Fifteenth International Conference on Sport & Society

Abstract

The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) was founded in 1884 as a bulwark of Irish physical culture against the growing Anglicization of Ireland. It has since become the largest amateur sporting association in the world and a crucial facet of Irish life. The two main sports governed by the GAA - Gaelic football and hurling - are the most popular in Ireland in terms of participation and attendance, and GAA clubhouses serve as vital hubs for communities across the island. However, in addition to its prolific institutional status in Ireland, there is a growing GAA scene abroad, with hundreds of teams in cities around the world. These teams are composed of varying proportions of Irish expats seeking community and a piece of home in a foreign country, and non-Irish locals who are fascinated by the electric gameplay of Gaelic football and hurling and want to try something new. As the internet reduces distances between cultures and facilitates the uptake of previously obscure sports, there exists a variety of opinions among native Irish people regarding the participation in Gaelic games of non-Irish people. Some regard any uptake of the games as a positive development, and many official outlets of the GAA actively promote its growth abroad. Others express reservations about globalization watering down the distinct significance of the games to Irish identity. As the GAA continues to grow beyond its birthplace, the phenomenon of its spread provides unique insights into the situation of traditional games in an increasingly interconnected world.