George Hook

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George Hook on the cover of his autobiography

George Hook is an Irish journalist and broadcaster. He had a varied career as a rugby coach and businessman, before finding success as a rugby pundit with Irish television station RTE. He hosts the 'Right Hook' on the Irish national radio station Newstalk.

1 Early life
2 Career
3 Bibliography
4 References
5 External links

[edit] Early life

George Hook grew up in a terraced house on Albert Road in Cork, and attended a Presentation Brothers college, which was a fee-paying school and a rugby stronghold. It was in this school that George's lifelong love of the game of rugby began. He is also a qualified accountant, holding a qualification from Rathmines College of Commerce.

[edit] Career

George has had a variety of jobs, beginning as a temporary clerk for CIE, and including a job as a travelling salesman for Burroughs (now Unisys). He also ran a catering business for over twenty years along with his wife (often referred to as "the lovely Ingrid" on his radio show). He famously passed up a chance^{[citation needed]} to bring the first McDonalds franchise to Ireland. He coached London Irish and Connacht, as well as the American National Team in the 1987 Rugby World Cup.

In 2005, Hook published an autobiography, "Time Added On", in which he revealed very personal details about his life, including suicidal thoughts he had at various moments in the past, and how he amounted substantial personal debts in business while neglecting family and friends. The book details how he has been able to rediscover and rekindle these important relationships late in his life, most especially with his long suffering wife... the 'lovely Ingrid'.

Hook's 'Right Hook [1]' radio show on Newstalk 106 is a popular evening drive-time programme in a fiercely contested slot for home-going commuters. With Newstalk's change from a local to a quasi-national station, there is another contender on the national stage. The performance of Newstalk vis a vis RTE in this slot will be of interest.