Nenagh sportswriter Vincent Hogan publishes memoir

One of Ireland’s greatest sports-writers, Vincent Hogan, publishes his new book ‘The Lost Sportswriter’ this week.

By Shane Brophy

One of Ireland’s greatest sports-writers, Vincent Hogan, publishes his new book ‘The Lost Sportswriter’ this week.

A native of Richmond, Nenagh, Vincent recounts and reflects upon a 43-year career up close with Irish sporting greatness, from his early years with the former Irish Press and working alongside the legendary Con Houlihan, before moving onto the Irish Independent where he would remain until 2023, the vast majority of that time as chief sportswriter covering major sporting events from All-Ireland Finals to World Cups, Olympic Games, with a notable prominence of boxers on the world stage in the book.

From the never-ending presence of newspaper deadlines to the golden era of open dressing room access, the Nenagh native charts and laments how sportswriting transformed – from intimate, personality-driven storytelling to the sterile, data, soundbite and PR-managed exchanges which forms much of the content today.

He also reflects on the stories and individuals that made a lasting impact over four decades

Funny, engaging and unflinchingly self-reflective, The Lost Sportswriter notes a changing game for heroes, matches and the words that outlast them.

Educated at Nenagh CBS, Vincent also reflects on his formative years in Nenagh and his relationship with his parents, particularly his father which was beautifully poignant.

This is Vincent Hogan’s eighth publication, with the previous seven ghost-writing autobiographies, including the multi-award winning ‘Back from the Brink’ on Republic of Ireland footballing great Paul McGrath, in which Hogan went into detail of the pain-staking nature of telling the story of such a complex individual.

He has also written Joe Canning’s ‘My Story’, Eddie O’Sullivan’s ‘Never Die Wondering’ as well as the memoirs of Nicky English ‘Beyond The Tunnel’, Davy Fitzgerald ‘At All Costs’, Colm Cooper ‘Gooch’ and the self-titled ‘Henry Shefflin’.