Donn Byrne

   It seems odd, from my perspective, that Donn Byrne doesn’t mention the person who managed “Irish” in this story about a young boxer. Sure, he mentions corner men, but who was the manager? Byrne tells us that “Irish” was a talented young fighter on the rise who took a fight he didn’t believe he was prepared for, a fight he didn’t believe he could win. He also tells us the fight was held on the big stage in New York City—Madison Square Garden. Does any unmanaged boxer ever fight there, even back in the day? So was “Irish” a sucker? Was he betrayed by a manager on the take?

Adapted Classics presents two human interest stories by Irish author Donn Byrne. Both stories are about professional boxers who fight opponents in the ring while simultaneously battling psychological demons within themselves. “Irish” follows a popular, young boxer on the rise who knowingly risks his spotless record by taking a match he believes unwinnable for money he needed to support to his unappreciative, delusional father. The second story, A Man’s Game, tells of an aging boxing champion who is harassed by his conscience in the ring for accepting a match he didn’t want and an outcome he couldn’t abide for bribe money he would use to advance his son’s education. The fighting scenes in these stories are vividly described, partly owing to Donn Byrne’s experience as an amateur boxer who attained the lightweight championship while attending Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland.