GAA
Created | Updated Jan 5, 2013
The Gaelic Athletic Association
The Cumann Lúthchleas Gael or Gaelic Athletic Association, is the amateur sporting body at the head of Gaelic Football, Hurling, Camogie and Rounders in Ireland. It also promotes the Irish language and culture and can boast over 800,000 in Ireland.
History and aims.
In the billiard-room of Miss Hayes's Commercial Hotel in Thurles, at Three O'clock on Saturday the first of November 1884 the Gaelic Athletic Association for the Preservation and Cultivation of National Pastimes, was born. There were present at least seven men (although there may have been as many as fourteen).The seven founder members were Michael Cusack, Maurice Davin, John Wyse Power, John McKay, J. K. Bracken, Joseph O'Ryan and Thomas St. George McCarthy. The press of the time reported the following men were also present William Foley, a Mr. Dwyer, a Mr. Culhane, William Delehunty, John Butler and William Cantwell. Michael Cusack later stated that Frank Moloney was also present.
Their original aim was to ressurect the ancient Tailteann games
(ancient sports events held in the honour of Queen Tailt from 1829BC to 1180AD which died out after the Norman invasion) and to promote Independent Irish Athletics, but football and hurling began to dominate.
On its establishment the GAA set itself the following three goals:
- To foster and promote native Irish pastimes
- To open athletics to all social classes
- To aid the establishment of hurling and football clubs which would organise matches between counties
In terms of its aims very little has changed since its foundation, today it still states:
"The Association is a National Organisation which has as its basic aim the strengthening of the National Identity of a 32 County Ireland through the preservation and promotion of Gaelic games and pastimes."
All-Ireland Championships
In 1892, Congress allowed the County club champions to use players from other clubs within the county and so inter-county football was born.The first All-Ireland Championships in hurling and football were organised on a county basis in 1887. Twelve of the 32 counties entered, although only five competed in hurling and eight in football.The finals were not played until the start of the next season in April 1888.
Now every year all 32 conuties in Ireland compete in Hurling, Football( men and ladies) and Camogie to win various championships at all different age level's.
