Paul McNamara
A native of Limerick, he studied in Cork and London and is currently based in Berlin. He has performed with amongst others, Opera Theatre Company, the DGOS, Opera Ireland, the RTE Concert Orchestra, the National Symphony Orchestra, The Handel Festivals of London and Halle, the London Jazz Festival and the Festivals of Covent Garden, Dartington and Batignano. More recent engagements include Puccini's Messa di Gloria in Avignon and the title role in Idomeneo in England.

Maurice Manning
Maurice Manning has written extensively on modern Irish politics. His earlier books include The Blueshirts and Irish Political Parties. More recently he has written a political thriller, Betrayal and a biography of James Dillon. He lectures in politics at University College Dublin and is leader of the opposition in the Irish Senate. He is married with one son.

Hugh Duffy
Hugh Duffy, S.J., was born in Dublin. He was educated at Belvedere College, U.C.D., Milltown Park and Columbia University (NY). After some years teaching in Clongowes Wood College, Crescent College Comprehensive, Gonzaga College as well as in the United States, he became Head of the English Department in Mary Immaculate College, UL.

Ciaran MacGonigal
Is currently (2001) Director of the Hunt Museum; was formerly Director of the RHA Gallagher Gallery, Dublin. He is, inter alia, a member of the Board of Governors and Guardians of the National Gallery of Ireland and was formerly art critic with The Irish Times and The Irish Independent.

Robert O'Byrne
A former resident of Limerick, Robert O'Byrne has worked as a journalist with The Irish Times for the past ten years. He is the author of After a Fashion: A History of the Irish Fashion Industry and Hugh Lane 1875-1915: A Biography.

Joe Queenan
Joe Queenan has written for the New York Times, the Washington Post, Spy, the Wall Street Journal, the New Republic, Time, Newsweek and Rolling Stone, among other publications. He is a contributing editor at GQ and Movieline. The author of four previous books, including the best-selling America, and the most recent My Goodness: A Cynic's Short-lived Search for Sainthood, he lives in Tarrytown, New York.

Fergus Finlay
Worked for three governments from 1982 to 1997 as advisor to Dick Spring. His account of this experience appeared as Snakes and Ladders. He is the author of two previous bestsellers A President with a Purpose, about Mary Robinson's election and a political thriller A Cruel Trade. He lives in Dublin with his wife and four daughters.

Kevin O'Connor
Born in Limerick, developed an early interest in theatre; worked in touring theatre in Britian; became a journalist in London and returned to work with RTE in the 1970's. Script editor and writer if Thou Shallt Not Kill; an admirer of Kate O'Brien, he wrote the Memory and Desire play performed at 1995 Kate O'Brien Weekend and adapted The Ante Room for premiere performance by the Island Theatre Company in July 1996.

Terry Eagleton
Terry Eagleton is Warton Professor of English Literature at St. Catherine's College, Oxford. A world renowned literary critic, his many books include Literary Theory : An Introduction, one of the world's best-selling academic books. He is also author of the play Saint Oscar and the novel Saints and Scholars along with two widely acclaimed studies on Ireland, Heathcliff and The Great Hunger and Crazy John and the Bishop.