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125 YEARS OF GAA/THE BAN: In our series of articles from the GAA Museum, we look at how President Hyde was removed as patron of the association for the crime of attending an international soccer match

UNTIL 1971 the GAA had a ban on its members playing or attending so-called "foreign games", including soccer, rugby and hockey. This was commonly known as "the exclusion rule", or simply "The Ban". It was enforced by "Vigilance Committees" made up of men who would attend "excluded games" and report on GAA members who were either playing or watching these games. Those found at such games would be liable to a lengthy suspension.