GAA Abandons Its Radical Origins

Robert Emmet 1916 Society Lisnaskea ✊Born out of genocide and oppression, it now plays an integral role in many parishes, towns, and cities throughout Ireland and continues to be instrumental in connecting the Irish diaspora and Irish immigrants abroad.

After centuries of Irish culture, language, indigenous sports, and pastimes had been deliberately eroded by English, later British colonialism, it was no coincidence that many of its founding members had links to political organisations namely the Land League and Republican movements such as the Young Irelanders Movement later the IRB (Fenians) whom for their time were progressive and revolutionary.

At the turn of the 20th century and pre revolutionary Ireland, the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) was growing at a considerable rate throughout the country with clubs also being established in America by former members and sympathisers to Clan na Gael (who were a sister organisation to the Fenians). The influence of Republicans was pivotal in its rapid growth and development. Historically, the GAA and Republicans shared a common goal of a free and Sovereign Ireland. Aspirations that are still visible today, although mostly in name only with clubs and stadiums named after revolutionaries and Republicans from the United Irishmen, IRB, Cuman nh Ban, and Hunger Strikers.

Not only was the newly founded Gaelic Athletic Association gaining the attention of British forces, but also from more localised influences like that of the Catholic Church who in turn tried to kill the association when in its infancy because of the level of IRB members involvement and influence within its ranks. This was not surprising considering the churches hostility towards the Fenian movement, who not only wanted an end to the British occupation of Ireland but also a complete separation from church and state. A demand that didn't sit well with Catholic bishops who in turn stated: "Hell was not good enough for the Fenians."

The purpose of this article is not a history lesson, but to fully acknowledge its content, I feel it necessary to briefly allude to the politics behind the formation of the Gaelic Athletic Association as today, there are many in positions on county boards and others on club committees who ignore our history, are ignorant to it, and even try to rewrite history to suit their own narrative.

What was once a grassroots and anti-colonial association is now governed by elites who strive to protect their own interests, both political and economic, but like all groups, the GAA is not homogenous and never was homogenous in its makeup with some of Ireland's most right wing and reactionary forces being members.

With the establishment of the Counter Revolutionary Irish Free State, the GAA became fully co-opted into the ultra conservative ways of the state in which it existed. Illustrated during All-Ireland match day formalities when a Catholic hymn would be sung before team captains knelt before a bishop to kiss his ring in what was supposedly a mark of respect and obedience to the church. Conservative Ireland at its ugliest worst. The official naming in 1950 of O'Duffy Terrace at St. Tiarnach's Park Clones, after leading member of the Blue Shirts Eoin O'Duffy, is certainly not the GAAs most memorable achievement. Today, the terrace is still named after the disgraced Irish fascist.

It is natural for an organisation like the GAA that is embedded in the community to be influenced by the hegemony of the state, as was the case in the Irish Free State. In the North of Ireland, particularly during the lastest 30-year war, when the nationalist and republican community bore the full brunt of state oppression for many, the GAA acted as a nucleus in keeping communities together. To be a member of the GAA alone was enough to be harassed, intimidated, and worse by British security forces and their loyalist proxy paramilitaries who were controlled and directed by British state intelligence thus having impunity to murder.

In 2001, (Rule 21) a rule that had existed for over a century banning members of the British security forces from GAA membership had been dropped from the GAA constitution after a vote in which all counties in the 26 counties supported along with Co. Down in the British occupied 6 counties. Rule 21 was abolished under the pretence of there being major changes in policing in the North. Unsurprisingly, given their lived experience of British security forces, Fermanagh, Tyrone, Armagh, Derry, and Antrim voted to retain Rule 21.

Four years prior to Rule 21, being abolished, there was the horrific murder of GAA member Seàn Brown. Seàn was abducted as he locked the gates of Bellaghy Wolfe Tones GAA club before being tortured and killed by loyalist paramilitaries. Loyalist paramilitaries who were largely made up of state agents, as was the case with Seán's killers, who today are being protected by the PSNI. A clear indication that the PSNI are no different than their predecessors, the sectarian RUC. As Seàn Brown's family and many other familes are still being denied justice and their murderers protected by the PSNI the GAA sees it as acceptable to be recruiting sergeants for the PSNI when they advertise for recruitment in All-Ireland match day programmes for a police force who is controlled and directed by the head of British intelligence which is contrary to the GAA constitution.

The GAA constitution states:

Today, the native games take on a new significance when it is realised that they have been a part, and still are a part, of the Nations desire to live her own life, to govern her own affairs.

Words that clearly state the association aspire to a 32 county Ireland free from foreign rule while also acknowledging to have played a part and are part of the nation's desire for a sovereign Ireland but to recruit for a police force whose sole purpose is to serve and protect British imperial interests in Ireland is antithetical to the fundamental objectives of the association.

A recent article in the Irish News newspaper by Connla Young 27/04/2024 once again emphasizes the sheer hypocrisy of the GAA's top table when a traditional music band were forced to withdraw from playing at the recent Ulster championship game between Derry and Donegal because of the bands support for Palestine. The band had become a regular feature at Derry's home fixtures, but before the crunch championship match, Ulster Council chief executive Brian McAvoy insisted the band could not play under their name, Saoirse don Phalaistín (Freedom for Palestine). The band was also told they could not display a Palestine flag or make any references to Palestine.

After the outbreak of the Russian US proxy war in Ukraine, the GAA openly supported Ukrainian victims of the conflict with Ukrainian children bringing the Liam McCarthy cup onto the field on All-Ireland final day. Colin Regan, the GAA's Community Manager, stating:

Whatever we do in terms of that visibility - making sure that they appreciate that the Irish communities are 100% behind them, that the association is doing whatever we can.

Many clubs also held fundraisers for Ukrainian refugees, but when it comes to genocide in Palestine, the GAA (quoting their own words) are apolitical. Totally ignoring the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, which has seen close to 35,000 deaths over 15,000 of whom are children. For the GAA, is it a case of some lives matter more than others?

It is understandable that many within the GAA today have been heavily influenced by the hegemony of today's status quo, as was the case in the past. What we are seeing today is the outworkings of a 25-year pacification process as the higher echelons of the Gaelic Athletic Association are doing all in their power to abandon the proud anti-colonial and anti-imperialist roots of Irelands, most socially valuable organisation but thankfully not all Gaels have abandoned their roots.

The GAA belongs to the people and that it must remain.