A Social and Cultural History of Sport in Ireland

Sport has played a central role in modern Ireland's history. This collection of chapters, contributed by some of Ireland's most preeminent historians, showcases the richness and complexity of Ireland's sporting heritage.
This book was published as a special issue of Sport in Society.

Richard McElligott lecturers in modern Irish history at University College Dublin and is the author of Forging a Kingdom: The GAA in Kerry, 1884-1934. His research has been published in a range of journals including Eire-Ireland and Irish Economic and Social History. Since 2011 he has served as Chairman of the Sports History Ireland Society. David Hassan is Head of the School of Sport at Ulster University. He is the author of 11 books and over 75 peer-reviewed articles and outputs dealing with sport and modern society. He holds a Distinguished Research Fellowship from Ulster in recognition of his outstanding contribution to research.

1. Introduction 2. 'Contesting the Fields of Play: The Gaelic Athletic Association and the Battle for Popular Sport in Ireland, 1890-1906' 3. The GAA and Revolutionary Irish Politics in Late 19th and Early 20th Century Ireland 4. 'Irish Rugby and the First World War' 5. 'The National Athletic Association of Ireland and Irish Athletics, 1922-1937: Steps on the Road to Athletic Isolation' 6. 'The Emergence of Hurling in Australia 1877-1917' 7. 'Irish born players in England's Football Leagues, 1945-2010: An Historical and Geographical Assessment' 8. 'The Cork Sportsman: A Provincial Sporting Newspaper, 1908-1911' 9. 'Ireland - Soccer Champions of the World' 10. 'Hardy Fingallians, Kildare Trippers and 'The Divil Ye'll Rise' Scufflers: Wrestling in Modern Ireland'