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The I.R.B. and the beginnings of the Gaelic Athletic Association

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 July 2016

W. F. Mandle
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Extract

The G.A.A. was founded as a consequence of an article, ‘A word about Irish athletics’, that appeared in United Ireland on 11 October 1884. The writer, almost certainly Michael Cusack, a Dublin teacher, bewailed the fact that traditional Irish games had been abandoned because of English rule : ‘the hated and hitherto dominant race drove the Irish people from their trysting places at the cross-roads and hurling-fields back to their cabins’; the Irish had become effete, pursuing fripperies and fashion, or, if they still practised athletics, did so under the control of an alien English Amateur Athletic Association where the main objective was to degrade the Irish by forcing them to compete in, and be defeated at, sports unfamiliar to them. The remedy was for ‘the Irish people to take the management of their games into their own hands’.

Type
Articles
Information
Irish Historical Studies , Volume 20 , Issue 80 , September 1977 , pp. 418 - 438
Copyright
Copyright © Irish Historical Studies Publications Ltd 1977

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References

1 Research for this article could not have been undertaken without the assistance of the Australian Research Grants Commission. I am also indebted to Professor Oliver MacDonagh for his help and advice.

2 See Greene, David, ‘Michael Cusack and the Rise of the G.A.A.’ in O’Brien, Conor Cruise (ed.), The shaping of modern Ireland (London, 1960), p. 77 Google Scholar, Sixty glorious years of the G.A.A. (Dublin, 1947), pp 9–10, O’Sullivan, T.F., Story of the G.A.A. (Dublin, 1916), p. 3 Google Scholar, Joyce, James, Ulysses (London, 1960), pp 380–448Google Scholar, Devlin, P. J., Our native gaines (Dublin, [1935]). pp 7 l6–18.Google Scholar

3 United Ireland (henceforth U.I.), 18 Oct. 1884. See Davin, Pat, Recollections of a veteran Irish athlete (Dublin, [1939]), pp 40–42 Google Scholar for the achievements of his brother Maurice, described as a ‘big reachy man’, six feet tall, fifteen stone in weight, and forty-seven inches across the chest. At one time in the 1870s he held the world’s record for the hammer throw. See 60 years, p. 8.

4 U.I., 25 Oct. 1884.

5 There is a report of the meeting in Freeman’s Journal (henceforth F.J.), 3 Nov. 1884. See also O’Ceallaigh, S.P., History of the Limerick G.A.A. from the earliest times to the present day, Part I, 1884–1908 (Tralee, 1937), pp 29–30Google Scholar and O’Sullivan, G.A.A., p. 7. Davitt sent an apology for his absence together with his acceptance of the invitation, see Cork Examiner, 3 Nov, 1884. Croke and Parnell also accepted, see U.I., 27 Dec. 1884

6 Hurley, James, ‘The founders of the Gaelic Athletic Association’ in Capuchin Annual, 1960, p. 197.Google Scholar

7 G.A.A. Golden Jubilee Supplement Irish Press, 14 Apr. 1934, pp 44, 56; Tierney, Mark, Croke of Cashel (Dublin, 1976), pp 192–3.Google Scholar

8 For Wyse Power see S.P.O., Grime Branch Special (henceforth C.B.S.) 11207/S; for McKay see Smith, R., Decades of glory (Dublin, 1966), p. 15 Google Scholar; for Bracken see S.P.O., C.B.S., 12844/S and Boyle, Andrew, Poor dear Brendan (London, 1974), pp 19–20 Google Scholar; for Ryan, and McCarthy, see 60 Glorious years, p. 10 Google Scholar; for Moloney see S.P.O., C.B.S., 126/S.

9 See, e.g., Lyons, F.S.L., Ireland since the famine (London rev. ed., l972,) pp 225–7Google Scholar; MacDonagh, Oliver, Ireland (New Jersey, new ed. (1977), pp 72–3Google Scholar, and O’Brien, C. Cruise, ‘1891–1916’ in idem. Shaping,pp 15–17.Google Scholar

10 MacLua, Brendan, The steadfast rule: a history of the G.A.A. ban (Dublin, 1967), p. 96.Google Scholar

11 3 Jan, 1885. This could have been written by Cusack, but William O’Brien, the editor’s, style was not dissimilar.

