So begins Sport in Modern Irish Life, where leading sports historian and bestselling author Paul Rouse grapples with the concept of ev­ery individual person’s relationship with sport being unique to him or herself, but also intimately connected with the universal – ‘most sport is a shared experience even if not shared in precisely the same way’ – and many other topics aside.

Throughout this superb collection of articles and essays, Paul explores, in his inimitable and always engaging style, the undeniable fact that for large sections of society there is no greater pastime than the pur­suit and discussion of sport in all its guises. Whether it’s describing an annual sports day, the harrowing events of Hillsborough, the inter­section of sport and Irish history or the sporting idols who have left an impression upon the author, no stone is left unturned in this essential addition to understanding the pivotal role of sport in life in Ireland and further afield.