The Obsession My Autobiography

The Obsession is Seán Cavanagh's no-holds-barred account of his extraordinary, obsessive drive to dominate his sport. For the first time, we get up close and personal with the lowest ebbs and greatest highs of his glittering career as one of Gaelic football's era-defining players, and with the truth of what it takes to become a three-time All-Ireland and five-time All Star winner. For twenty years, Seán Cavanagh's relentless routine of train-play-repeat fed an insatiable quest for perfection and made him a permanent fixture in the Tyrone team. His fearless, uncompromising style led him to glory, but his obsession also took its toll on body and mind, and on those around him. As well as the highs that made it all worthwhile, there have been some shattering lows: the anguish and doubt of injury, hostility on and off the field of play, the despair at defeat in crucial games, and the nightmare of gossip hounding his family. In The Obsession, Seán Cavanagh opens up about the sacrifices and dedication needed to make it to the top. He takes us behind the scenes of the GAA: his controversial relationship with manager Mickey Harte, the brutal training regimes, the personal sacrifices and the tragedies that haunted him. He talks, too, of games won and lost, his iconic performance in Tyrone's victory against Kerry in the 2008 All-Ireland Final, the All-Ireland Intermediate Championship title win in February 2018 with Moy that capped an incredible career, the players and their rivalries, and his childhood during the Troubles in Northern Ireland. Hard-hitting, provocative and compelling, The Obsession takes you inside the head of one of the most iconic and respected sportsmen of his time to reveal the competitive drive that made Seán Cavanagh a legend of the game and the man he is today.

Seán Cavanagh is one of the greatest Gaelic footballers of all time. A three-time All-Ireland winner and five-time All Star winner, Cavanagh was Footballer of the Year 2008 and captained Ireland in the International Rules series. He appeared 89 times as an outfield intercounty footballer—a record that still stands. Damian Lawlor is an award-winning writer and six-time author. His books include I Crossed the Line, All in my Head, and Jayo. Damian is also a successful broadcaster working with Sky Sports GAA and RTÉ Radio One. Damian served as an U-17 Tipperary football selector in the past and is currently with the county’s U-20 team.