12 U.I., 27 Dec. 1884.

13 It was not until 1881 that the Dublin and the independently formed Belfast clubs (the first in 1868) combined to form the Irish union that drew its rules and its opponents from the rest of the United Kingdom, see Morgan, W.J. and Nicholson, Geoffrey, Report on rugby (London, 1959), pp 97–8.Google Scholar

14 See, e.g., F.J., 3 Sept. 1885.

15 ‘Hurley Founders’, p. 205; 60 Glorious years, p. 13; U.I., 18 Apr. 1885.

16 Quoted in O’Sullivan, G.A.A., p 12.

17 At Tuomes, County Cork, see F.J., 19 Nov 1884. This meeting consisted of foot races only. The first major meeting did not take place until May 1885 at Blarney, County Cork, see F J., 4 May 1885 and the first football game was at Callan, County Kilkenny, early in February, see 60 Glorious years, p. 14.

18 See U.I., 7 Feb. 1885 for first football and hurling rules, 14 Feb. for weight–throwing, and 21 Feb. for jumping.

19 Lyons, , Ireland, p 225 Google Scholar suggests that there was, but he seems to be in error, for the foundation meeting was not held until 21 Feb. 1885, see below.

20 U.I., 24 Jan. 1885. This was the beginning of the famous ‘ban’.

21 F.J., 23 Jan. 1885.

22 F.J., 29 Jan. 1885.

23 O’Crowley was an Advanced I.R.B, see S.P.O. G.B.S. 126/S, Return of Advanced I.R.B.s and F.B.s who attended Thurles G.A.A. Convention, etc. (henceforth ‘Return’).

24 F.J., 24 Feb. 1885; U.I., 28 Feb. 1885; 60 Glorious years, pp 13–14. The G.A.A.’s representatives opposed the decision.

25 U.I., 30 May and 13 June 1885.

26 U.I., 27 June 1885, O’Sullivan, , G.A.A., p. 22 Google Scholar; T S. O’Sullivan papers (N.L.I. MS 15385).

27 U.I., 4 Apr., 29 Aug., 26 Sept., and 17 Oct. 1885; F.J., 1 June and 26 Oct. 1885; O’Sullivan, , G.A.A., pp 18, 22Google Scholar; ‘PF’ ( Foley, Patrick), Kerry’s football story (Tralee, 1945), p. 31.Google Scholar

28 F.J., 6 Aug. 1885 and 1 Mar. 1886; U.I., 6 Mar. 1886.

29 F.J., 29 Mar. 1886.

30 F.J., 19 Aug. 1885.

31 F J., 2 Nov. 1885 and U.I., 7 Nov. 1885.

32 F.J., 5 and 8 Dec. 1885 and 9 Mar. 1886.

33 F.J., 1 and 29 Mar. 1886; U.I., 6 Mar. 1886.

34 U.I., 15 Nov 1884.

35 O’Sullivan, , G.A.A., p. 23.Google Scholar

36 Carbery’ ( Mehigan, P.D.), Gaelic football (Dublin, 1941), p. 89 Google Scholar; O’Ceallaigh, , Limerick, p 35 Google Scholar; U.I., 6 Mar. and 11 Nov. 1886.

37 U.I., 26 Sept. 1885.

38 ‘The political aspect of the Gaelic Athletic Association in Ireland’, P.R.O. C.O. 904/16.

39 Inspector A. W. Waters, 11 Nov, 1887, in S.P.O., C.B.S. 126/S.

40 ‘Return’, loc. cit.

41 F.J., 9 Jan. 1886.

42 F.J., 5 June 1885.

43 F.J., 9, 19, 20 and 23 Mar 1886.

44 F.J., 5 and 7 June 1886.

45 F.J., 5 July 1886, 3 and 4 April 1889, U.I., 10 July 1886.

46 F.J., 30 Sept. 1886.

47 See, e.g., Greene, , ‘Cusack’, p. 83 Google Scholar and Mason, Nicholas, Football! (London, 1974), p. 81.Google Scholar

48 F. B. Dineen speaking to Const. O’Reilly, see S.P.O., C.B.S., 126/S.

49 For Hoctor see S.P.O., C.B.S. 1128/S and P.R.O., CO. 904/17/351.

50 For Hassett and O’Riordan see ‘Return’, loc.cit. ; for O’Reilly S.P.O., C.B.S., Report of district inspector, crime special, on secret societies (henceforth S.S.), Northern division, Sept. 1887; for Butler see S.P.O., C.B.E., 9500/S and 9692 /S, and Gaelic Athlete, 10 July 1915.

