Quotes of the Year 2019: Highlights from our conversations with athletes

“He was a great player. A lot of the real legends of AFL have been from Ireland. Every now and then you get a new Irish talent. Jim Stynes was another one.” – Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever’s Tom Russo on ex-GAA and Aussie Rules star Tadhg Kennelly

“I have stuff like Post Malone and Khalid on shuffle.” – Leinster and Ireland’s Jordan Larmour

“I was never clever enough in school for there to be a fear of me becoming an accountant… It’s something I grew up doing. I don’t know much else!” – Joseph O’Brien on following his father Aidan into horse racing

“All the young kids want to be All Blacks, and all the young players at Crusaders wanted to play for New Zealand. It’s still very powerful.” – Ronan O’Gara

You can read the complete 'Quotes of the Year 2019’ in one brilliant sweep in the Hot Press Annual – in which we distill the highlights and low-points of the year, across 132 vital, beautifully designed pages. Starring heroes of the year Fontaines D.C. on the front we cover Music, Culture, Sport, Film, Politics, the Environment and much, much more. Buy this superb publication direct from Hot Press here.