Joe Brolly

[Main Street]

except for the castle dubs, of course.

[Eamonnca1]

Page 1 of the GAA constitution

"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 Nation's desire to live her own life, to govern her own affairs."

Re-unification is a core tenet the GAA was built on and so is a GAA matter.

There's no such thing as a GAA constitution.

The statement you quote also includes the following:

"The primary purpose of the G.A.A. is the organisation of native pastimes and the promotion of athletic fitness as a means to create a disciplined, self- reliant, nationalminded manhood."

It's a clearly aspirational statement, not meant to be taken literally. Otherwise the above sentence would rule out games for women and girls.

The day the GAA starts a political campaign is the day it dies as a national movement.

Point of order: Camogie and Ladies football are not governed by the GAA. 

I believe rounders is co-ed though. And Scór certainly is.

[Eamonnca1]

I can't see the GAA persuading anyone how to vote.

Anyone who would be influenced by the GAA is probably already going to vote in favour of a united Ireland. And participating in what will be a very divisive election will just give unionists in the north another stick to beat the GAA with.

Exactly. Unless they decide to lead the charge to aggressively make the GAA more inclusive, e.g. by abandoning the national anthem and the tricolour, all they would achieve would be to harden the unionist resolve

Couldn't agree more. If a UI is what you want, more protestants playing hurling and Gaelic football would be a good step in that direction. The GAA taking overtly political positions would be counter-productive. There are protestants who may be averse to political nationalism, but are interested in the cultural heritage of the country. The GAA is in a great position to make positive use of this, but could squander it if they took political sides.

[Main Street]

To support the call for a border poll is not taking a political position per se.
A person or group take a political position when they decide or promote which side they are on in such a border poll

Nordies are not a positive bunch, the successful popular campaigns up there have been negative.
Ulster says NO to Darwin/forgiveness/sodomy/homos/gay blood/gay cakes/EU/GAA/Rome rule/united Ireland/abortion/ insert any word.
I'd say you'd have a better chance with a negative campaign.
A campaign slogan like "No More Border" could hit the spot,  then come up with a campaign ditty to the tune of No More Catholics
from the T2 Trainspotting film.

Though the  Irish in the south respond more to positivity, who can forget the  powerful effect of the 'Arise and Follow Charlie' campaign song which swept (el duce) Charles Haughey to power in 1981.




.

[LeoMc]

Its a great article with some interesting ideas and a great core message - I don't care if the call happened or not.

I assumed that whole phone call with Canavan was written tongue in cheek by Joe and he never meant anyone to seriously think that the conversation happened.,

That was my take too

I assumed that about all his "I was talking to an Inter-County player" spiels. They are just vehicles for his opinions.

[trailer]

We must convince large numbers of Unionists that a UI is viable and that they won't be oppressed. Remember the campaign was Home rule = Rome rule and certainly up until the 1990s (or even later in certain aspects ofo society) that was the case. That's a genuine fear they have.

I personally think, while high profile GAA members may campaign and use their profile but I think the GAA should remain neutral.

[Itchy]

Leave politics to politicians.
Leave referendums(da) to the Voters.
Promote and Develop Gaelic Games.

Im afraid that is very naive talk. It is impossible to split sport from politics. As rugby teams touring South Africa once found out.

The GAA has a leading role to play in showing protestants/unionists that a 32 county united Ireland is not something they should fear. I see nothing wrong with the organisation supporting a call for a referendum on the border or for example or supporting a call for a independent enquiry into the murder of Aidan McAnespie. 

[Rossfan]

Aidan McAnespie was a GAA man shot dead for no political reason and quite likely because he was a GAA man.
An enquiry into his murder is a human rights issue.
Calling for a " Border poll" is currently the preserve of one political party.
I think you'll find that the vast majority of the GAA officialdom and membership  will Not want the organisation campaigning for a yes vote even though most of them will be yes voters.

[rosnarun]

Leave politics to politicians.
Leave referendums(da) to the Voters.
Promote and Develop Gaelic Games.

Im afraid that is very naive talk. It is impossible to split sport from politics. As rugby teams touring South Africa once found out.

The GAA has a leading role to play in showing protestants/unionists that a 32 county united Ireland is not something they should fear. I see nothing wrong with the organisation supporting a call for a referendum on the border or for example or supporting a call for a independent enquiry into the murder of Aidan McAnespie. 

id have no issue with every member of GAA going out and campaigning under whatever political banner they want but the GAA as an organization they must remain neutral .
they can lobby on issues directly affecting them but not in general anything else would be a breach of the GAA principals that kept going through civil war war of independence ETC.

[Rossfan]

+1 Rosnarun.

[Itchy]

Aidan McAnespie was a GAA man shot dead for no political reason and quite likely because he was a GAA man.
An enquiry into his murder is a human rights issue.
Calling for a " Border poll" is currently the preserve of one political party.
I think you'll find that the vast majority of the GAA officialdom and membership  will Not want the organisation campaigning for a yes vote even though most of them will be yes voters.

No McAnespie was shot because he was a catholic who walked through a British army checkpoint every day to go to work. He happened to be a GAA member. The GAA has tried to stay out of politics but its not possible when big issues come around. I dont see any reason a 32 county organisation would not state on record that they would favour a 32 county Ireland.

As an aside, I wonder did any GAA clubs protest the Roscommon hospital closure issue when it was ongoing? That was a political decision not liked by the people of Roscommon, many I am sure were GAA people. Didnt the protest Marches even start at the Hyde?

[Rossfan]

I don't recall the Co Board formally saying anything.
Anyway the GAA is already a 32 County organisation and about the only difference one All  Ireland State would mean for them would be dealing with one Government Sports Dept instead of 2.
Although I suspect there will be 2 Administrations in the new All Ireland State anyway.

[Last Caress]

To support the call for a border poll is not taking a political position per se.
A person or group take a political position when they decide or promote which side they are on in such a border poll

Nordies are not a positive bunch, the successful popular campaigns up there have been negative.
Ulster says NO to Darwin/forgiveness/sodomy/homos/gay blood/gay cakes/EU/GAA/Rome rule/united Ireland/abortion/ insert any word.
I'd say you'd have a better chance with a negative campaign.
A campaign slogan like "No More Border" could hit the spot,  then come up with a campaign ditty to the tune of No More Catholics
from the T2 Trainspotting film.

Though the  Irish in the south respond more to positivity, who can forget the  powerful effect of the 'Arise and Follow Charlie' campaign song which swept (el duce) Charles Haughey to power in 1981.



.

I agree but due to my Northern Tendencies, I disagree with everything you have said.😂😂

[Seany]

if the GAA is to mean anything, it has to be true to its ethos,its history and its identity, it simply cannot ignore any of these in the event of a border poll. There is nothing subversive in wanting a United Ireland. It is a noble and decent aspiration and one the GAA is founded upon. If the GAA were to abandon this aspiration in the event of a referendum on Irish unity, it would be a massive betrayal.

[dec]

"The Association is a National Organisation which has as its basic aim the strengthening of the National Identity in a 32 County Ireland through the preservation and promotion of Gaelic Games and pastimes."

In the event of a united Ireland referendum the GAA should stay true its basic aim by preserving and promoting Gaelic Games and pastimes.