National question becomes first on agenda

125 YEARS OF GAA:THROUGHOUT ITS formative years Michael Cusack often had to deny the GAA was established as a political body, and was adamant it had been founded solely for the purposes of opening up athletics to the ordinary citizen and reversing the decline of native pastimes.

However, with legislative independence the burning issue of the day, keeping politics out of a parish-based, nationwide organisation such as the GAA would have been impossible.

For most of the 19th century nationalist Ireland was split between two clear groups - those in favour of peaceful political agitation (Home Rule) and those who favoured physical force (IRB).

Both groups had taken an early interest in the GAA. By 1887 a struggle for control broke out between the camps and split the GAA in a way never seen since.

Several key events took place between 1884 and 1887. Cusack was removed as secretary in 1886 and key positions were filled by IRB members, including the post of vice-president which was taken up by PT Hoctor.

The exiled Cusack established a paper, the Celtic Times, and used it to criticise the leadership and administration of the association. So fierce were his criticisms that within four months of its publication the association began its own official organ, the Gael, edited by Hoctor.

Throughout 1887 the IRB faction tightened its grip on the administration of the association, leading to a revision of the rules, including the banning of members of the constabulary from competing at sports events. In April 1887, Maurice Davin, sensing he could do no good, resigned as president. This left the IRB faction in control of the executive and with the tactical advantage of ownership of the newspaper.

The IRB saw the upcoming 1887 convention in Thurles as an opportune time to seize full control of the association. That convention, held in Thurles on November 9th, 1887, is without doubt the most dramatic in the history of the GAA.

Within three years, the “Seven Men in Thurles” had grown to over 1,000 delegates and the mood in the town was tense with police lining the streets in expectation of trouble. The IRB faction had arrived at the venue, the courthouse, early to ensure they filled all the seats.

When the meeting began, Patrick Fitzgerald (IRB) and Fr John Scanlon (Home Rule) sought the chair, leading to loud arguments and fist fights among the spectators. When the IRB candidate, Edward Bennett, defeated Davin for the presidency, Scanlon left, announcing his intention to form a rival association; one which would be loyal to the National League.

Symbolically, he led a march to Hayes Hotel where he chaired a meeting during which a call for support was issued to the imprisoned MP William O’Brien. The meeting also requested the support of Croke and demanded that Davin be reinstated.

Scanlon’s secession seemed to draw matters to a head; over the coming weeks clubs throughout the country held their own conventions. Those who may have only marginally supported the physical force faction were now given a stark choice between the relatively unknown Bennett or Davin.

Anti-Bennett clubs grew by the week.

Croke, who had distanced himself from the Bennett administration, now set about bringing the two sides together. A provisional committee, equally representative of both sides, was formed and a new convention was scheduled for January 4th, 1888.

In the run-up to this convention, clubs held their own conventions which gave a good indication that the mood was swinging firmly in the favour of Davin.

At the 1888 convention, which is reported to have been orderly and dignified, Davin was elected president and William Prendergast as secretary.

A new constitution was drafted and, symbolically, O’Brien was invited to become a patron.

The six-week split ended practically overnight, helped by the decisions of both the Celtic Times and the Gael to cease publication.

Planning for the 1888 “Invasion Tour” helped to focus minds.

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