51 For Mackey, I.R.B. county centre for Limerick, see S.P.O., C.B.S. 9000/S and P.R.O., CO. 904/18/713; for O’Keeffe, county centre for Kilkenny, see S.P.O., C.B.S. 5404/S and P.R.O., CO. 904/18/821; for P. C. Kelly (not to be confused with P J Kelly, also of Galway) see S.PO., C.B.S. 5528/S and P.R.O., CO. 904/18/647.

52 O’Sullivan, , G.A.A., p 43.Google Scholar

53 F.J., 2 Nov 1887.

54 F.J., 9 July 1887.

55 Irish Times, 11 July 1887.

56 F.J., 9, 23 and 27 July 1887.

57 Cuttings from The Gael (no copies of which appear to have survived) in S.P.O., C.B.S. 126/S.

58 Report of Supt Reddy, D.M.P., 13 Sept. 1887 in S.P.O., C.B.S. 126/S.

59 F.J., 26 July 1887.

60 Quoted in O’Sullivan, , G.A.A., p. 46.Google Scholar

61 S.P.O., C.B.S., S.S., South-east division, Aug. 1887.

62 F.J., 10, 17, 24 and 31 Oct., 5 and 7 Nov 1887; O’Sullivan, , G.A.A., p. 46.Google Scholar

63 S.P.O., C.B.S., Divisional commissioners’ and county inspectors’ monthly report (henceforth monthly report) south-western division, Mar. 1887

64 S.P.O., C.B.S., S.S., south-east, May 1887.

65 Ibid., June 1887.

66 S.P.O., C.B.S., monthlv report, south-west, June 1887.

67 S.P.O., C.B.S. 1224/S.

68 S.P.O., C.B.S., monthly report, western, Au9. 1887.

69 E.g. S.P.O., C.B.S., SS., south-east July 1887 and monthly report, western, July 1887.

70 S.P.O., C.B.S., SS., northern, Sept. and Oct. 1887.

71 S.P.O., C.B.S., SS., south-east, July 1887; monthly report, western, Sept. 1887.

72 F.J., 13 July 1887.

73 F.J., 2 Nov. 1887.

74 F.J., 29 Nov. 1887.

75 F.J., 17 Nov. 1887; for Keegan see Return, loc.cit.

76 F.J., 19 Nov. 1887.

77 Insp. Bourchier to Capt. Slacke, 5 Dec. 1887 in S.P.O., C.B.S. 126/S.

78 Reports of Const. O’Halloran, Acting-Sgt. Murphy and Const. McNulty in ibid.

79 Ibid.

80 S.P.O., C.B.S. 5786/S; P.R.O., CO. 904/17/251–2, O’Brien, William and Ryan, Desmond (eds), Devoy’s post-bag 1871–1928 vol. 2 (Dublin, 1953), p 22 Google Scholar; F.J., 7 Oct. 1907.

81 F.J., 10 Nov 1887.

82 Reports of Acting-Sgt. Murphy and Inspr. Waters in S.P.O., C.B.S. 126/S.

83 Minute of Inspr. Turner to Const. O’Halloran’s report, loc.cit.

84 Inspr. Bourchier to Capt. Slacke, 11 Nov 1887 in S.P.O., C.B.S. 126/S.

85 F.J., 10 and 15 Nov. 1887.

86 For O’Brien see Fr. Scanlan’s denunciation in F.J., 10 and 15 Nov. 1887; for Troy see S.P.O., C.B.S., SS., south-west, Sept. 1888.

87 For Weldon see S.P.O., C.B.S. 5403/S.

88 Bourchier to Slacke, 14 Nov. 1887 in S.P.O., C.B.S., 126/S.

89 Torley was the Scottish representative on the supreme council of the I.R.B., see S.P.O., C.B.S. 533/S and 5757/S; Bourchier to Slacke, 5 Dec. 1887, loc.cit.

90 Report of Const. O’Halloran, loc.cit.

91 Bourchier to Slacke, 5 Dec. 1887, loc.cit.

92 Report of Acting-Sgt. Murphy, loc.cit.

93 F.J., 5 Jan. 1888.

94 Ibid.

95 S.P.O., C.B.S. 296/S and 464/S; P.R.O., C.O., 904/16.

96 An essay by the author, ‘Sport as politics the Gaelic Athletic Association 1884–1916’, forthcoming (1978) in McKernan, Michael and Cashman, Richard (eds), Sport and history (Brisbane)Google Scholar deals in more detail with events covered in this epilogue.