Gaelic Athletic Association

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Gaelic Athletic Association. Founded in 1884 in Tipperary to encourage Irish sports, particularly Gaelic football and hurling, at the expense of English ones, like soccer, cricket, and tennis. Its first patron was Archbishop Croke of Cashel, and Croke Park, Dublin, became the headquarters of the association. Along with the Gaelic League it was a powerful stimulus to nationalism, and Douglas Hyde declared that it had done more for Ireland than all the speeches of politicians.

J. A. Cannon

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