MunsterÆs journey in pursuit of rugby glory has been long and often heartbreaking. The seeds for their ascent into the pantheon of great teams were sown long before Munster æs current success, built on a reputation as a fearsome side for touring teams to play. This story begins with the recollections of 82-year-old Jim McCarthy, capped from 1948 to 1955 when Ireland won the Grand Slam, Triple Crown and Five Nations, the first Munster player to captain Ireland in 1954. Back then there was no coach and players got one piece of kit, a jersey, for the season. The story continues with recollections by former heroes and accounts of acclaimed performances against touring superpowers û the All-Blacks, Springboks and Wallabies. More recently Munster went from unrated wannabees to winners in domestic and European competitions. The personal contributions of players, coaches, fans and pundits make fascinating reading for enthusiasts. Relive the draw in 1958 with Australia, victory over them in 1967, the first European Cup triumph in 2006. Proud wearers of the Munster red such as Tom Kiernan, Noel Murphy, Moss Keane, Keith Wood and Paul OÆConnell take readers behind the scenes as do overseas signings such as Jim Williams and Rua Tipoki. This is a must-have for all rugby fans.