxing
• Cricket
• Encyclopaedias of sport
• Golf
• Greyhound racing
• Horse Racing
• Lawn Tennis
• Rowing
• Rugby
• Shinty
• Soccer
Access and Use
- The material in this collection is available by appointment to students, teaching staff, and independent researchers. We also welcome interested members of the public.
- Please contact us at (opens in a new window)special.collections@ucd.ie for further information. To book an appointment (opens in a new window)click here.