"Our wee country": national identity, golf and ‘Ireland’ (Pre published)

Abstract

The careers of professional golfers offer a noteworthy opportunity to examine the ways in which national identity is imagined, constructed and experienced. This paper examines the nexus of national identity and golf in ‘Ireland’, and more particularly, Rory McIlroy’s public statements on the identity politics surrounding his country of choice for the 2016 Olympic Games. In so doing, it reveals aspects of McIlroy’s personal and sporting habitus, the value he associated with being ‘Irish’, his legitimization of Northern Ireland (NI), and the possible effect of his decision on others’ orientation towards his sporting identity on the island of Ireland. Given the current political instability in NI, it remains to be seen whether McIlroy’s talent as a golfer and his transnational social status will translate into him being a powerful cultural intermediary for sport in/and NI.