From GAA and soccer to rugby and boxing and many disciplines in between, there's no doubt that this country is mad about its sport.

But what do we know about the early beginnings of sport in Ireland and how it captured the national imagination?

UCD lecturer Paul Rouse has written a new book called Sport in Ireland: A History which looks into that very question in detail and tonight he joined us on Off The Ball to tell us about what he discovered from as far back as medieval times including whether claims that chess was invented on these shores is true and how long hurling has existed.