Alan Connor (born Alan Hamilton 3 February 1972) is a British writer, journalist and television presenter. First seen on Channel 4's youth entertainment programme The Word in 1995, he later appeared on The Big Breakfast and BBC Radio Five Live. Currently, a BBC News correspondent, appearing on BBC News 24 and The Daily Politics. He has written for The Guardian, BBC News Magazine and the BBC News website. In 2002, with Charlie Skelton, he wrote and starred in a one-off half-hour programme for Channel 4's Comedy Lab strand, The Pooters.

Sharon Shannon (born 12 November 1968 in Ruan, County Clare) is an Irish musician. She is best known for her work with the accordion and for her fiddle technique. She also plays the tin whistle and melodeon. Her 1991 album Sharon Shannon is the best selling album of traditional Irish music ever released there. Beginning with Irish folk music, her work demonstrates a wide-ranging number of musical influences, including reggae, cajun music, Portuguese music, and French Canadian music. Her single What You Make It (da, da, da, da) featured hip hop music artists. She won the lifetime achievement award at the 2009 Meteor Awards.

At eight years old, Shannon began performing with Disirt Tola, a band from County Clare. With Disirt Tola, Shannon toured the United States at age fourteen.

Shannon also worked as a competitive showjumper, but gave it up at age sixteen to focus on her music performing.

Shannon similarly abandoned studying at University College Cork.

In the mid-1980s, Shannon studied the accordion with Karen Tweed and the fiddle with Frank Custy, and performed with the band Arcady, of which she was a founding member.