The GAA

The Founding of the GAA

The Gaelic Athletic Association or Cumann Lúthchleas Gael was founded to organise sport in Ireland and to revive the game of hurling. Sporting activities after the famine were usually controlled by the landed gentry (British Landlords) or the army. Very often these sporting activities were not open to the ordinary people. In Dublin for example the phrase 'gentlemen amatuers' was used to prevent 'mechanics, craftsmen and labourers' from taking part. Sport was for gentlemen only.
This sporting 'apartheid' infuriated Micheal Cusack and young Irish naionalists. Cusack saw the danger in the total control of Irish sporting life by the anti-nationalist gentry. He feared that it would destroy the soul of the people and their desire for freedom. Cusack was encouraged to set up an athletic body to orgainise sport in Ireland and revive the game of hurling. The stage was set for the historic 1884 meeting in Hayes Hotel in Thurles where the GAA was founded. Maurce Davin was elected its first president. Dr. T. W. Croke, (Archbishop of Cashel) became the first patron of the Association, and Croke Park in Dublin (the Association Headquarters) is named in his honour.
The GAA is the largest sporting organisation in Ireland, boasting 2,800 clubs comprising of 182,000 footballers and 97,000 hurlers.

The prime aims of the GAA today.

1. To promote and control the national games of Hurling, Football, Handball and Rounders.
2. The Strengthing of the national identity in a 32 county Ireland.
3. To support the advancement of the Irish language, Irish dancing, music and song and to co-operate with other orgainisations which have similar aims.
4. To play a positive role in promoting community devolpment and in supporting Irish industries.