Sportswriting

Over a 22 year career working wth the Connacht Tribune group of newspapers, Ciaran Tierney developed a vast knowledge of the Irish sporting scene.

During that time, he covered games involving the Galway hurlers, footballers (GAA), Galway United FC, and Connacht Rugby. He is also passionate about boxing and water sports.

At various stages of his career with the Tribune, he was the chief correspondent covering Galway United and the Galway hurlers.

Ciaran was in the dressing-room when the footballers won the All-Ireland titles in 1998 and 2001, and was a young freelancer in the press box when Galway United beat Shamrock Rovers in the FAI Cup Final back in 1991.

Sadly, he never got to cover a Galway win in the All-Ireland senior hurling championship, despite working at the All-Ireland finals in 2001, 2005, and 2012.

Highlights of his career in sports writing included becoming the first journalist to interview Francie Barrett before he became the first Traveller to represent Ireland in the Olympic Games.

Ciaran also has a keen interest in the business and politics behind sport.

As a life-long follower of Liverpool FC, he supported the Hillsborough Justice Campaign during a dark period for the club. He has also been lucky enough to see Liverpool play in FA Cup and European finals, but not in a professional capacity!

Sport is about so much more than what happens on the field of play. This was reflected in the Inside Track column which Ciaran Tierney wrote on a regular basis when covering for the Sports Editor at the Connacht Tribune.

What makes a 20-year like Raheem Sterling, for example, decide that he’s “too good” to get by on £100,00 a week?

Why do GAA players not get paid, even though they fill Croke Park to its 80,000 capacity every September and train with the dedication of professionals?

There is so much more sport than writing about what happens between the white lines in 70 or 90 minutes.

And Ciaran thrives on the ‘banter’ which is only understood by passionate sports fans.

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