MICHAEL GALLAGHER is an Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science, Trinity College, University of Dublin. He has written on Irish, European and Japanese politics. He is the co-editor of Politics in the Republic of Ireland and The Referendum Experience in Europe and co-author of Days of Blue Loyalty and Representative Government in Modern Europe. - MICHAEL MARSH is an Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science, Trinity College, University of Dublin. He has written extensively on parties and elections, both in Ireland and elsewhere. He is the co-author of Days of Blue Loyalty, co-editor of How Ireland Voted 1997 and co-director of the 2002 Irish National Election Study. - PAUL MITCHELL joined the London School of Economics in 2000 and is a joint appointment in the Government Department and the Methodology Institute. He previously taught at University College Galway and Queen's University Belfast. During 2000-2001 he was a Fulbright Distinguished Scholar at Harvard University. His publications on Irish Politics encompass Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, particularly electoral and party competition. He is currently the co-editor of Irish Political Studies.