WHILE PREPARING FOR the GAA’s Bloody Sunday centenary in 2020, a researcher made an interesting discovery that affected the wider community of the association.
Siobhán Doyle was working for the GAA museum at the time and was enjoying the contribution she was making to a poignant ceremony about one of the darkest moments in Irish history. But the assignment also got her thinking. The concept for a book that could capture the history of Gaelic Games through visual representations had always been brewing in her mind, and this was the moment that kickstarted her pursuit of a passion project.
“There hasn’t been anything done on GAA objects,” Doyle tells The42 about the realisation she experienced while helping the GAA to mark 100 years since the Bloody Sunday atrocity in Croke Park.
The Wexford native who was raised in a GAA household was going to be the one to change all that.
“Before that, I had been studying a PhD in Museum Studies for four years, so I was always interested in how ordinary, everyday objects can tell bigger stories. I suppose the concept for the book was always underlying somewhere, but I only got the Eureka moment in October 2020. And I started bouncing it off a couple of people.
“I sent the proposal to Merrion Press and got on the road in June of 2021.”
Doyle had just taken the first steps towards writing a unique sports book that would later be titled ‘A History of the GAA in 100 Objects.’ It was tricky to navigate through the unpredictable Covid-19 times, but she eventually got motoring, and quickly started making progress.
She began her research for the book in Galway when she visited the Lackagh Museum and Heritage Centre, and endeavoured to include every single county in Ireland throughout her journey to ensure an equal amount of representation for all.
“I travelled to the 32 counties and made sure they were all in there because that’s where the backlash would be if I missed someone,” Doyle adds.
“It’s important to say as well that although the book is titled ‘A History of the GAA,’ I was lead by the objects. I didn’t have a list of historical moments associated with the GAA and tried to fit objects around those. Instead, I went with the stories that the objects can tell. There are some moments in GAA history that aren’t represented [in the book]. Sometimes the objects aren’t strong enough to tell the story.
“There’s no object to represent the first meeting of the GAA in history in Hayes’s Hotel in 1884. I could have picked something that’s there in the hotel now but that doesn’t represent the first meeting from 1884.”
Doyle’s extensive search to find items to compile her book delivered a colossal 250 objects for consideration. She wrote about 120 stories for the corresponding images before returning to her publisher, and as the title suggests, that number was eventually trimmed down to 100.
“I collected 250 stories but inevitably, there was a lot of crossover in objects. 20 could have been jerseys and 15 match programmes.
“There were a couple of things that I was surprised [about] what they [Merrion Press] had suggested to leave out. I wanted to have a steward’s high vis jacket because I think it represents a really important side of the GAA. It’s a very ordinary object but it’s a very important one in matchday operations.
“We found another way to represent stewards and that’s through a flag trolley in Longford.”
Every object in the book has its own chapter of about two pages each. Significant jerseys, documents, symbols and even playing equipment help to build an insightful narrative of the GAA’s history. They all have a fascinating backstory too.
One example is the chapter entitled ‘Dóirín Mhic Mhurchú’s Handmade Press Pass.’ Dóirí was Raidío na Gaeltachta’s first female sports reporter, who started out in 1972. She travelled to matches on a Honda 50 and worked the beat for 40 years for the station. She encountered opposition along the way however, on account of her gender, and was even refused entry to the press box in Thurles on one occasion.
To prove her identity going forward, she made her own press card which would later become one of the exhibits included in Doyle’s book.
“I only found that story through Clodagh Finn, who writes for the Irish Examiner,” Doyle explains.
“She’s a big advocate for women’s history and telling women’s side of the story. She wrote about Dorin in one of her columns and mentioned her press pass, so I got in touch with Clodagh who put me in touch with her daughter.
“I would love if the Honda 50 was still around but I think the press pass really sums it up. Not only her innovation, but what she had to do to get into games.”
The chapter which deals with a hole in the ceiling of Taaffe’s bar in Galway contains another intriguing tale. On the day of the 1998 All-Ireland SFC final, barman Colie K accidentally punched the hole while celebrating a crucial goal by Pádraic Joyce which helped steer the Tribesmen to victory.
The damage was never repaired but was instead preserved by a glass frame to commemorate the moment.
Doyle travelled to the well-known watering hole on Shop Street to learn of its origins from the bar manager Pádraig Lally. She only intended to stay long enough to finish her soup, sandwich and one drink. But Lally convinced her to stay for the live band that was playing that day, and the musicians convinced her to perform a little number.
“I said I played flute in the concertina but I had nothing with me,” Doyle says as she takes up the story. “So, one of them went out to the music shop on Shop Street and bought me a tin whistle. We were still there until 9pm that night and I do believe I gave a lovely rendition of ‘Dancing At The Crossroads.’ That was my best day’s research.
“I had a great time. I describe the research as just going around the country talking to auld lads.
“I relied a lot on the goodwill of people when it came to collecting stories and objects. Some were in museums, some in pubs, but a lot of them were actually in people’s homes. I was always really careful in how I approached people. Nobody refused to share a story or take photographs. I’m just really grateful to everyone.”
This is Doyle’s first book and she was unsure about how it would be received. She feared there might be some criticisms over objects that were omitted, but so far, the reaction has been full of praise for the important document she has produced.
And she wants to expand on this work that she has started. She’s now a curator in Collins Barracks in Dublin, and the plan is to present ‘A History of The GAA In 100 objects’ as an exhibition there next year.
“I always felt like it would lend itself to go beyond the pages of the book. There’s also potential for things like education programmes around it, things like worksheets. I’m really keen to expand it a little bit more.
“I’ve started expanding the research as well. There’s 250 stories that I collected and I could easily do a volume II and have it out for next Christmas. What I want to do now is expand it to other sports because I think there is potential for it. I’ve tapped into a culture and sport that hasn’t been examined in a deep way in Ireland.
“I’d love to do a history of Irish sport, whether it’s in 100 objects, or more, I’ll have to wait and see. It’s something I’ll have to take my time with because I’ll be looking at sports that wouldn’t be my comfort zone or expertise. I want to look at horse racing and cycling. Ireland has such a rich sporting history that I can’t believe that it hasn’t been done before.
“I won’t rush it because I’ll do the subject a disservice if I do.”
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