The sporting world and the human heart: Ireland, 1880–1930

ABSTRACT

In the years between 1880 and 1920, tens of thousands of Irishmen and women played sport in Ireland. Some lived to play, others dabbled as they desired; some devoted their lives to one sport, others sought to participate in as many sports as they could. This article examines what motivated people to join the expanding world of clubs and associations, of matches and races. It assesses why they joined the particular clubs and associations that they joined, or played the particular games that they played. Further, the article explores how such choices were defined (or refined) by such factors as the influence of ideology and tradition, class and gender, commerce and geography, education and employment. Ultimately, it considers the extent to which the sporting choices of people were shaped by the straightforward pursuit of pleasure.     

Yusuf Islam (aka Cat Stevens) and his anti-war and pro-peace protest songs: from hippy peace to Islamic peace

ABSTRACT

In the 1970s Yusuf Islam (aka Cat Stevens) inspired a generation with his songs on anti-materialism, finding self and peace in such classic albums as Tea for the Tillerman (1970, US 3x platinum) and Teaser and the Firecat (1971, US 3x platinum). In December 1977 he converted to Islam, gave up popular music and focussed on humanitarian and educational work, until he returned to popular music in 2006. Meanwhile, Muslims became associated in the West as intolerant and violent. Yusuf has emerged in the last decade as a voice for progressive Muslims. This article explores the continuities in his music from his Cat Stevens days to his comeback and how he has reconciled popular music and his Cat Stevens past with his understanding of Islam. The focus is on his anti-war and pro-peace songs. It argues that his earlier songs are similar in their messages of world peace through love and unity, though less dark than his post-2006 songs. Additionally, his recent songs have a new message that the world must be more inclusive to achieve world peace. This is connected to him being a Muslim in the West and his feeling of exclusion, in an age when many in the West portray all Muslims as extremists. Consequently, in his recent music he reflects his experience as a Muslim, in the same way as his earlier music reflected the counter-culture of that period. Thus he has gone back to his earlier self after adopting a progressive understanding of Islam. Not Started Completed Rejected.