{"product_id":"blood-and-thunder-9780241999769","title":"Blood And Thunder","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eLiam O''Callaghan''s revelatory \u003ci\u003eBlood and Thunder \u003c\/i\u003eshows that the rise of Irish rugby is inextricable from the tensions, debates and divisions  of politics, religion and class  that have defined modern Irish history.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDespite the political partition of the island, Ireland competes at rugby internationally with an all-island team  and with a bespoke anthem that nobody loves but everyone tolerates. Ireland has become a leading rugby nation despite its tiny population and the fact that the sport is only the fourth most popular team game on the island by participation.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn \u003ci\u003eBlood and Thunder\u003c\/i\u003e, O'Callaghan traces the dramatic evolution whereby a rugby nation that was deeply attached to amateurism has made such a dramatic success of professionalism. From the sequence of events that led Ireland''s private Catholic secondary schools to embrace rugby, to the controversies and crises that have shaken Irish rugby  including the Northern Troubles, the Belfast rape\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Penguin Books Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51017708831063,"sku":"9780241999769","price":10.44,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9780241999769.jpg?v=1750774409","url":"https:\/\/bookcurl.com\/products\/blood-and-thunder-9780241999769","provider":"Book Curl","version":"1.0","type":"link"}