‘In the Ráth Camp, rugby or soccer would not have been tolerated by the prisoners’: Irish Civil War attitudes to sport, 1922-3

Abstract

ABSTRACT Traditionally, the historiography of sport in Ireland has largely been dominated by writings on the Gaelic Athletic Association. This phenomenon is even more pronounced when one considers the historiography of sport during the Irish Revolution (1912–1923). Owing no doubt to the numerous intertwining relationships between the GAA’s codes, its administrators, players, and the campaign for Irish independence this is hardly surprising. However, more recently historians have begun to shed light on some lesser-known connections between non-Gaelic games and the movement for Irish independence. This article focuses specifically on the period known as the Irish Civil War (1922–1923) and examines the political and cultural significance of sport during the fraternal conflict.