Whether it’s tightly rolled up between two nervous, wringing hands, proudly sticking out from a quick-stepping back pocket or carefully brought home to be kept for posterity, the matchday programme is part of the very fabric of the GAA and in The GAA Covered this glorious document gets its long overdue day in the sun.

The GAA Covered is a stunning visual compendium of GAA programmes that looks at the organisation from an entirely fresh perspective. With over 100 years of material contained within, each page features striking images of that year’s provincial and All-Ireland final match programmes, along with superb captions of context and colour.

John Kelly’s labour of love will mesmerise GAA fans – from the diehard who will appreciate the compilation of such a wide range of programmes to the casual fan who will be enthralled by the immense beauty of the book.

John Kelly is a primary school principal. He has had a lifelong involvement in Gaelic games as a player, coach and administrator, and more recently as an intercounty match official. He has also been a contributor to RTE’s Sunday Miscellany and Ireland’s Own magazine. He lives in County Carlow with his wife Maria and his two sons, Pádraic and Lorcan.