Siobhán Doyle is an Irish cultural historian, curator, and author whose sports books use objects to explore social history. Originally from County Wexford, she holds a doctorate in museum studies from Technological University Dublin. Her professional work at the National Museum of Ireland includes responsibility for glass, ceramics, and Asian collections, alongside research into material culture and the ways communities preserve and display their past.
Doyle’s first book, A History of the GAA in 100 Objects, appeared in 2022 and was shortlisted at the An Post Irish Book Awards. It was followed in 2026 by Irish Sport in 100 Objects, extending the method beyond Gaelic games. Both books treat equipment, clothing, souvenirs, and other surviving items as evidence of the people who made, used, or kept them.
Siobhán Doyle Books
| Book | Year | Amazon |
|---|---|---|
| A History of the GAA in 100 Objects | 2022 | Description / Buy at Amazon |
| Irish Sport in 100 Objects | 2026 | Description / Buy at Amazon |
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Her doctoral research considered exhibition display, death, commemoration, and collective memory in modern Ireland. That background informs an approach in which the importance of an object depends on its connections and history as well as its appearance. Her GAA work was also developed into the multimedia exhibition GAA: People, Objects and Stories at the National Museum’s Collins Barracks site.
Doyle contributes to public discussion through RTÉ Brainstorm and television and radio appearances. Her broadcasting has included The Late Late Show, The Tommy Tiernan Show, Ireland’s Hidden Treasures, Museum of Me, and Today, as well as RTÉ Radio, Today FM, and Newstalk. These activities extend the same interest in accessible history that underlies the books: explaining how ordinary-looking material can retain evidence of significant events and lasting attachments.
Multi-sport Books
A History of the GAA in 100 Objects: Doyle traces the Gaelic Athletic Association through one hundred objects drawn from Ireland and overseas. Medals, jerseys, equipment, and personal possessions connect sporting occasions with the lives of participants and supporters. A chronological structure brings official history together with local and family memory, showing how the GAA’s social significance survives in material passed between generations as well as in recorded results. Published in 2022.
The selection includes a horsehair sliotar, a tweed camogie dress, Michael Cusack’s blackthorn stick, and glasses damaged during Bloody Sunday. More recent objects include Trevor Giles’s sleeveless jersey and Brian Cody’s cap. The range makes room for both exceptional events and ordinary use, while hurling, Gaelic football, and camogie contribute to an account that extends beyond any one code. The selection draws on material from every Irish county as well as overseas communities.
Irish Sport in 100 Objects: Doyle explores Irish sporting history through one hundred objects gathered from varied places and communities. Running shoes, a saddle, a stadium turnstile, and a homemade surfboard connect different activities with the people involved. Photographs and historical accounts reveal how apparently modest possessions preserve memories of achievement, participation, and belonging, ranging from local grounds to the largest international stages. Published in 2026.
Among the identified objects are Ronnie Delany’s running shoes, Rachael Blackmore’s saddle, and a turnstile from Lansdowne Road. Their different origins allow Doyle to move among athletics, horse racing, stadium sports, and individual recreation. The search for surviving material is part of the historical method: objects found in unassuming places can connect private recollection with a story recognized much more widely.