A History of the GAA in 100 Objects

The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) is a part of the Irish consciousness and plays an influential role in Irish society that extends far beyond the sport itself. In popular imagination and experience, the GAA is often evoked in terms of its objects: medals passed down from generation to generation, jerseys worn in All-Ireland finals, Michael Cusack’s blackthorn stick, a pair of glasses damaged during the events of Bloody Sunday. It is this body of objects that forms the focus of this book. The objects of the GAA – from the Liam MacCarthy cup to notes used by radio commentators – range from the informal to the formal and are key to the construction of both personal and official histories. However, such objects have yet to form a focus of sustained enquiry. This book repositions a range of objects, originating from the GAA, into the expanded field of Irish history by placing them as central to our understanding of past ideas and experiences, making them a compelling and important area of historical analysis. A History of the GAA in 100 Objects acts as a signpost to significant moments in GAA history, offers fresh perspectives on a previously overlooked area of enquiry and presents new ideas not available elsewhere.

The Gaelic Athletic Association is a huge part of the Irish consciousness and plays an influential role in Irish society that extends far beyond the sports. In popular imagination and experience, the GAA is often evoked in terms of its objects: medals passed down from generation to generation, jerseys worn in All-Ireland finals, Michael Cusack’ s blackthorn stick, a pair of glasses damaged during the events of Bloody Sunday.This fascinating book offers a new perspective on the GAA by assembling a range of objects from every county in Ireland, as well as overseas, to present a chronological history of the GAA that also functions as a social history of the people who have been involved in it. From a fifteenth-century horsehair sliotar to a tweed camogie dress, Trevor Giles’ s sleeveless jersey and Brian Cody’ s baseball cap, all corners of the GAA world, personal and official, are explored and celebrated in A History of the GAA in 100 Objects.