Boston College Panel Previews Atlas of Irish Sport
A Boston College panel discussed the forthcoming two-volume Atlas of Irish Sport, due in 2027, covering both native and foreign sports in Ireland.
Updated on Nov. 1, 2026 in Soccer
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Boston College's Irish studies department hosted a panel on The Atlas of Irish Sport, a two-volume work scheduled for publication in 2027. The atlas will examine Ireland's official sports such as hurling and Gaelic football, along with foreign sports including soccer, rugby, and golf.
Why it matters
The project frames Irish sport through shifting historical contexts, with each section anchored by a major essay from a leading historian. It offers a scholarly record of how sports have developed alongside the country's history and identity.
The atlas is a two-volume project conceived in 2015 and set for 2027 publication. Specific page counts, pricing, and final chapter lists were not disclosed.
The players
Mike Cronin
Mike Cronin is a historian and Irish studies scholar who first conceived the Atlas of Irish Sport project in 2015 and participated in the Boston College panel.
Cathal Conlon
Cathal Conlon is Vice President of the New England Revolution, the Major League Soccer club, and joined the panel discussion on Irish sport.
The details
The panel at Boston College featured Mike Cronin, Cormac Moore, Cathal Conlon, and Síofra Cléirigh Büttner, who discussed the scope of the atlas covering Ireland's official and foreign sports. Discussion also touched on the everyday realities of Irish athletes, many of whom are teachers on an 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. schedule while training twice a day.
Timeline
2015: Mike Cronin first conceived the idea for the Atlas.
Wednesday: Boston College's Irish studies department hosted the panel discussion.
2027: Two volumes of The Atlas of Irish Sport are scheduled for publication.
Season Trajectory
The atlas builds on a long tradition of scholarship on Irish sport, placing hurling and Gaelic football alongside soccer, rugby, and golf in a single historical frame. Its two-volume format signals an ambition to treat Irish sport as a subject for sustained academic study rather than a collection of isolated topics.
Readers interested in Irish history or sports scholarship can follow the atlas as it moves toward its 2027 publication. Fans of Irish athletics may also note that many competitors balance teaching careers with twice-daily training.
The takeaway
Sport in Ireland reflects both native traditions and imported games, and the forthcoming atlas aims to show how these have evolved together over time.
Further reading
Explore more in Soccer coverage across the Boston area.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Heights.
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