Mike Cronin graduated with a Ph.D. in history from Oxford University in 1994. He is currently Accademic Director for Centre of Irish Programmes at Boston College, Dublin. Cronin has a particular interest in the study of twentieth-century Irish history, as well as the politics of sport in Irish history. He is author of The Blueshirts and Irish Politics (1997), Sport and Nationalism in Ireland (1999) and A History of Ireland (2001). Daryl Adair graduated with a Ph.D. in history from the Flinders University of South Australia in 1995. He is currently Lecturer in Sports Humanities in the Centre for Sports Studies, University of Canberra, Australia. Adair has a background in Australian history, with a keen interest in public spectacles. He is author of Sport in Australian History (1997, with Wray Vamplew), and editor of Sport Tourism (2002, with Brent Ritchie).