Kevin McCarthy follows the story of Irish and Irish American Olympic involvement from its accidental beginnings in 1896 through to the very significant political issues which dominated Irish sports and Irish Olympic aspirations in the early 20th century. He has traced the role played by the Olympic Games in the evolution of a national identity in Ireland, and in the emergence of Irish America as a major sporting and political force in the USA.



The work highlights the divisions and complexities within Irish sport, as well as the significant influence of the British Olympic...